Aldeburgh Lapwing Championship

Aldeburgh Lapwing Championship © Emma Close-Brooks

Aldeburgh Lapwing Championship © Emma Close-Brooks

The 2016 Aldeburgh Lapwing Championship saw one of the strongest showings of these clinker built dinghies in years. Twenty of the Aldeburgh Yacht Club's Lapwings participated in the race series held during the weekend of August 6 and 7, up from 14 the previous year and 8 boats in 2014.

The wind on Saturday was forecast to be extremely light, but proved to be about a force 3, enough wind to race, and testing the sailors with constant shifts. With the sun shining it was a lovely day to be on the River Alde. The first start was at 11 a.m. and the fleet soon split into two, with competition fierce in both the front and back groups. Among the faster boats the leaders had to work hard to keep the other boats at bay, and positions were constantly changing. Steven Liddell was the winner of the first race, sailing solo in Whaup 51.

The second race started at 2pm in similar wind conditions. The winner, Richard Keane in Shoveler 52, crewed by Maggie Scorer, was dominant from the beginning. Simon Reid and Conca Goyder were second in Gannet 35.

On Saturday evening the Lapwing Class Dinner took place at the Aldeburgh Yacht Club. The Lapwing Sailors enjoyed a spectacular sunset over the River Alde during drinks and the first part of the delicious three course dinner, prepared by Simon and Robbie at the AYC Kitchen. Then as the evening settled in the sailors then settled down to an enjoyable evening of conversation and discussion, glad to have the chance to pursue in more depth conversations started and left unfinished in the dinghy park.

The conditions on Sunday were more challenging than they had been on Saturday. The wind was now a stiff force 5-6, with some stronger gusts. As a result, fewer boats started in the two back to back races than had turned out on Saturday, and many who did were using the smaller red sails. Some of the boats with white sails were having to spill wind to stay upright, and the two boats sailed singlehanded found conditions particularly tricky. Once again, Shoveler 52 showed a clean pair of heels to the rest of the fleet, winning both races. Jo and Sarah Thornton in Redwing 66 came second in the first race and Duncan Matthews in Knot 40, crewed by his son Scott, came second in the final race of the Championship.

Aldeburgh Lapwing Championship - photo © Emma Close-Brooks

Shoveler was the dominant boat of the Championship, and Richard Keane and Maggie Scorer were deserving winners of the Margaret Tudor Rose Bowl. The close racing was for subsequent places, with Duncan and Scott Matthews coming in second, Bruce Robson in Hummingbird 71 third, Steven Liddell in Whaup 51 fourth and Simon Reid and Conca Goyder in Gannet 35 fifth. Only one point separated these four boats, testament to the very close racing at this level of the fleet. The prize for the highest placed boat with a combined age of crew and helm of under 35 was shared between Tilly Mattich and George Hipwell in Pipit 28 and Oliver Phelan and Noah Lewington in Chickadee 60.

The Lapwings are going from strength to strength at the moment with an expanding fleet and increasing numbers of sailors, both young and more mature. Plans are underway for celebrations to mark the 70th anniversary of the Lapwing in 2017. Visit aldeburghlapwings.weebly.com for more information or go to the Aldeburgh Lapwings Facebook page.

Overall Results: