Firefly Inland Championships at Chipstead SC

by Chris Guy on 10 Nov 2011 The Firefly Class Inland Championships, hosted by Chipstead Sailing Club, were held over the weekend of 5th and 6th November 2011. Light breeze but mild weather greeted the 25 entries.

The field had depth and variety with past national champions through to up and coming pupils from the local Sevenoaks School joining the five boats from the home club. Five races from six would count so there was very little room for error in an extremely competitive fleet.

Saturday’s light winds across the lake made for challenging conditions. After a general recall and a swift use of the black flag to calm the over eager, the race got away with place changing throughout the race. At the last it was Stuart Hudson sailing with Sally Wakefield from Sally’s husband Nigel, back with regular crew Emily Saunderson. Tony Thresher and Mike Radford revelled in the conditions, similar to those of their home club, West Oxfordshire, coming home third.

Wakefield and Saunderson had their revenge in the next, leading home Steven Greaves and Amy Morris who were to start a run of three seconds in a row. Hudson was not fazed though and tucked in another couple of firsts by the end of the day. Barney Smith and Alannah Witherby hit form with two thirds. The excellent race officer Alan Warren just got the four races in before dark descended and fireworks were enjoyed.

Sundays wind direction was the same, but strength had increased. Stuart and Sally wrapped up the event with another first, from a fast charging Alex Davey, sailing with local school sailor Flora Donald. Wakefield / Saunderson were third and the consistent Greaves / Morris fourth, ensuring the battle for second went to the last race. Race six and defending champions Roger Morris and Jo Findlay escaped the first mark melee to sail into a huge lead. Carnage ensued behind with toys flying everywhere, resulting in Wakefield and Saunderson calling it a day and Greaves / Morris emerging in a distant eighth. Over the next three laps they clawed back up to third and a shout at the medals. A lucky gust took the second and third placed boats all the way up to Morris / Findlay who elected to cover Hudson / Wakefield up the last beat, allowing Greaves / Morris to sneak a race win at the last.

Stuart Hudson and Sally Wakefield from Keyhaven Yacht Club collected the fantastic Silver Firefly for first place. Steven Greaves and Amy Morris from Rickmansworth were runners up with Nigel Wakefield and Emily Saunderson from Gosport MBYC, taking third. Imogen Smith and Flora Donald, both from Sevenoaks School, took it in turns to sail with Alex Davey from Royal Harwich YC who take fourth place. The team prize went to West Oxfordshire SC.

The first Chipstead boat was sailed by Peter Flory and Jane Marshall, both Graduate class sailors who had borrowed a Firefly for the weekend. The Determination Prize was won by Chipstead’s Stuart Rickett crewed by his father in law, Ian National Firefly Class Association website