Chichester Harbour Federation Week

Chichester Harbour Federation Week was an event for the fit and fearless © Liz Sagues

Chichester Harbour Federation Week was an event for the fit and fearless © Liz Sagues

The 2007 Chichester Harbour Federation Regatta Week, one of the largest dinghy race weeks in Britain, was an event for the fit and fearless, with racing cancelled on two of the five scheduled days and many capsizes and gear failures when the 417 competing boats from 40 clubs did manage to go afloat.

Monday set the scene, with the wind rising to 25 knots through the long race and plenty of work for the safety boats. Tuesday’s and Wednesday’s force 6 kept all the racers ashore, but extra races were fitted in on Thursday to catch up part of the programme. Race two that day proved the most taxing, as the wind increased again to force 6 and fewer than a third of competitors finished in most fleets.

Friday’s initially light westerly was deceptive, as again it strengthened towards the finish, so there wasn’t a single day without capsizes. With 18 class starts, and competing boats ranging from Optimists to International 14s, from Finns to 49ers, a one-off foiler to Toppers, the event was a snapshot of the dinghy racing scene. Largest class was the RS200s, with 60 entrants, while the Solos mustered 37 and the fast handicap 33.

While the results tables were dominated by members of host club Hayling Island SC and its near neighbour Mengeham Rythe SC, the regatta was a successful week for sailors from clubs all round Chichester Harbour and way beyond.

Despite difficult conditions, Fed Week kept up its reputation of providing good racing in a happy family holiday atmosphere – evidenced by the many instances of two or more generations of the same family competing.

Class winners:

Fast Asymmetric: Andy and Tom Partington, International 14, Hayling Island SC
RS700: Andy Brown, HISC
Medium Asymmetric: Richard and Matt Lewis, ISO, Emsworth Slipper SC
RS400: Paul Childs and Hanna Burywood, Burghfield SC
Fast Handicap: Simon Allen, International Canoe, HISC
RS Elite: Bill Tucker, HISC
Flying Fifteen: Miles Odell and Andrew Streeter, HISC
Finn: John Tremlett, Mengeham Rythe SC
RS200: Sam Littlejohn and Matt Giles, Lancing SC
Laser: Matthew Holden, Locks SC
Wayfarer: Duncan Colin-Jones and Robin Gadd, HISC
Medium Handicap: Georgie Andrew and Millie Parkin, HISC
Laser Radial: Roger Houston, MRSC
Solo: David McGregor, HISC
RS Feva: Alex Poyner and Holly Tucker, Emsworth SC
Topper: Mark Oakey, Portchester SC
Slow Handicap: David Jones and Conway Parke, MRSC
Optimist: Anthony Parke, MRSC

Inter-Club Challenge:
1. Mengeham Rythe SC
2. Hayling Island SC
3. Emsworth Slipper SC
4. Dell Quay SC

Full results are on the Chichester Harbour Federation website www.chifed.org