Medway Dinghy Regatta 2015

Medway Dinghy Regatta 2015 © Nick Champion / www.championmarinephotography.co.uk

Medway Dinghy Regatta 2015 © Nick Champion / www.championmarinephotography.co.uk

The Medway Dinghy Regatta was hosted and organised by Wilsonian Sailing Club on behalf of The Medway & Swale Boating Association over the weekend 18th & 19th July. Locally based MTS Cleaning Services was the lead sponsor, supplying t-shirts to all the competitors and helpers, with co-sponsors Pirates Cave Chandlery providing a racing buoy while Hyde Sails and Harken provided some goodies, distributed by a tally number draw.

There were starts for fast, medium and slow handicap, juniors and 2000 class. The third Alto Nationals were also incorporated, extracted from the fast handicap results.

Four races were scheduled with three to count. Despite clashing with other events there was a great entry of 74 boats; 47 from the host club and 27 visitors, including contingents from the Ahoy Sailing Centre, Erith YC and Medway YC.

Fabulous weather with excellent sailing conditions helped make this one of the best regattas for many years.

Cloudless skies and sparkling seas greeted the competitors on Saturday morning with a warm force 2-3 south-westerly. Avoiding the mud at low tide and the frequent wind shifts in the morning race required concentration by helmsmen and crew. The high tide in the afternoon allowed courses to be set incorporating the whole width of the river.

After overnight rain, bright skies had returned on Sunday morning and the wind had strengthened to a blustery force 4 with holes, gusts and wind shifts to make sailing conditions challenging.

At the request of the fast fleet a long course was set for race 1, but this proved too long and all failed to finish within the time limit. Mark Goodchild led the fleet home in race 2 but had to settle for 3rd as the Altos of Chris Ashby/Steve Offer and Tim Kift/Jo Wicken claimed 1st & 2nd respectively on adjusted time.

In race 3 Goodchild scored a bullet and a 2nd to Richard/Ellie Smith (RS800) in the final race secured the Invicta Shield. Kift/Wicken added a couple of thirds for runners-up spot while the Smiths with an 8th and 4th to count took third prize.

Tim Kift/Jo Wicken were the Alto National Champions with Chris Ashby/Steve Offer runners up.

Ian Foxwell (Blaze) dominated the 22 strong medium handicap fleet, comfortably winning three races, just missing out to James Skulozuk (Laser) in race 3. With a couple seconds and a third to count Simon/Fiona Gillow (Scorpion) made certain of second prize while Skulozuk held for third with a 2nd & 5th. Two thirds and a fourth secured fourth prize for Roger/Jonathan Gibbs (Wayfarer)

Although Amy Adams (Streaker) won the contest with David/Sandra Wilson (Graduate) in the slow handicap event in was very close. In races 1 & 2 Adams won by just 8 & 9 seconds on corrected time but by over a minute in race 3, the Wilsons stayed ashore for the final race. David/Jackie Hudson (Miracle) picked up 3rd prize with three thirds.

With an excellent entry of 26 juniors, locally based juniors picked up the prizes. In races 1 & 2 Richard Tutt (Laser Radial) and James Downard (Laser) shared the spoils.

On Sunday Tutt picked up a 3rd in the morning, won in the afternoon to claim victory while Downard was tied for 6th place with Morgan Tindal (Laser Radial) in race 3, failed to finish in the race 4 but held for second overall. Tindal added a 3rd & 2nd for third prize.

The Toppers of Jem Causer and Harry Downard were tied on points, broken in Causer's favour for fourth and fifth prizes. Megan Gately was the highest placed visitor in sixth.

In the 2000 class event Colin Treadwell/Lauren Campbell and Simon Conway/James Hardy and Colin/Lauren Treadwell shared the points after the two races on Saturday. Treadwell/Campbell sealed victory with two firsts on Sunday while Conway/Hardy ensured second prize with a 2nd.

Jonathan Schofield/Adam Birmingham won the close contest for third prize with Roy Winnett/Geoff Lambert. Schofield/Birmingham had a couple of thirds and a second to count while Winnett/Lambert had a couple thirds and a 4th.

The Bill Stewart Memorial Cup was awarded jointly to Brian and Gill Warwick who over many years had been involved with the regatta, Brian as safety officer and Gill with the catering.

The Bill Stewart Memorial Cup was won by Brian Warwick and Gill Warwick.

Kelly Towhurst, the local MP for Rochester and Strood presented the prizes.

Medway Dinghy Regatta 2015 - photo © Nick Champion / www.championmarinephotography.co.uk

Fast handicap results:

Medium handicap results:

Slow handicap results:

Junior handicap results:

2000 fleet results:

Medway Dinghy Regatta 2015 - photo © Nick Champion / www.championmarinephotography.co.uk