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Firefly Nationals at Hamble River Sailing Club Overall

by Barney Smith 1 Sep 2002 15:56 BST

Photo © Jonty Sherwill

Champions Stuart Hudson and Toni Corlett with Hamble River Sailing Club Commodore Roger Pritchard - Mrs. Pritchard presented the prizes
The final day of the 56th Firefly Class National Championships saw the fleet of 71 boats competing for the Chris Lynham Cup on Friday afternoon. This 9th and final race of the championships concluded a great week of racing organised by the Hamble River Sailing Club in conjunction with the National Firefly Association. With six boats still capable of winning, an exciting end to the Championships was in prospect and PRO Jamie Wilkinson ensured a fair conclusion by setting a 2 hour four lap race in wind conditions of a blustery force 3 to 4 with a large Solent chop.

A gate start saw the fleet away first time with no clear leader emerging for the first three laps. Finally on lap 4, four times previous winner Stuart Hudson crewed by Toni Corlett (Spinnaker) emerged from the pack in their borrowed Canford School Rondar GRP boat. Hudson and Corlett held the lead to the finish to take overall first position in the Sir Richard Fairey points series. Hudson gaining his fifth National title, equalling the record set by both Mike Arnold and Dave Derby. Second overall was taken by Roger Morris and Sally Cuthbert, also from the Spinnaker Club in Hampshire, Morris and Cuthbert were sailing a 30 year old wooden Fairey Mark 2. Ed Smith and Lucy Holmes from Rickansworth took third overall in their 40 year old Mark 1. The Rondar boats of Ian Sanderson and Linda Eadie (Royal Lymington) and Mason Woodworth and Katie Lyndon (Hamble River) took fourth and fifth overall respectively, with the top six rounder out by the 2001 Champions Jono Pank and Sally Wilson (The Band) in their 45 year old Mark 1. Clearly all ages and constructions types are still competitive in the Firefly fleet!

Slightly lower down the fleet, some great battles took place amongst the 17 under 21 helms with a notable result being achieved in the under 18s by Henry Arnold from Waldringfield, crewed by father Mike who was Champions helm 5 times between 1962 and 1982. Henry claimed that he'd ignored his Dads advice all week!

The final nights prizegiving took place in a packed Hamble River SC Clubhouse. The generous support afforded by the many sponsors of the week meant there was something for almost everyone. A barbecue and Disco rounded out the week, with many of the fleet still on the dancefloor in the early hours. Numbers were swelled by the arrival of many from the RS Championships, some of whom who'd also visited on the Wednesday for the River Boat Shuffle Cruise round the Solent. Clearly the traditional classes can still beat the newcomers hands down for activity off the water!

The Firefly Class would like to thank Hamble River for organising a fantastic Championships, both on and off the water. Next years Firefly Class National Championships will be held in Brixham, Devon from the 26-31st of July, 2003. If you'd like to read more about the 2002 Championships a feature length article will be appearing in a Yachts and Yachting issue due to hit the newsagents in late November.

Hamble River Sailing Club and the National Firefly Association would like to thank the sponsors who have donated prizes for the championship week; Helly Hansen, Crew clothing of Hamble, Fat face, Henri Lloyd, Dinghy Sailing Magazine, Rondar boats, Hyde Sails, Andark Diving, and Aladdins Cave.

Overall Results: Sir Richard Fairey Points Series (Firefly Class National Championship, 9 races, 2 discards)

PosSail NoBoat NameHelmCrewClubPts
1stF3681Go BallisticStuart HudsonToni CorlettSpinnaker19
2ndF3119HorrorRoger MorrisSally CuthbertSpinnaker22
3rdF2803GrendelEd SmithLucy HolmesRickmansworth23
4thF3690WaynettaIan SandersonLinda EadieRoyal Lymington25
5thF3616Top DollyMason WoodworthKatie LyndonHamble River30
6thF1954PogieJono PankSally Wilson 30
1st u16  Bryony MeakinsNick SmallmanHamble River 
1st u18  Henry ArnoldMike ArnoldWaldringfield 
1st u21  Andy CornahWendy CarlinWest Kirby 
1st Lady  Amy MorrisGilly AnsellSpinnaker 
1st o40  Guy DavisonFrances DavisonLlangorse 

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