Please select your home edition
Edition
Sailingfast 2018 2 728x90

50th anniversary of Coppet Week at Saundersfoot Sailing Club

by Kevin Upstill 12 Jun 2023 06:18 BST 28 May - 2 June 2023
Saundersfoot Sailing Club 50th Anniversary Coppet Week © Kevin Upstill, Julia Griffiths

Saundersfoot Sailing Club celebrated a great milestone, the 50th anniversary of Coppet Week, SSC annual regatta. 52 crews signed up to race in what turned out to be incredibly close and competitive sailing, with wall-to-wall sunshine and wind conditions to test all abilities.

As the racing is held over the late May holidays, the seaside resort of Saundersfoot in West Wales was buzzing with visitors. The atmosphere was also felt in the club house during the evening social events which included such entertainment as a live band and artesian curry night.

Out on the water the heat was also on, along with the sunscreen, for many of the regular competitors to put in a good performance. We were lucky enough to welcome back many crews who have been coming to Coppet Week not just for a few years, but for decades!

Race 1

The first day of racing was quite eventful with a good F4 gusting F5 (6!). The wind was forecast North Easterly direction but it was shearing off the headlands so was deviating around quite a bit.

The fleet all started cleanly and headed out on a port triangular course. There where a few capsizes and retirements before the start gun and this continued on during the racing.

Great racing in testing conditions had by all, Osprey Odeline (Blithfield SC | Gareth Caldwell | Jon Gibbons) clinched the win and the RNLI pennant, with proceeds from this race going to support the RNLI's invaluable activities, followed by Chris Martin and Josh Oates in Merlin Rocket Qucksilver and Julian Owens from PYC in Blaze Blue Whale.

Race 2

There was a bit of a squeeze at the start at as the wind had shifted making the shore buoy favourable. The generally Southerly wind started dropping gradually during the race and continued moving about a bit so made for some great technical racing as show by all. Another triangular course was set offshore from Wisemans beach. A perfect day for the Blazes with the fleet all finishing high up on the score card and a win from Blaze Bad Boy II (Pembrokeshire YC | Stefan Smart) as the Ospreys went about a bit of match racing!

Race 3

A perfect day's weather for sailing. Maybe the Southerly winds dropping a little light during the afternoon, but another day of great racing with 50 boats on the tight(ish) start line. A couple of individual recalls on the gun but there was a great view as the fleet headed towards Monkstone point before beating out towards Pendine and a run to Amroth.

Another tight race between the Ospreys with Dave Griffiths and Maurice Clarke in Carpe Diem winning the day's contest. Out in front though was IC Black Betty (Tenby SC | Robin Wood) romping away in perfect conditions for the IC and taking the race win.

Race 4

The Southerly F3 was moving around to the west which caused the OODs to move the pennant course further out to sea and past the Monkstone headland after a couple of fleet recalls due to a difficult start.

The wind continued to move about and was slowly dropping over the course of the race and became very patchy and light in places.

A good result for Saundersfoot boat RS200 Rockstar (Saundersfoot SC | Alex and Matilda Farr), followed in by a Tenby Osprey, Dan and Matt, and the ever-present Quicksilver.

Race 5

It was a gorgeous day to be racing in Saundersfoot bay today, we hope that you enjoyed the sail. More fine weather and wind from the South, a good clean start and soon the fleet was stretched out over a large triangular course with the gybe mark out from Wisemans beach.

Race 5 was another win for IC Black Betty (Tenby SC | Robin Wood) followed by Local Osprey Carpe Diem and another Osprey Jammy Dodger (Oscar and Lisa Chess).

The final results for the week's series after a week of close racing, which had seen the overall lead change several times, the overall winners of Coppet Week 2023 were Chris Martin and Josh Oates from Midland SC/Bartley SC in their Merlin Rocket Quicksilver. The club were delighted that one of the people responsible for initiating Coppet Week 50 years ago, Keith Jones from Greensforge Sailing Club, was at the prize-giving and after he was presented with a 50th anniversary commemorative glass and T-shirt, Keith then presented the prizes to all the winners.

Also, a good showing from a couple of the local crews, 2nd were Dave Griffiths and Maurice Clarke from Saundersfoot SC sailing an Osprey Carpe Diem and 3rd place went to Daniel Jackson and Mathew Goldwait from Tenby SC in their Osprey with Alex Farr and his family 4th overall in an RS200.

In addition, there were class prizes for the following classes: Solo Alisdair James (Grafham Water); GP14 Neil Davies and Michelle Evans (Chase SC): Laser Radial Elsa Minton (Chase SC); Laser Finley Watson (Chase SC).

On the last day of sailing the traditional pursuit race started on a glorious morning in Saundersfoot bay. The wind was F2 / F3 southerly which filled in as the race progressed bringing the faster Ospreys swiftly through the fleet, and the race was won by Osprey Carpe Diem (Saundersfoot SC | Dave Griffiths | Maurice Clarke) ahead of the Ospreys of Mike and Pam Murray and then Dan Jackson and Matt Goldwait. The first GP was again Neil and Michelle (6th), 1st Solo Alisdair James (7th), first RS200 Paul & Julia Griffiths (Saundersfoot SC) and 1st Laser again Finley Watson.

The club are very grateful and appreciative of all the local businesses who provided spot prizes for the competitors and helpers throughout the week which helped create a pleasant atmosphere.

A massive thanks to all the helpers and volunteers who made Coppet Week possible, it was a brilliant week with some fantastic racing and social events. The general feedback from the competitors and families was an amazing, well-run week, with lovely friendly hosts. Thank you for coming, we hope you all enjoyed The Coppet Week 50th Anniversary regatta.

Full results can be found here.

Related Articles

Coppet Week Regatta at Saundersfoot
An upturn in numbers after recent years Saundersfoot Sailing Club were pleased to be able to put on their annual Coppet Week Regatta over the Spring Bank Holiday week and it was encouraging to see an upturn in numbers after recent years with a fleet of 40 boats arriving for the event. Posted on 23 Jun 2022
Coppet Week Regatta at Saundersfoot
Raising money for RNLI whilst offering fantastic sailing Saundersfoot Sailing Club has just hosted the 47th Coppet Week open sailing event with 62 boats entering this year from 30 different classes and 19 clubs. With a strong force 4 gusting to force 6 all week the sailing was fantastic. Posted on 6 Jun 2019
Coppet Week Regatta
Colourful fleet of 75 boats at Saundersfoot Saundersfoot Sailing Club based in Pembrokeshire held their annual Coppet Week Regatta last week and yet again it proved to be a roaring success with the colourful fleet of 75 boats from all round the country providing a magnificent spectacle. Posted on 11 Jun 2017
Free sailing as Wales gets set
To Push the Boat Out People all around Wales, young, old, male, female and even MP's, will get the chance to try sailing in this Olympic year when RYA Push the Out returns from 14-22 May! Posted on 12 May 2016
GJW Direct Lark Nationals at Saundersfoot overall
Krailing and Hunt win by 10 point margin The Larks visited Saundersfoot in Pembrokeshire between 1-8 August. This was only their second visit, their previous visits being in 2001 and 1984. Posted on 10 Aug 2015
GJW Direct Lark Nationals at Saundersfoot day 5
After 2 rest days due to true Welsh weather After 2 rest days due to true Welsh weather (lots of wind and rain!) the race officer brought the start time forward to 10.00am to try and catch up the races and to allow everybody to be off the water early to make their fancy dress costumes. Posted on 7 Aug 2015
GJW Direct Lark Nationals at Saundersfoot day 2
Three races, and a bit of everything Day 2 at the GJW Direct Lark nationals had a bit of everything, and three races later (owing to the uncertain forecast for the next two days) a tired fleet headed back up the beach to recharge for Crews Union and Board of Directors this evening. Posted on 3 Aug 2015
GJW Direct Lark Nationals at Saundersfoot day 1
Glorious sunshine and swift race management The Larks have arrived at Saundersfoot in good spirits and seem to have brought the weather with them so far! Posted on 2 Aug 2015
Coppet Week at Saundersfoot
75 entries from 23 clubs around the country Saundersfoot is a gem on the Pembrokeshire coastline which attracts sailors year after year to return and join in some great racing with friends and colleagues from many previous years events. Posted on 1 Jun 2015
Around 2000 Welsh sailors help set World Record
Sailors of all ages and abilities join in Bart's Bash Around 2,000 sailors all round Wales have gone into the Guinness Book of World Records after taking part in the biggest ever sailing race. Posted on 24 Sep 2014