Chichester Scow Nationals at Bosham Sailing Club

The fourth Chichester Scow National Championships was hosted by Bosham Sailing Club last weekend. A good sized fleet sailed two races from Cobnor on Saturday with a further two races from Bosham Quay on Sunday.

On Saturday, with no wind to start with, the fleet was towed to Cobnor just in time for the sea breeze to arrive which provided virtually perfect weather for the Chichester Scows, which require nothing more than a Force 4 and sunshine whenever possible. Race 1 was exceptionally close with five Scows approaching the finish line abreast of each other after over an hour’s racing. The race was finally won by Judy Roberts in Kleintye Pils followed by Jennifer Eldridge in Laughing Scow.

After a relaxed picnic lunch Race 2 started with a course covering most of the harbour and provided a keenly contested race until one of the older contestants forgot the last mark. Judy Roberts again won, with Fiona Windebank in Inky Skipper taking second place.

Sunday dawned cloudy with no sea breeze but a good turnout. Racing took place off Bosham Quay and remained close to Bosham Sailing Club to provide a good, if slow, spectator sport. Race three turned into a drift with Martin Windebank in Florabell winning by a short head from Fiona Windebank. With four people with a chance of winning the National Championships, the fourth race was fiercely contested which a tour of Bosham by water (and occasionally mud) with Jennifer Eldridge winning the race with Judy Roberts in second place. With this result, Judy Roberts was declared the winner of the Chichester Scow National Championship, with Jennifer Eldridge and Martin Windebank sharing second place, and Fiona Windebank in fourth.

For a fleet that welcomes less experienced sailors the racing was close and showed that the difference between the front and back of the fleet was considerably less than in previous years. Hopefully many competitors will have returned home on Sunday evening with aching limbs but a lot more confidence.