Europe open meeting at Hayling Island Sailing Club

Blue sky just about visible at the Europe open meeting at Hayling Island © Monique Vennis-Ozanne

So April 1st some fools say; it's not without irony as we sailed off from Sandy point into the Chichester Harbour channel with a NW cold wind of 12 knots feeling like more with the cold and turning west into a two day stonker of a SW breeze which had churned up some big swelly waves.

With 30 Europes and 30 Solos entered heading out Woodsy our RO with his team didn't have to fuss with altering start line lengths. So well done entrants in keeping parity.

Race one in sequence with a dark rain cloud heading west along the shore and heading our way, The 1st was having its fun as the P flag was hoisted the rain appeared, grim comes to mind.

This race lasted to the windward mark just as Simon Jones 266 was looking in the best shape with Steve Cockerill and Jason Belben and Adam Catlow all looking good with a lot of patches on the course, there was a massive spread and Woodsy made the right call to abandon. The wind took an about right the sun came out and we had a steady sail back to the start boat. April wind fool on Woodsy.

A slight delay while the wind stabilised at due North and off we set with some unusual waves semi surging on port with the waves behind and awkward on starboard. Hector Cisneros took the gun with Steve up next and Jason third , Jeremy Hartley Stokes Bay moth supremo took fourth, Adam Catlow was just warming up for race two to come in fifth and Emma Pearson another Stokey came through for sixth and first lady of race one.

Race two saw Adam march off to left and create a commanding lead with second for Hector, Jason seeming to like the number three and Steve in an unusual fourth. At the blunt end Ben Tudor, Martyn Catlow and Ellie Clark had their own battles, expending brain and brawn to get position on each other. Race Three saw a bit of a mix up with Steve taking his first gun of the day Mandy Horton from Grafham after a long break from sailing due injury taking second spot and Day one Mr. Three taking his position.

Overnight Steve and Hector were joint top with Jason in Third ! If you had a Grand Design house with a wall to wall cabinet there would not be enough room for all the World, National and Olympic attendances with these three. So for Adam and Mandy taking a chunk from them geared them up with full confidence for the evening quiz in the bar with local HISC boy John Rees keeping in the mix and topping out the HISC contingent.

A fun quick fire 25 round question with the theme of Europes and Europe the geographical entity. Team HISC may not have been sharp on the race course but they showed they are a lot sharper than they look and took the prize with Mandy clinching the answer on the tie break for second. The group moved into the bar and had fuel provided by the galley, the bar was full with Europers, Soloers and club racers having a beer and a yarn. I even over heard someone saying 'Yeah this is like a real sailing club'.

Day two NE launching into 18 knots of 6 degrees centigrade not wind angle! It was April second this is not meant to be happening. Race four gets away and out pops Lucy Boreham with an horizon job first beat. Jason must have enjoyed his club breakfast as he dropped the idea of sticking with threes and started today with a two, Jeremy wishing for a bit more breeze than yesterday in discussions on shore got his wish and followed with a third. Hector fourth and Steve in fifth.

Race five saw Steve get into the groove and head right where all the action was souls that went left sort of suffered miserably! Mr. Consistent with his 33 year old boat picked two again and Jeremy was starting to like the number three. Sue Ogg from Netley started to warm up and took fourth with Mandy in Fifth. Race six and Steve did a replay, Jason did a replay and Sue didn't like the idea of Jeremy doing a replay to take third. Lucy was finding her form today and came in forth.

Mr George Crammond either finally warmed up or threw caution to the wind hitched his balaclava half up to feel the breeze and took out fifth spot, nicely done young man. Ben and Martyn kept up the battle with a few drop offs due to cold.

Ten times National Champ Steve Cockerill lifted the trophy, Jason Belben in second and Hector third. First Lady was Sue Ogg followed by Lucy and then Emma. With Six ladies in total at this event and a few put off by the lack of warmth, the next event in Grafham on May 13th and 14th could swell those numbers and watch out for Mandy on her home waters.

A huge thanks to Woodsy and his race team and the safety teams, feeling queasey was their biggest challenge with a very wallowing Start boat, at one point pre start to race five I saw a safety team with more layers on than an onion and I thought 'I choose to do this... they volunteered'!

The HISC sailors really enjoyed the classes company and enjoyed hosting and appreciate the long drives some sailors made. The club looks forward to some more events with Chichester Harbour race week (The FED) looking like we will get our own ten boat plus start, The 2024 Nationals and then the 2025 Masters and Youth European Championships in Hayling Bay , with a plan in the offing for the 2026 Worlds also in Hayling Bay, roll on.

Also just to say once everyone had left, the sun came out and it was glorious at Sandy Point!

More info at the class website www.europeclass.org.uk/racing/events

The nationals will be held at Plymouth between 1 and 4 June, with some continental visitors and Jason using it as a warm up to the Moth Worlds; will his 3,3,3,2,2,2 follow onto 1,1,1? Come along and find out.

Overall Results: