Medway Dinghy Regatta at Medway Yacht Club

Silverware prize winners with Mayor of Medway at the Medway Dinghy Regatta © Roy Winnett

Medway Yachting Association’s Medway Dinghy Regatta was held over the weekend 7th & 8th July. Organised and hosted by Wilsonian Sailing Club with generous sponsorship from locally based MTS Cleaning Services and Hyde Sails providing some goodies.

There was an excellent entry of 78 boats representing 19 sailing clubs and travelling from afar as Renfrewshire. Four races were scheduled, two Saturday, two Sunday with three to count. There were fleet starts for fast, medium and slow handicap, 3000, Vortex, Laser 2000 and Wayfarer. A BBQ and a live music group entertained Saturday evening.

In spite of light winds being forecast, a blustery force 3-4 south-easterly kicked in for the first race, this had strengthened for the second race and with frequent rain squalls gave some challenging sailing conditions. The heavy overnight rain had cleared for the start of racing Sunday morning but darkening clouds soon gathered giving heavy showers and some torrential rain that restricted visibility to a few yards and left crews shivering. The accompanying winds varied in strength and direction from force 3 – 4 to flat calms. The sun made an appearance after lunch raised the temperature and with a force 2-3 south-westerly gave perfect conditions for the final race.

In the fast handicap event there was a repeat of last years contest between the Alto of Tim Kift/Jo Wicken and Internationals Canoes of Mark Goodchild and Simon Allen. Though going into race 4 Stuart/Zoe Bailey (Buzz) with a first and second to count needed a win for victory. However, Goodchild added a third to his couple of wins to lift the Invicta Shield, Kift/Wicken won the final race with a second and fourth to count secured runners-up spot, Allen picked up another second to ensure third while the Baileys had to settle for fourth prize after a disappointing 7th. Paul Heather/Jonathan Osgood (Osprey) did enough for fifth place overall.

The Scorpions of Barry/Linda Wolfenden, Janet/Alan Ritchie and John Clementson/Nicky Marsh dominated the medium handicap event but with David Hehrsum/Paul Jarvey (Kestrel) preventing them from a clean sweep of the prizes. Wolfendens and Ritchies ended with 6-points apiece, the tie-break was broken in the former’s favour. Third and fourth places were also tied on 10-points each, Hehrsum/Jarvey was awarded third prize with Clementson/Nicky Marsh fourth.

David/Sandra Wilson (Graduate) retained the slow handicap crown though Colin/Maureen Lown (Miracle) won the first two races and came second to the Wilsons in race 3 but regrettably were unable to sail race 4 due to family circumstances which the Wilsons won.

It was a close contest between Martin Brown/Max Caston and Peter Heyes/Amy Adams for the 3000 title. They had two wins apiece but Brown/Caston had a second to count to secure top honours. Mike Gower went unbeaten to retain the Vortex title while Jonathan Carter had three seconds to ensure runners-up prize.

David Vettergreen/Lucy Hockey and Colin Treadwell/Lauren Campbell were the main contestants for the Laser 2000 trophy. Vettergreen/Hockey won the first race but found the going tough in race 2 for 4th place and picked up a 2nd in race 3, while Treadwell /Campbell retired with a frayed main sheet in race 1 and then scored a couple of aces. Treadwell /Campbell were leading in the final race but Vettergreen/Hockey eased ahead at the line for overall victory. Meanwhile Thomas Lambert/Paul Thorpe had consistent results for third prize.

The Wayfarer Matkin Trophy has been reclaimed by Richard Stone/Phil Stacey from last year’s holders Brian Lamb/Sam Pygall. Stone/Stacey won all four races while Lamb/Pygall had three seconds to count and John Goudie/Stan Benwell secured third prize with a second and three thirds.

The Bill Stewart Memorial Cup was presented to Angus Winchester as the furthest travelled competitor. Cllr Vaughan Hewett, Mayor of Medway, presented the prizes.

Overall results/prizes

Bill Stewart Memorial Cup: Angus Winchester (Castle Semple SC)

Fast handicap (Invicta Shield):
1st Canoe Int. 265 Mark Goodchild 5pts (Wilsonian SC)
2nd Alto 119 Tim Kift/Jo Wicken 7pts (Wilsonian SC)
3rd Canoe Int. 278 Simon Allen 8pts (Hayling Island SC)
4th Buzz 1000 Stuart/Zoe Bailey 10pts (Wilsonian SC)
5th Osprey 1182 Paul Heather/Jonathan Osgood 19pts (Wilsonian SC)

Medium handicap (Quintet Trophy):
1st Scorpion 2024 Barry/Linda Wolfenden 6pts (Chipstead SC)
2nd Scorpion 2005 Janet/Alan Ritchie 6pts (Chipstead SC)
3rd Kestrel 1574 David Hehrsum/Paul Jarvey 10pts (Hickling Broad SC)
4th Scorpion 2010 John Clementson/Nicky Mash 10pts (Chipstead SC)

Slow handicap:
1st Graduate 2974 David/Sandra Wilson 4pts (Broadwater SC)
2nd Miracle 206 Colin/Maureen Lown 4pts (Wilsonian SC)
3rd Miracle 3795 David/Jackie Hudson 8pts (Wilsonian SC)

Vortex:
1st 1013 Mike Gower 3pts (Wilsonian SC)
2nd 1153 Jonathan Carter 6pts (Rickmansworth SC)

3000:
1st 3608 Martin Brown/Max Caston 4pts (Wilsonian SC)
2nd 3602 Peter Heyes/Amy Adams 5pts (Wilsonian SC)

Laser 2000 (Old Wilsonian Trophy):
1st 2643 David Vettergreen/Lucy Hockey 4pts (Wilsonian SC)
2nd 22258 Colin Treadwell/Lauren Campbell 4pts (Wilsonian SC)
3rd 21314 Thomas Lambert/Paul Thorpe 11pts (Wilsonian SC)
4th 21914 Andy/Felix Hockey 15pts (Wilsonian SC)

Wayfarer (Matkin Trophy):
1st 10609 Richard Stone/Phil Stacey 3pts (Medway YC)
2nd 10614 Brian Lamb/Sam Pygall 6pts (Wilsonian SC)
3rd 10680 John Goudie/Stan Benwell 8pts (Wilsonian SC)