DF95 Invicta Trophy 2025 at Chipstead Sailing Club

DF95 Invicta Trophy at Chipstead © Dave Allinson

On Saturday the 1st March thirteen sailors travelled to Chipstead to contest the DF95 Invicta Trophy Open Meeting. Friday night was very cold and most woke up to frozen-up car windscreens.

At 07:30 the windless glassy lake was shrouded in mist and the far bank was lost from view. The Tri-Swim club swimmers were barely visible as they tested the freezing lake water and equally chilly air temperature.

As the mist slowly cleared, entries were registered and competitors chatted. By 09:45 hrs the mist had cleared, and a light breeze had come in from the East. A course was laid whilst the briefing took place. The briefing welcomed everyone, outlined the usual topics, emphasising the clarified port tack rule regarding approach to the windward mark within the zone and that calls from the race team would be applied without question. Racing commenced a few minutes after 10:00am.

DF95 Invicta Trophy at Chipstead - photo © Dave Allinson

Race one, the standard two laps and a beat, started into a 5mph easterly. It was one of those days where the boats seem to be going faster upwind than downwind. At the windward mark, it was Adrian Tomlinson with a few meters to spare from Mike Wilkie with Mike Brand and Stuart Ord Hume very close behind. Apart from distances closing up downwind there was little change. On the next beat, Alan Hounsel joined the fray and as they went down the run there it was all very close. Adrian kept calm on the final beat to take the win, followed a few meters later by Mike Wilkie and Alan. Stuart followed in fourth just in front of Mike Brand.

Mike Brand was hot off the line in race two to take a clear lead at the windward mark. The chasing pack split at the leeward gate with some choosing the offshore route and some choosing to come to the bank prior to tacking back out into the lake. As the two groups converged it was clear the offshore tactic had won out. Mike B still had a clear lead, but was now followed Barrie Martin and a recovering Adrian and Stuart. Little change happened down the run and once more the offshore route was taken by the front runners. Mike B took a clear win followed by Stuart who picked a good line to the finish to pip Barrie and Adrian.

DF95 Invicta Trophy at Chipstead - photo © Dave Allinson

Race three saw Stuart, Colin Honour, Adrian, Mike B and Robin Aldcroft break away from the pack on the first beat. There was little to choose between these five until the final beat where Stuart picked a nice lift to pull clear and take the win. Colin followed a few moments later just in front of Mike B, Adrian and Robin.

Colin aced the start in race four to take a small lead from Adrian, Mike B and Stuart. Adrian slipped through down the run causing Colin to take the inshore gate mark whilst the rest went offshore. Barrie had closed up at the gate and also went offshore. Adrian had slipped away, but everyone else was very close as the final run started. Barrie picked a nice line of breeze to slip into second place as the last beat began. Adrian was clear and untroubled on his way to the finish. Barrie held onto second place with Stuart and Mike B just behind.

Andrew French was away and clear on the first beat in race five. He was followed by Adrian, Colin, Stuart and Mike B. On the run, Andrew sailed away leaving these four to compete for the minor places. Adrian scraped through in second just in front of Colin, Stuart was a couple of meters adrift in fourth a boat length in front of Mike B.

Adrian cleaned up races six and seven with different sailors picking up the minor places. Lunch was taken at 12:25. Some competitors had pre-ordered food from the new catering team at Chipstead. Some orders were placed at that time. Food was received and everyone sat together and chatted whilst eating. Common consensus was that the catering team had delivered really good well priced food.

Race results had been entered and calculated. Adrian was very consistent throughout the morning with Stuart and Mike B just behind.

DF95 Invicta Trophy at Chipstead - photo © Dave Allinson

During lunch the breeze had picked up and was now in the 7-8 mph range and with a small change to the windward mark was nicely straight down the bank. The sun was now fully out and quite warming although the breeze carried a bit of chill in it. Almost champagne sailing conditions.

Race eight started at 13:30 with Mike B hot off the line. He held a ten meter lead at the windward mark over Colin, Stuart, Andrew, Robin and Adrian. Little changed with Mike B still leading at the line, but with Stuart finding just enough pace to take second from Colin.

Race nine saw Barrie away chased by Robin and Adrian all the way round to the finish. Race ten was similar but with Colin being chased by Adrian and Stuart. Adrian found his mojo to take the lead and hold off Mike B and Barrie in race eleven. Stuart took the next two races and then followed Colin home in race fourteen.

Race fifteen was very close all the way round the course to the finish where Adrian commenced lap three allowing Stuart to take the win from Barrie. Adrian realising his mistake recovered to take third place.

Colin took race sixteen from Adrian and Alan. At 15:20 a fleet decision to race again was made. A small delay was incurred whilst a relaunched switched off boat was recovered and turned back on.

Stuart had a good start and held a small lead from Mike B and Adrian. Adrian judged the approach line to the windward mark slightly better to take a tiny lead from MikeB, Stuart, Andrew and Barrie. Stuart picked the next windward phases slightly better to lead the second windward mark, but the other four were right behind. On the run, he picked up a nice line of breeze to open up a more comfortable gap which he covered to the finish. Mike B took second, Adrian was third with Barrie and Andrew moments afterwards.

Sailing was now over. Competitors packed boats and sails away, the race team packed the marker buoys and rescue boat away whilst the afternoons race results were entered in HMS.

Tea and cake was taken in the clubhouse and sailors chatted. The prize-giving began with the PRO thanking his race team of Rob Owens and Mike Lightwing for giving their time to assist running the meeting.

He also thanked the competitors for the spirit in which they had sailed all day. The starts had been highly competitive, a few boats called OCS, but not a single general recall had been required.

Ed Thorburn was presented with a jar of homemade marmalade (donated by Barrie Martin). This was in recognition of his continued perseverance in sailing every race for the whole day.

Adrian and Stuart both tied on 32 points and so it went to count back.

Adrian and Stuart both won 5 races..... tied after 5 races. Adrian had thee second places, but Stuart had scored four to take the event. What a superbly competitive event between two good radio sailors.

Stuart Ord Hume was presented with first place overall and first Chipstead sailor. Stuart thanked Chipstead for putting on the event.

PRO Dave Allinson again thanked everyone for coming. The event was sailed in very good sailing conditions and in a great spirit. He also wished everyone a safe journey home.

DF95 Invicta Trophy at Chipstead - photo © Dave Allinson

Overall Results:

DF95 Invicta Trophy at Chipstead - photo © Dave Allinson