Sigma 33 Nationals the at Royal Northern & Clyde Yacht Club

The Sigma 33 Class Championships sponsored by Shields and Henri Lloyd, returned to the Clyde in early July for the first time since 1999. Three South Coast boats (Lucent, Prospero of Hamble and Retribution) made the long journey by road from the Solent to Rhu Marina to join Starshine Challenger and Cariad from Bangor, and a further 21 boats drawn from the strong Clyde and Dublin Bay fleets.

Hosted by the Royal Northern and Clyde YC the regatta comprised nine races during the five days. Conditions were testing, with winds touching gale force during the week. But the racing was very close reflecting the tight one-design characteristics of the boat and the depth of talent in the class. There was never more than ten minutes between the first and last finishers. Going into the final day the championships could have gone to any of four boats, while countbacks were required to split ties for 2nd and 3rd, 9th to 11th, 13th to 15th ,and 18th and 19th places.

A Force 4 - 5 greeted the fleet on Day One The first of the windward/leeward course so much enjoyed by the Class was won by Tim Goodbody's White Mischief from Dublin Bay with the second being won by Clyde based Pepsi owned and helmed by Alan Milton, and Kevin Aitken's The White Tub making a strong showing with two seconds.. But Day Two saw Pepsi and White Mischief on form again, winning races 3 and 4 , and Ben Richards' Lucent raising a challenge, adding a second and fourth to the third place secured in race 2.

With the wind increasing to 40 knots, the decision of the Race Officer, David Witton, only have only one race on Day Three was welcomed by a number of the yachts that had to undertake running repairs. Survival conditions in this race tested every crew's teamwork to the full and was won by was won by Peter Aitken's Makin' Waves, from Lucent and The White Tub.

Fortunately the wind had slightly decreased by the morning of Day Four. Lucent took the first race of the day from Makin' Waves, with White Mischief taking the second from Iain Nicolson's St Joan . The weather was kinder still on Day Five with the final two races sailed in ideal conditions. This did not suit Ben Richards whose southern challenge faded with a fifth and sixth. Alan Milton and his crew finally stamped their authority with a second and a first to win the championship overall. Meanwhile, Peter Aitken's first and third were not quite enough to wipe out Tim Goodbody's three first places earlier in the week which secured White Mischief the runner up slot on countback.

Overall Results: