Civil Service Dinghy Championships at Netley Cliff Sailing Club

Charge from the leeward mark during the Civil Service Dinghy Championships © Iain Mackay

Race 2 start during the Civil Service Dinghy Championships © Iain Mackay

Vanda Jowlett during the Civil Service Dinghy Championships © Iain Mackay

The CSSC (Civil Service Sports Council) Dinghy Championships run by the CSSA (Civil Service Sailing Association) were held at Netley Cliff Sailing Club on the 29th and 30th of June 2013. Twenty five boats entered this year a smaller field than previously but one that included some very high standards of sailing.

After delivering the Saturday morning briefing, the Race Committee led by David Greenway and his colleague Peter Knight, both of Warsash SC, set a trapezoid course in a WNW wind of 6-12 knots. After a clean start, the fleet set off with the RS200 of Sue Antonelli and Dan Goodman (Littleton SC) in the lead, followed closely by Martin Hughes of Warsash SC in Finn 567. The light winds kept the diverse fleet (from 29er to Comet) sufficiently together for all to complete just two laps before finishing. The placings on corrected times were: Sue Antonelli/Dan Goodman followed by Martin Hughes and then Vanda Jowett in Solo 5126 just four seconds ahead of Mike Dray in Solo 4386.

After lunch the wind had become a little lighter and swung to the West, so a triangular course was set to make best use of the available water. Another clean start saw the leaders from the first race once again leading the fleet round. The first finisher was Matthew Aldous-Horne from Fishers Green SC in Laser 197765. The faster boats completed another lap, after which the first across the line was again Sue Antonelli's RS200 followed by Elizabeth and Roger Pescod (LSC) in Tasar 2638 and then Martin Hughes in the Finn. On corrected times the places were: Antonelli, Jowett, Hughes.

At the start of the third race, the wind was again light (about 7 knots) and the tide was now running more strongly, pushing boats across the line. After one general recall, the second start was made under flag India, resulting in three boats being judged OCS. This time the split to shorten course was made just before the tail-end boats, resulting in the majority completing three laps. The "usual suspects" romped home in the order RS200, Tasar, Finn, closely followed by Ken Daniels (FGSC) in Phantom 1350. Winner on corrected time was Mike Dray (Solo 4386) followed by Antonelli and Hughes.

The leader board at the end of the first day showed Sue Antonelli (RS200 1353) in first place, followed by Vanda Jowett (Solo 5126) and Martin Hughes (Finn 567) in third. However as a result of a protest by Mike Dray against Vanda Jowett, her placing dropped and the corrected leader board read: Antonelli, Hughes, Dray.

Sunday dawned with a thick mist across the Solent and Southampton Water, and barely a breath of wind. Such has been the experience of this regatta on several occasions in recent years, so the competitors settled on the lawn to await a change of fortune. Eventually the breeze kicked in and by 10:45 was blowing 15 knots from the south-west. A trapezoid course was again set, and 21 boats started in the slightly livelier conditions. The faster conditions resulted in the faster and slower boats being more intermingled, and a new winner on corrected time emerged: Matthew Aldous-Horne (Laser 197765), followed by Sue Antonelli and Vanda Jowett. Mike Dray made fourth place and Martin Hughes fifth. In race 5, on the same course and similar conditions, Martin Hughes regained his previous form and came in first on corrected time ahead of Sue Antonelli and Mike Dray.

After lunch, race 6 got under way, albeit with a further depleted field of 15 boats. Matthew Aldous-Horne was early to the start area and clearly keen to build on his performance before lunch. Another clean start saw the small fleet under way, and by this time, with the wind having moved round to the south and gusting 18 knots, there was time for the faster boats to complete six laps. An early retirement was made by Ken Daniels (Phantom 1350), who had got stuck in irons before the first mark and saw all hope of retrieving the situation evaporate. Meanwhile, the faster boats battled to a position where the first to finish was the Pescods' Tasar, followed by Martin Hughes in the Finn and Sue Antonelli and Dan Goodman in the RS200. However on corrected times, Matthew Aldous-Horne was first, ensuring his claim to the Junior Trophy.

Awards were made by Rob Stephens, Vice Commodore CSSA, assisted by Darren Whitcher, Vice Commodore NCSC. The Seal Cup for the overall winner went to Sue Antonelli and Dan Goodman. Martin Hughes once again secured the Rose Bowl for the first CSSC helm. Matthew Aldous-Horne collected the Junior Trophy, while the Enterprise Bowl, awarded to the first placed helm of the most numerous class in the Championships, went to Deborah Robertshaw of Littleton SC in Laser Radial 169830. Finally, The Littleton Bell, awarded to the strongest team of six boats from a single club, went once again to Littleton SC.

More photos available here.

Overall Results: