Warm sunshine and a gentle Force 2-3 South Westerly greeted the fifty strong fleet for start of the Inland Championship. Sailors had travelled from the extremes of the UK. Looe in Devon with seven boats, two from Scotland with further boats from Essex and Tynemouth.

After the customary General Recall the OD responded with a Black flag and the fleet got away at the second attempt. Gareth Shaw and Verity Pope from Looe SC lead round the Windward mark with ex champions Tim Sadler and Rich Sault from Yorkshire Dales SC and Ges Brown and Julie Moore from Chester SC following. Shaw/Pope dropped back and the lead was interchanged between Brown/Moore and Sadler/Sault until caught by Alan Johnson crewed by Hannah Sadler (Tim Sadlers daughter), from South Caernarvonshire Yacht Club. Johnson/Sadler won from Sadler/ Sault and Brown/Moore.

Starting with the Black flag caught out 6 boats at the first start including Brown/Moore and one of the title contenders Tony Woods. Away the second time the fleet headed to the same windward mark against the Dam wall and Sadler/Sault lead from Paul Hobson crewed by Alicia Bennett from Herne Bay SC and Ann Jackson crewed by Alan Skeens from Burghfield SC. The three leaders quickly established a gap on the fleet with Sadler/Sault leading and behind Hobson/Bennett Jackson/Skeens having a close race. On the last beat Jackson/Skeens went left and passed Hobson/Bennett to claim second with Johnson/Sadler again pulling through from well down the fleet to claim 4^th.

Yet more new faces at the front with renowned Thames Valley Castaways sailor Dave Beaney crewed by son Alex leading at the Dam pursued by Martin Weatherstone crewed by Karen Jewkes with Paul and George Graham from Burwain SC in third. The Beaney duo held their lead to the finish with Tony Woods crewed by Charlie Berry from Etherow SC 2^nd Johnson/Sadler 3^rd and Sadler/Sault 4^th. The Grahams dropped back to 11^th and Weatherstone/Jewkes held on for 6^th.

Overnight leaders then were Johnson/Sadler and Sadler/Sault one point apart. A superb meal was served by the Northampton Galley in the evening. Enterprises will be back!

10 seconds to go. Good fair lines were set all weekend - Photo Chunkypics.co.uk

With a 10am start scheduled the conditions did not look promising with a grey sky and no breeze at all. However the fleet were ordered out at 10:15 to arrive at the Committee boat where the wind was duly switched on to Force 3 for the start! Similar beat to the dam wall but a longer leg downwind gave a longer beat the length of Pitsford during the race.

Phil and Sarah Kirk from Frampton SC rounded the windward mark in the lead followed by Nick and Rachel Jackson from Burghfield SC and Phil Bevan with daughter Laura from Grafham Water SC. The newly married Kirks held the lead throughout but the Bevans overtook the Jacksons to claim second and Johnson/Sadler again pulling through to 4^th leaving Sadler/Sault down in 9^th.

 

The last Race with the same long beat saw a Red boat at the front helmed by John Woodward and crewed by Siobhan Pearson from Bartley SC. Second round trying to drop Johnson/Sadler were Sadler/Sault and then the Kirks. Woodward/Pearson opened up a gap downwind and were never challenged. Johnson/Sadler clinched the Championship with second place and Sadler/Sault were close but fourth was not enough. Ali Morish crewed by Niki Birrell crowned a good championship adding third to two previous sixth places.

Alan Johnson claimed the Inland Championship from a 50 strong fleet with some superb sailing from mid fleet positions in the Vintage 30 year old Subsonic Whinkle.