Civil Service Dinghy Sailing Championship at Netley Cliff Sailing Club

Civil Service Dinghy Sailing Championship 2015 © Iain Mackay

Civil Service Dinghy Sailing Championship 2015 © Iain Mackay

Civil Service Dinghy Sailing Championship 2015 © Iain Mackay

The 2015 Civil Service Dinghy Championships were held at Netley Cliff SC on the weekend 11-12 July. The regatta consists of 6 races over two days, using RYA Average Lap handicap rules.

The fleet was considerably reduced from earlier years (for reasons yet to be determined by the organisers), so 14 boats came to the start for the first race. The quality of the sailing was, however, still high.

As in previous years, the range of classes and, hence, PY Numbers was considerable: RS400 (944) to Topaz Unto (1243), which kept the race crew on their toes. The weather was sunny and the winds light as Race Officer Tom Rusbridge gave the crews their briefing shortly after 10:00, then ​started the first race with a windward-leeward course.

The two least-competitive boats, a Comet Duo and Topaz Unto, finished after one lap, but the rest completed a second lap with Elizabeth and Roger Pescod's Tasar crossing the line first followed by Nigel Maycock and Ellie Mackay in RS400 835 and Daniel Goodman and Deborah Robertshaw in RS200 950.

However, on corrected times, the two Juniors, Toby Mizzi and Tom Callan ("T n T") in RS Feva XL 2422 were the winners. This established a recognisable pattern for the remainder of the Championships. The two races in the afternoon delivered similar results, so the interim standing at the end of three races had TNT, Pescods and Goodman/Robertshaw at the top of the board.

Sunday's weather was cloudy with the odd spot of rain, and winds rather more frisky, showing 13 knots at the start of the first race. By the end of that race it was gusting 20 knots, and several crews had taken an unplanned bath. This time, the Pescods in their Tasar were first across the line and 6:27 ahead of TNT, who were forced into second place. Simon Durham (Solo 5393) slipped into 3rd place this time.

Race 5 saw normality restored, with TNT back in first place and the Pescods forced into third behind Goodman/Robertshaw. For Race 6, Simon Durham clawed his way up to 2nd, and the Pescods were relegated to 4th behind Goodman/Robertshaw, but TnT regained their first place and cemented their hold on the Overall title.

Final results: TnT (Mizzi/Callan) overall winners of the Seal Cup; Elizabeth and Roger Pescod won the CSSC Rose Bowl for first Civil Service Sports Council boat; TnT also bagged the Junior Trophy, and the trophy for first boat in the largest class entered (RS200) went to Dan Goodman and Deborah Robertshaw. As Littleton SC had by far the largest entry of the Championships the award of the team prize of the Littleton Bell went once again to Littleton!

The awards were made by the CSSA Vice Commodore, Trevor Drew, who complimented participants and the Netley Cliff SC organisers for excellent work and thanked the Race Officer, Tom Rusbridge for his outstanding race management.

Overall Results:

Civil Service Dinghy Sailing Championship 2015 - photo © Iain Mackay