Race Report Wednesday 13th August 2025

 Sadly the wonderful sailing of yesterday was not to be repeated today. With heavy cloud and no wind from early morning the Race Team for Series D aboard Betivuka motored out of the harbour in the hope of identifying the predicted south westerly breeze.

Despite a breeze eventually showing on Chimet of 5 to 7 knots, this was only a tease, not registering at sea level on the Committee boat out in Hayling Bay, nor in the harbour.  Instead whilst the race team waited patiently the storm from further south crept in, bringing rain, thunder and lightening, by which time the ‘hold ashore’ was changed to all racing postponed to another day.

 

Robert Macdonald.

Race Report Tuesday 12th August 2025

Today was definitely a champagne sailing day, with the Force 3-4 holding more steady from the south east at 12 knots, and race officers for Series A & B settled on 150° course, serving up perfect racing conditions. On Series A all fleets were despatched with only one individual recall in the RS 200 fleet. The only incident was the race officer momentarily getting tied up and wrestling a halyard.

Enough pressure was maintained to keep the fleets powered up, while the safety boats lounged in standby mode, their crews enjoying the rare luxury of watching racing without drama. The only real hazard was the warning of a sea mist drifting into the harbour.

In the Fast Handicap Robert Gullan and Rob Ashman in their 505 took honours on corrected time again, whilst Simon and Jack Townsend ESC clocked a second in their Osprey. In the Slow Asymmetric Jack Holden, CYC, in his Devoti One proved the winner on corrected time. In the RS 200s Aiden and Ella Mitchell took the gun against a very competitive fleet.

On Series B the race team combatted a wayward windward mark which struggled to hold station, but was finally re-laid to ensure a proper length course. Graham and Felix Camm (Burghfield) in the National 12 established a strong lead to clock their second first place, ahead of Lee Goodey (Broadstairs) in the Streaker. In the Aero 5s Kate Childs (HISC) crossed the line first and in the Solos Tim Goodey RNSA . Both fleets will have several challengers for the top spot. Thomas Knight CYC scored a second first in in the ILKA 4s whilst  Martyn Jones (HISC) performed similarly in the ILKA 6 fleet. 

On Series C, with the wind holding, the windward mark was pushed out to extend the beat with another great start by the RS Teras. At the first mark Cam Wilson (HISC) led, then extended his lead all the way to the finish. The chasing boats in 2nd to 5th, closely bunched had a competitive sail throughout the race. In their second race Cam again repeated his dominance. In the small Optimist Fleet Jack Wood added two more firsts to his tally.

Tomorrow brings the Elites out to play and possibly a different weather pattern.

 

Robert Macdonald

Race Report Monday 11th August 2025

Some 240 boats signed out to race of total entry of some 300 boats entered for Chichester Harbour Race Week.

A  fleet racing got underway right on time, helped by a cooperative early breeze. As the first sequence began, however, a notable wind shift kept competitors and the race team on their toes. Wind speeds held between 5 and 12 knots throughout the day, enough to keep boats moving without shaking the relaxed summer mood. In the fast handicap start, an unexpected audience appeared , a pair of curious harbour seals surfaced to watch proceedings. Clearly, they hadn’t read the Sailing Instructions and swam straight past the green boundary mark to get a closer look at the start line. 

Rounding the windward mark, the harbour burst into colour as spinnakers filled the sky, a patchwork of reds, blues, and golds billowing under a bright blue summer sky. With the water at a comfortable 20°C and spring tides running, sailors enjoyed shifty conditions and competitive racing. Another shift later in the race kept tactics interesting, rewarding those who spotted it early.

In the 23 strong Fast H’cap fleet the Robert Gullan and Rob Ashman in their 505 took 1st place ahead of the another 505 Miles Odell and Andrew Street, both form HISC, on corrected time. In the RS 200, the largest fleet, Paul and Suzie Hammet took line honours ahead of Frances Partington and Chris O’Neil

With the hot weather the breeze was a teasing one and Series B comprising some 8 events  and encompasses those in their 70’s to youngsters barely in their teens. The medium handicap, always a pundits graveyard, was dominated by fast off wind excellency from a National 12.  sailed by Graham and Felix Camm from Burghfield, who won on corrected time. The RS Areo series, the 7,6 and 5  all provided very close racing with several boat lengths spreading 3 or 4 places. In the In the 5s, the largest of the three, Jo Hewitson took line honours ahead of Carol Fiddaman.  Despite close competition Ian Barnet from CYC took the gun in the Solo class.

On series C the fickle breeze started the week with; race 1 start abandoned whilst in sequence due to a large wind shift. Once reset crews were away, happy in the light airs, lots of banter between themselves with one amusing comment overhead, ‘I didn’t expect to be leading, what’s the course’? Concentration and knowing the course was a key point for 3 competitors, who missed the gate! A reset of the course for race 2 as the wind settled, with very close racing at the front of the fleet, the top 3 only seconds apart. Richard Hewitt (HISC) leads with a first and third place, ahead of Archie Hillam from Bowmoor with a fourth and first place.

Tomorrow club captains have to enter their teams for the Team Trophies before racing but whether the fickle breeze of today will give a good indication remains open.

Robert Macdonald 

Race Report - Friday 23rd August

257 boats of the 383 entered for the week, signed out to race on the last day, many thinking that the strong winds of the previous day, which had necessitated all sailing to be cancelled, would run on into Friday. 

Competitors woke up to a wind still blowing 30 knots from the northwest on this final day and therefore quite a few decided to pack up.  As it transpired the wind did drop to 12-15 knots as forecast and shifted to the southwest to provide a perfect sunny sailing afternoon! 

Committee boats for Series A and B were once again in the area of Lowles, with the windward marks on the Winner, the gybe marks near Pivot and Leeward marks by Thorney.  However, for the 2nd lap the course setter put the alternate Leeward mark for Series A down the harbour towards Park and gave all but the Fast Asymmetrics a 2-lap course.

By all accounts, the first beat provided plenty of opportunity for gains and losses especially around the Dunes channel area where the sea state was quite kicked up.  As the race progressed the thermally enhanced south westerly increased and was gusting 20knots by the end once again giving sailors a thrilling sail. 

There seemed to be plenty of incidents in a few of the fleets vying for overall honours.  In the Flying 15s, Russell Peters had a coming together with Charles Apthorp while leading, misread the SI’s and only did one turn so had to take an exoneration penalty. That meant Charles took the week on count back.  It also meant Richard Jordan won today’s race and with it the Gerald King Cornflake trophy. In the Fast Handicap, overnight leader Judith Massey missed the toe straps, went overboard and broke the tiller extension in the process.  This enabled Simon and Jackie Lytton, who finished 2nd on corrected time today, to win the week overall. In the Slow Asymmetrics, Charlie Samson and Esther Heathcote needed to win in their RS400 with Clive and Helen Everest 5th or lower in their RS400.   Charlie and Esther duly won but Clive and Helen came in 2nd to win the week. In the Finns, Mike de Courcy’s (HISC) second bullet secured the series and the Itchenor Plate for the last race, ahead of Martin Hughes from Warsash. Mark Macdonald’s (Mengeham) 2nd gave him third overall.

In the 2000s, Jonathan and Matthew Bailey needed to win today for overall honours and they did so in great style.  In the Medium Handicap, the largest fleet of the regatta, the Laser Stratos sailed by Nick Martin and Rob Brown (Portchester) secured a second win on corrected time to secure third place. In the Aero 5s, Debbie Calwell’s second place was enough to snatch the overall win from Sarah Smith on equal points. In the Solos, Ian Barnett (CYC) took his second win to win the series one point ahead of Richard Catchpole (Leigh and Loughton).

In Series C, Race Officer Jamie Wilson was anxious to try and make up for the previous lost day, and so Lauren Buckel in the Teras continued her form and set off to lead the fleet only to suffer a broken mast. Not put off she was taken ashore, loaned another mast and was ready to start the second race. Again she took the lead and unbelievably the second mast snapped. Fortunately her consistent performance earlier in the week ensured that she still won the event. 

On Series D, the class was anxious to race today to ensure a series, although for many it was an uphill struggle after many were black flagged on Wednesday’s second race. Tom Hewitson with Colin Smith and Anna Wells dominant third win and a second on the last race, made them a clear winner. 

At prizegiving a new trophy was awarded to the winner of the Flying Fifteen class by Barbara Palmer, widow of the late legendry Fifteen sailor Roger Palmer who had scripted many articles on how to overcome the courses of Federation/Chichester Harbour Race Week. In the Finn Fleet a special Veteran’s Prize was awarded to Graeme Macdonald, a brown envelope with a 10 shilling note inside, mimicking his prize at the first Federation Regatta in 1963. Thanks were given to the 120 volunteers who ran the week, to hosts Hayling Island Sailing Club, and to event sponsors Bentley Walker, and prize sponsors Raymarine, Optimum Time, Chichester Harbour Gin and Overboard for their generous support. 

Next year the event will run from Monday 11th to Friday !5th August 2025.

Robert Macdonald.

Race Report - Wednesday 21st August

305 signed out plus 15 Elites on Course D for a windier day’s racing….

For Day 3 there was a cracking forecast of a force 4 south westerly increasing later.  Imagine the race officers surprise when at 10am it was blowing force 4 from the north west!  Thankfully, by the Series A and B scheduled start time of 12.10 the wind had backed to the southwest so the course was set up on 245 degrees.  This meant a start line near Lowles, windward mark on the middle of the Winner Bank, gybe mark between Mill Rythe and Pivot on the Pilsey Sands, and leeward marks near Camber Pole.

At the start the wind was about 12 knots but quickly increased and was up to 18+ knots by the end of the race with the sea state becoming quite lumpy after the tide turned at 13.30.  

Today was the day when going left up the first beat over the Winner bank did pay handsomely as those that went right found out to their disbelief.   “I couldn’t even read their sail numbers” one Flying Fifteen competitor who went right was heard to say after racing.

Once round the windward mark the sailors were treated to wonderful full-on planing reaches. It was a terrific sight to see the boats flying across the water and the smiling faces (or were they grimaces of fear?)

There were some exceptional performances and demonstrations of excellent boat handling particularly in the asymmetric classes.  The 29er sailed by Alex Sydenham and Tristan Alheid was a stand-out performance and they won this class by quite some distance.   Clive and Helen Everest in their RS400 also sailed impressively to win on the water and on corrected time.  All the more impressive as they were in a hiking boat racing against many trapeze boats in the slow asymmetric class.  In the Hadron & DZero fleet, Gareth Tweedle (Emsworth SC) scored his second first to give him a strong lead. The Finns have only 1 point separating the first three boats, with Martin Hughes (Warsash) holding the overnight lead. Russell Peters and Zeb Elliot in the Fifteens were only able to achieve another 2^nd place against Charles Apthorp and David Rickard’s second win, so the remaining races are critical.

On Series B the tussle between Ben Oakley (ESC) and Jonathan Bailley (Weir Wood) continues, and in the Medium Handicap Tom Morris took his second first on corrected time to secure the series. Similarly, Ollie Holden has secured the Aero 7s scoring his second bullet, and in the Aero 5s Sarah Smith (HISC) secured her first win to take the series. Ian Barnet kooks unassailable in the Solos. Russell Mead’s (Lee on Solent) third win in his ILCA6 has similarly won the week.

On Series C, with additional boats joining the fleet, Lauren Buckel (Mengeham Rythe) consolidated her lead with two more first places, so with the current forecast suggesting racing tomorrow is in question, Ella Gardiner and Henry Highman will have their work cut out to overtake her. In the Oppies, Ian Coward (HISC) and Robbie Mayo (Lymington Town) continue their fight with only one point between them, after completing three races today.  

It will be interesting to see what the weather brings tomorrow for everyone with such a foreboding forecast.

Robert Macdonald.

Race Report - Tuesday 20th August

Some 293 boats of the 364 registered entries, signed afloat on the second day of the 60^th Chichester Harbour Race Week at Hayling Island Sailing Club. Today series A and B sailors were greeted with a solid Force 4 from 245°. However, the forecast was for the wind to veer towards the north west and increase to Force 5.

For Series A & B, port hand courses for a 260° wind were set to cover the possibility of the veer during the race. With start lines close to Copyhold, the windward marks were laid in the vicinity of the green Pilsey mark near the Hayling moorings, the gybe marks were on the middle of the Winner bank and the leeward marks down by the Camber pole.  With a strong current against the beat, tactically it paid both the Series A and Series B fleets to work the shifts on the shallow Pilsey sands until they picked up the strong lee bow current flowing down the Emsworth channel.  With that many boats racing on the sands it was rather busy out there!  The predicted shift from 245° to 280° degrees came in under a black squally cloud as most of the boats began their last lap giving some exhilarating reaches and a few capsizes, particularly at the gybe mark on the Winner.

With the windier conditions there were notable performances from certain boats.  In particular the Fireball sailed by Nick Rees and Evelyne Schotte won by a handsome margin, and the 4000 sailed by Doug and Charlie Baker stomped home to a massive 5 minute win on corrected time in the Slow Asymmetric fleet.  They were so fast the race team thought they were in the Fast Asymmetric!  In the Finns Richard Sharp’s 4^th place keeps him as overnight leader, but only one point ahead of Martin Hughes (Warsash) who led the fleet across the finish line today.

In Series B, the Laser Stratos sailed by Nick Martin and Rob Brown (Portchester) claimed victory on corrected time, with yesterday’s winner, Tom Morris in his Europe second, and Jerome Baker in his ILCA (HISC) third. In the Aero 5s Debbie Caldwell’s third place keeps her as class leader, but only one point ahead of both Rosie Berry and Sarah Smith. In the 2000s, Ben Oakley and Barbara Langford (ESC) took the gun to become fleet leaders from Jonathan and Matthew Bailey from Weir Wood.

Race 3 on Course C got away in a good 13-15knot breeze, the Tera’s making short work of it, led by Ella Gardiner (ESC), chased hard by Lauren Buckel (MRSC) and Henry Highman (HISC). The trio led the fleet around the course finishing without any change in places; whilst further down the fleet Catherine Davies (Bowmore SC), Oliver Gardiner (ESC) and Richard Hewitt (HISC) battled over 4th, which went Richard's way at the finish.

Meanwhile in the Oppi fleet the front was tight, with 3 leaders during the race, Robbie Mayo (Lymingtown SC) led on lap 1, Iain Coward (HISC) taking the lead for laps 2 and 3, only for Luke Moore (HISC) to come through for the win.

With Race 4 for the Teras underway, Ella Gardiner (ESC) leading, a squall came through flattening many of the fleet, whilst the Oppi race was in its start sequence. With all support boats tied up, the Oppi race was abandoned, leaving the Teras to finish their lap. Ella Gardiner (ESC) came home 1st, chased by Matilda White (Bowmore SC) and Lauren Buckel (MRSC) 3rd. 

A tough day afloat for some!

 

 Robert Macdonald

Race Report - Monday 19th August

Some 302 competitors out of the 362 registered entries signed afloat on the first day of the 60th Chichester Harbour Race Week at Hayling Island Sailing  Club. 

At 10am there was very little wind but there was a healthy forecast of a force 3 south westerly due at the scheduled first start time of 10.45 am. As it happens the wind kicked in a little later than forecast with racing underway after a 30 minute postponement.  A large 3-lap course took Series A fleets from a start line near Copyhold by East Head to a windward mark near Calvert opposite the lifeboat station at the harbour entrance, a gybe mark near Mill Rythe and leeward mark by Camber.  The Series B course was set inside this triangle. 

On the first beat against the current the usual route to the East head shore didn’t pay (competitors are advised to read the late and great Roger Palmers article – “when the winner doesn’t pay” and it was mostly those boats looking for the lee bow tide effect between Stocker and the Winner Bank who came out on top. The wind was forecast to increase as the day went on but actually it softened to less than 10 knots at times but eventually picked up as the tail enders finished. 

It was a great race day with close racing amongst many of the fleets especially the Flying 15s, Fireballs, Finns and the 2 leading RS400s in the Slow Asymmetric fleet.  In the welcome return of a decent fleet of Fifteens, Elite Champion Russell Peters and Zeb Elliot took the gun. In the largest single class entry, the RS 200s, Matt Currell and David Brand (Parkstone SC) claimed 1st place.  

On Series B the large mixed Medium Handicap fleet saw Tom Morris, sailing his Europe, claim victory on corrected time whilst in the 25 strong Aero 5 fleet Debbie Caldwell (HISC) pipped Charlotte Hitchmough (Bowmoor) to the gun. 

After a short postponement, Series C’s week got under way with Tera OCS boats having to return, and the fleet spreading out quickly from the off in the steady 10 knot breeze, whilst the Oppi fleet kept in close company all around the course. Teras Lauren Buckel (MRSC) and Henry  Hightman (HISC) swapped places each lap. The Oppi fleet, following behind, kept close on the first lap before the leaders, Ian Coward (HISC) and Robby Mayo, were able to slip away.

Race 2 in the Teras saw a perfect start by Ella Gardiner(ESC) hitting the line at speed on the gun, taking the high line above the fleet and in clear air was away, extending a significant lead to the finish. In the Oppi fleet Robby Mayo (Lymington Town), at the front again, added a 1st to his 2nd from race 1, with Zoe Bradshaw (Emsworth SC) coming through in a good 2nd.  A great start to the week’s racing.

Tomorrow’s forecast suggests there will be more wind for the competitors.

Robert Macdonald PRO