80th Anniversary Firefly Championship at Tenby Sailing Club - Day 1

Finian Morris and Robbie Hudson on F3133 ‘Thermopylae' win Race 1 on Day 1 of the 80th Anniversary Firefly Nationals at Tenby © Mark Jardine

The next generation lead the way

The Firefly class has been on the up for a few years now, with a host of younger sailors joining the class having been introduced to the boat through university team racing, as well as some who started sailing with their parents, and are now campaigning their own boats.

Launched on Day 1 of the 80th Anniversary Firefly Nationals at Tenby - photo © Mark Jardine

This has all led to a resurgence of epic proportions, where open meetings are seeing huge turnouts and, with the class celebrating its 80th anniversary, an incredible 116 boats now racing at Tenby Sailing Club on the south Pembrokeshire coast in West Wales.

The picturesque seaside town was already bustling with tourists, so adding 232 sailors and boats to the mix has made the shoreside a busy place, but the dinghies have squeezed on to the promenade and quay, and then took to the water via the golden sands of the beach.

The massive fleet launches from the beach on Day 1 of the 80th Anniversary Firefly Nationals at Tenby - photo © Mark Jardine

Sunday dawned still and warm, as the UK enters its five heatwave of the summer, but the race officer Nigel Denchfield was confident that a breeze would come in, and his conviction was rewarded when a brisk south westerly filled in, to provide the sailors with a perfect opening day.

First up was the practice race, which is a tradition in the class and provided a superb dress rehearsal for the gate starts which are being used for the majority of the event. For those who are only used to line starts, this is where a pathfinder starts on port with a RIB behind, and the rest of the fleet must start on starboard, ducking behind the RIB during the starting window. It makes for frenetic action, and is well worth watching in the video at the bottom of this article.

Paul Kameen and Evie Snedker in F2018 ‘Buffalo Biscuit' are the pathfinder in the Practice Race on Day 1 of the 80th Anniversary Firefly Nationals at Tenby - photo © Mark Jardine

Some say the pathfinder has an advantage in a gate start, and it certainly did no harm to Paul Kameen and Evie Snedker in F2018 'Buffalo Biscuit', who went on to take the winner's gun ahead of Roger Morris and Isobel Bretherton in F3119 'Horror' with William Pank and Matilda Wilson in F999 'Alarm' third on the windward-leeward course.

The wind built further for the first championship race, for the City of Plymouth Trophy, with a sizeable swell developing in Carmarthen Bay. The race officer switched to a trapezoid course to try and space the fleet out a bit. This time it was Angus Cook and Lucie Hopkins in F3695 'Officer Dibble' who took on pathfinder duty.

Angus Cook and Lucie Hopkins in F3695 ‘Officer Dibble' celebrate 3rd on Day 1 of the 80th Anniversary Firefly Nationals at Tenby - photo © Mark Jardine

The pair are no slouches, having recently won the Tideway Dinghy Derby on the River Thames, and managed to finish third, but it was the Morris family who were making the headlines.

Roger Morris has been racing Fireflys since the early 90s, and backed up his practice race result with another second place, but this time it was his son Finian who took the win, ably crewed by Robbie Hudson on F3133 'Thermopylae', who is also a second generation Firefly sailor with parents Stuart and Jane also in the fleet (and finishing fifth) on F3850, 'Fursty Ferret'.

Finian Morris and Robbie Hudson on F3133 ‘Thermopylae' win Race 1 on Day 1 of the 80th Anniversary Firefly Nationals at Tenby - photo © Mark Jardine

Roger Morris was pragmatic about not winning a race which he led for a while:

"A great way to start the event, a fantastic fleet and great conditions. We led at the top mark, but if you're going to get beaten by somebody then it might as well be your son, and a second's a counter for sure.

"There's a mix of people my age, some older, lots younger, and then there's a whole new cohort of students coming in with their university boats and some who have graduated and now have their own boats. It's a really strong fleet with lots of good sailors and lots of fun in the evenings as well."

Roger Morris and Isobel Bretherton in F3119 ‘Horror' on Day 1 of the 80th Anniversary Firefly Nationals at Tenby - photo © Mark Jardine

Evie Snedker, who won the practice race crewing for Paul Kameen summed up the opening day:

"It was good! More breeze than we expected, and we were a little bit unsure if we should have changed our settings. We were pathfinder on the first race which went well for us, but we didn't necessarily learn from that, and didn't get the best of starts in the second race, but overall it was a brilliant day, and it's amazing to see that many boats out on the water. Happy days!"

Paul Kameen and Evie Snedker in F2018 ‘Buffalo Biscuit' on Day 1 of the 80th Anniversary Firefly Nationals at Tenby - photo © Mark Jardine

The body of the fleet was incredibly close, particularly at the mark roundings, where the boats were often five or six abreast. The challenge of sailing in a big fleet, and having to think a leg or two ahead for position, is something that will no doubt be discussed in the bar, amongst other things in this class which has a superb reputation for enjoying themselves ashore as much as they do on the water.

Two more races are scheduled for Monday, and all will be hoping that another cracking breeze will fill in. The opening day has been spectacular.

Racing runs from 9 to 14 August with eight races scheduled. Alongside Tideway Wealth and Gill Marine, the championship is supported by Craftinsure, whose Craftinsure Buddies scheme welcomes the newcomers who make up a quarter of the fleet, and Marlow Ropes, with class supporters Seldén, Hyde Sails and Sailboat Trailers.

Find out more at www.tenbysailingclub.org.uk/2026-firefly-nationals

Results after Day 1: (full results can be found here)