ILCA open meeting at Chipstead Sailing Club
by John Masters 2 Jun 16:17 BST
31 May 2026
Downwind action - ILCA 6&7 open meeting at Chipstead © Ian Cobb
The old rumour that the Chipstead Open was a recipe for a gentle drift round the lake in light to no wind seems to have been well and truly laid to rest, as for yet another year in succession, the meeting was blessed with a good westerly breeze of 12 to 15 mph with only the occasional holes (this is Chipstead, after all!).
A total of 20 boats (the largest number for some years) took to the water, split almost equally between the 7s and 6s.
The Race Officer, Gareth Colesmith and his efficient and hard working team from the Club's Graduate fleet, laid good Committee Boat start lines at the east end of the Lake, giving beats the full length of the water with figure of eight courses for the four races, two back to back in the morning and afternoon of about 45 minutes duration each.
ILCA 7 fleet
The first race was an easy win for David Goddard (Bough Beech SC), followed home by Andrew Mcleish (Up River YC), and Steve Curl (CSC), a refugee from the Phantom class, sailing a borrowed ILCA.
In the second race, Andrew Bowes (CSC) making a welcome return to the Class, solved his problems from the first race, and came home a comfortable winner, followed home by Goddard and Andrew Sorrell (CSC) sailing the oldest boat in the fleet.
Bowes repeated the trick in the third race after lunch, with Goddard this time a close second, setting up a winner takes all duel between them for the fourth race, with Sorrell again an excellent third.
The last race was very exciting with Bowes taking an early lead and looking as if he would go on to win the meeting, but Goddard ground him down, and eventually overtook him towards the end of the race, winning not only it but the overall event on countback. McLeish came in third, to cement that position in the overall reckoning.
ILCA 6 fleet
Nine entrants all from the home club with the exception of Charlie Weatheritt (Tonbridge Town SC) took part, the first race being won by Samantha Thom (CSC) in her new boat, setting the scene for the day. David Victor (CSC) was second, with Simon Yeates (CSC) coming home third.
In the second race Yeates managed to pip Thom to first place, with Weatheritt finishing in third.
Thom reasserted herself with an excellent performance in the third race, mixing with the 7s throughout, with Yeates in second and Martin Graham (CSC) showing some form in third.
Victor (true to his name) won the last race, with the reliable Thom in second (thus winning overall) and with the consistent Yeates finishing third, securing second overall.
Many thanks not only to the Race Team but to the Club's superb caterers, Perfect Cuisine for providing an excellent lunch in quick time, and for the free tea provided by the home Club's ILCA fleet, much enjoyed by the exhausted sailors.
ICLA 7 Results:
| Pos | Sail No | Helm | Club | R1 | R2 | R3 | R4 |
|---|
| 1 | 227050 | David Goddard | Bough Beech SC | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 |
| 2 | 142802 | Andrew Bowes | CSC | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| 3 | 204719 | Andrew McLeish | Up River YC | 2 | 5 | 5 | 3 |
| 4 | 142258 | Andrew Sorrell | CSC | 5 | 3 | 3 | DNC |
| 5 | 225782 | Steve Curl | CSC | 3 | 4 | 4 | RTD |
| 6 | 218525 | Alan Johnson | CSC | 6 | 6 | 6 | 4 |
| 7 | 178078 | David Peacock | CSC | 9 | 7 | 10 | 5 |
| 8 | 218252 | Russell Levermore | CSC | 7 | 10 | 8 | 6 |
| 9 | 160563 | Mark Steadman | CSC | 8 | 9 | 9 | DNC |
| 10 | 161811 | Ric Lewis | CSC | DNS | 8 | 7 | DNC |
| 11 | 143596 | Richard See | CSC | 10 | 11 | 11 | 7 |
ILCA 6 Results:
| Pos | Sail No | Helm | Club | R1 | R2 | R3 | R4 |
|---|
| 1 | 227328 | Samantha Thom | CSC | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 |
| 2 | 178203 | Simon Yeates | CSC | 3 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| 3 | 216236 | David Victor | CSC | 2 | 4 | 6 | 1 |
| 4 | 217772 | Martin Graham | CSC | 5 | 5 | 3 | 4 |
| 5 | 165522 | Isabelle Cobb | CSC | 6 | 6 | 4 | 5 |
| 6 | 224759 | Charlie Weatheritt | Tonbridge Town SC | 4 | 3 | DNC | DNC |
| 7 | None | Louise Curry | CSC | 9 | 8 | 5 | 6 |
| 8 | 210779 | John Masters | CSC | 7 | 7 | 8 | 7 |
| 9 | 217700 | Richard Short | CSC | 8 | 9 | 7 | 8 |