Curlew Cup 2025 and keelboat racing at Bembridge Sailing Club

Bembridge SC early July keelboat racing © Mike Samuelson

Redwings on Friday By Jos Coad

After the arrival of 19 Swallows coming to Bembridge for their National Championships there were only three Redwings wanting to race on Friday evening; two One-Design helms came but felt there was too much wind to go out single-handed as by then the wind was SWesterly Force 4 gusting Force 5.

Mindful of the need for a shortish race, Sea Breeze anchored at Garland and the course was a beat to Pepe, run down to Fitzwilliam and back through the line twice round. Xander Shaw in Harlequin set off ahead of Richard Jessel in Blue Jay and Robin Ebsworth in Quintessence. Xander was never to relinquish the lead steadily adding to it as he went round. Blue Jay had gear problems and retired after the first round leaving Quintessence to follow Harlequin home.

Xander was round in 55 minutes and Robin in exactly an hour. A perfect evening race.

Redwings on Saturday and Sunday By Rory Morrison

Four Redwings took on the challenge of 16-20kts to head out to race ahead of the Swallows (in Bembridge for their National champs) on Saturday morning. Paroquet (Rory Morrison) managed to (just) squeeze in on the pin end of start line set at Fitzwilliam, on port, albeit he had to tack pretty quickly to slot in below Goose (Jaffa Orange) and Avocet (Rupert MacInnes).

Heading to Under Tyne as the first mark all were pretty close, with some shifts to play with as the shore got closer. A reach across to Garland set the boats up for a good 'sausage' from Garland to Janson, going twice round. Robin in Quintessence found the wind conditions a little on the heavy side, but Goose and Avocet had some good tussles both upwind and downwind, and by the time the race was self-finished (the RO was also looking after the Swallows), Rory had eked out a lead, with Jaffa and Rupert finishing within a few seconds of each other, and Robin a bit further back.

Conditions on Sunday was a bit lighter, and Harlequin (Xander Shaw plus crew) decided to come and join the fun having watched racing on Saturday from the new sauna set up at 'The Point'! So 5 boats, starting at Fitzwilliam again, in probably 10 knots of WSW'erly breeze had a challenging beat up to Pepe. Xander got the best start, and managed the shifts well to round the top mark just ahead of Rory. Avocet (Rupert) and Goose (Jaffa) were close behind, with Robin a little further back having had to wait to collect his crew!

On the long downwind to Ruthven, Rory overtook Xander, and then gradually stretched his lead as the fleet progressed via Garland and Janson to a (self-) finish at Old Church. The tricky shifts, as much as 40 degrees at times, gave plenty of opportunities for snakes and ladders, with Rupert and Xander trading places a number of times. Robin chose to win the race to the crane (on a falling tide) by retiring on the penultimate windward leg.

At the finish, Rory reached Old Church (without confusing it with the Southern Water outfall marker!) ahead of Xander, who was just ahead of Rupert, with Jaffa finishing fourth.

With two wins from two races, Rory (Paroquet) won the Curlew Cup.

One-Designs on Saturday and Sunday By Robin Joy

Only two One-Designs raced on Saturday in the fairly steady 16-20kts from the west. The course was the same as for the Redwings, and at the start Robin Joy in No10 held a boat length's advantage over Russ Fowler in No1.

This differential remained unchanged for most of the race, with Russ unable to break Robin's cover. Then a lucky lift at the end of the second beat allowed Robin to move out to about 50m ahead, a lead which he maintained to the self-finish at Garland.

There were no One-Designs racing on Sunday.

Curlew Cup at Bembridge - photo © Mike Samuelson