P&B Solo Western Championship at Chew Valley Lake Sailing Club

P&B Solo Western Championship at Chew Valley Lake Sailing Club © Errol Edwards

Chew Valley Lake SC held the P&B Solo Western Championship over the weekend of 20/21 June 2026. With 27 entries for the main event and 15 entered for the Friday coaching.

A light wind regatta, the prelude to the heat wave rolling in, and at odds with the glamorous weather (15kts, with a dash of champagne and sunshine) on the Friday before, welcoming our awesome coaching session from the highly successful Olly Davenport.

Saturday saw the start of the calm conditions resulting in the fast addition of a Windward/Leward course to the SIs and increasing to 4 races to accommodate the poor forecast for Sunday. The wind had dropped to a capricious 3-5kts whisper, full of mischief, it would be an event with high scores. One minute a race hero and the next frustrating failure. The race officer Ian Cadwallader brought all his Chew Valley wisdom, perfectly timing his races to coincide with pulses of breeze that kept us moving.

Race 1

1st Spod Olive
2nd Charlie Maunder
3rd Mark Williams

With the pin end favouring the left hand shifts feeding into the Course, Charlie M and Spod O headed off to the left, feeding into the puffs of winds coming down the left hand side of the course, rounding first and second before a long downwind discussion with Mark W, about the course and which buoy to go around. The importance of 'teamthink' on water when you're traveling at 2kts.

Once again, the leaders choose the left buoy (looking upwind) and headed left to maintain their leads while the rest of the fleet scrambled for clear air and boat speed. A great time to refine your roll tacking. Same first 3 around the top mark but with the fleet covering the run, Spod managed to go wider and get back into clear air to steal ahead of Charlie before the finish with Mark closing the gap but not getting past for 3rd.

Race 2

1st Jamie Clementson
2nd Neil Wilkins
3rd Mark Williams

With a big black cloud looming on the horizon the wind started to oscillate a little more with Jamie starting down the Committee boat end and getting quickly in a position to respond to the shifts. Apologies, I was buried in the fleet learning about the racing rules at the top mark. Jamie C and Neil W pulling away from the fleet at the top mark, with Mark W not far behind. Again, keeping clear of the fleet proved paramount to not being sucked back into the peloton. The wind was dropping fast and the Race Officer shortened the course to 1 lap. The bunching of the mid fleet at the bottom mark was epic with a boat length covering positions 14 to 20, the lap scorers had their work cut out.

Race 3

1st Harry Lucas
2nd Charlie Maunders
3rd Jamie Clementson

This time it was Harry L's time to get away from the pack and keeping out of their way and the cloud intensified and turned lighter, with Charlie keeping in touch to earn another 'counter' for the meeting, closely followed by Jamie, perfectly attired in board shorts and T shirt, keeping cool in the oppressive heat. Great win for Harry. Please pick up your superhero outfit from P and B.

Race 4

1st Mark Marshall
2nd Jamie Clementson
3rd Charlie Maunder

Great skills from the race officer, keeping us afloat while the wind died again, holding us until the breeze ordained to join us again, puffing in for its finale. A 4th race would allow 1 discarded, needed by many. As the cloud started rolling away, the old westerly wind started to re-assert itself, and it became all about hunting for the patches. Spod and Jamie with clear starts at the committee boat end, cross tacking each other up to stay in the zephyrs and ahead of the pack rounding first. Thinking to keep to the right of the fleet downwind Spod carried on while Mark and everyone else gybed off feeding into the wind filing in from course right. Mark leading the fleet and keeping in the breeze with Jamie on his heels heading to the right-hand buoy (looking upwind) while Spod was trying to minimise the losses, rounded the left and headed left up the beat managing to pull up to 4th but never getting past Charlie on the final run. Clear thinking from Mark, Jamie and Charlie to keep in the breeze and take the win.

Jamie Clementson wins the P&B Solo Western Championship at Chew Valley Lake Sailing Club - photo © Vernon Perkins

Lots of heroes and villains on day 1 of the event but with the threat of a 'no wind' following day, several sailors slipped away after their sumptuous dinner (and pudding, Vernon, did you eat mine?). And the decision proved correct as the next day was heralded with blue skies and no wind so the only item was the presentations.

Prize Winners:

1st and Western Area Champion - Jamie Clementson, Chipstead SC
2nd - Charlie Maunder, CVLSC
3rd - Spod Olive, Starcross YC
1st Lady - Maria E. Franco

(l-r) Charlie Maunder (2nd), Maria E. Franco (1st Lady) and Jamie Clementson (1st) in the P&B Solo Western Championship at Chew Valley Lake Sailing Club - photo © Vernon Perkins

I, on the other hand, headed West, back to Starcross and enjoyed a fabulously sea breeze day, battling around the Exe in 6-12kts. Please note Starcross Solo Open on 25th July, it's always an amazing SE sea breeze in the summer.

A big thanks to all who braved the forecast and attended. To our wise Race officer Ian Cadwallader, to P and B and to Olli Davenport for running the coaching the day before. Lots of great lessons that certainly helped.

Overall Results: