Flushing Sailing Club Annual Prize Giving

Another close finish at Flushing Sailing Club © Malcolm Clark

Flushing Sailing Club's annual prize-giving was recently held in the Clubhouse and concluded another great season on the water for the Club with the largest racing turnouts in Falmouth Harbour, close competitive racing, additional boats joining a number of fleets and a seven month long battle for winter bragging rights.

The event was presided over by Club President Roger Little and Club Commodore Chris Jellis both looking significantly smarter than the Leader of HM Opposition at the Commons Despatch Box. In all some 56 trophies were awarded accompanied by 168 glasses for a mixture of race series results, youth performance, single-handed, offshore, overall trophies and importantly also recognising a spectacular grounding for the Mudhoppers Trophy. As per tradition many of the cups and glasses were filled from the bar before the evening was out but not with Babycham shandies as at some other local clubs.

Youth trophies were awarded to recognise the excellent skills of Annie Trenoweth (Folkboat), Sonny Davies and Finn Williams (Sonata) on top of their outstanding forebearance of the adults on board.

The iconic Falmouth Working Boats were not dominated by any one boat and overall series wins were taken by Cousin Jinny, Grace, Rita and Winnie and Deliverance in the smaller C Class.

Encore (modified Laser 28) won three series in the large IRC yachts in Q Class with series wins being achieved by Half Tonners - Per Elisa and Scorpion. Arguably the strongest racing was again in the smaller IRC yachts in U Class dominated by the GK24 Wilkie winning two series, Little Trifle, a Sonata, winning a series and the Nordic Folkboat Gap Year also winning two series. Competition will be getting even hotter in this fleet next year with at least three new and returning boats entering.

The revitalised Firebird catamarans had a great summer dominated by Crackerjack, Mirri, Cornish Meadow and Ultra Violet but denied rumours that they are attempting to buy cast off foils from locally raised national hero Sir Ben Ainslie.

The Gaffers, whilst down on numbers, still held high quality handicap racing with series wins for Clementine, Katy and Miss Agnes.

The White sail class was dominated by Len Cheshire in his Moody 27 Sweet Friday winning 5 series, the Bill Hunt Cup for most races sailed and the Dick Stephenson Cup for the most race wins.

The highly competitive Penrose Sails Autumn Pursuit series in a fleet ranging from a J111, through a Viper 640, to Folkboats and Falmouth Working Boats was won by Mary Boon a Contessa 26. The Culdrose Trophy for Outstanding Effort went to the crew of Cousin Jinny for their strong will to improve, achieved by good boat preparation, hard training on the water and in the bar and always being out there to race - reflecting the spirit of the Club.

Thanks are due to our series sponsors including Sailtech, Skinners Brewery, Cockwells, Formation Marine, Choaks Pasties, Hine Downing Solicitors, Seven Stars Pub (Flushing) and Penrose Sailmakers and the myriad of volunteer Race Officers, Ops Room Team and Committee Members tea ladies and all the others that make it all run like clockwork.

A busy season is already planned for next year and with the added excitement of the Club hosting the Half Ton Cup in August 2016 it's a good time to join up for some of the best racing in Falmouth. In the meantime have a look at the weekly winter talks programme or sign up for the weekly Club newsletters.

Full results and winter talks programme are on the Club's website, www.flushingsailingclub.co.uk.