2025 Belgian Flying Fifteen Championship at Sports Nautiques de l'Eau d'Heure

2025 Belgian Flying Fifteen Championship © SNEH

This year was marked by the return of participants from England, including Nick and Catherine Heath (GBR 3692) from Cambridge SC, regulars at our championship, as well as two new crews, Duncan Matthew and John Chalker (GBR 3844) from Aldeburgh YC, and Richard Hope and Jeremy Arnoco (GBR 4044) from Draycote Water SC.

RYCM was also very well represented with five boats making the trip from Liège, showing that the local fleet is particularly active and dynamic.

After Storm Amy had passed the previous week, the weather forecast predicted light conditions for the whole weekend, especially on Saturday.

During the briefing, the Race Officer warned that the decision to run races on Saturday would be made on-site depending on the wind conditions. With a relatively stable wind of 5 knots, three races were able to be held, two on the short course (one lap) and one on the longer course (two laps).

Given the light winds, the key strategy was finding the right balance between the right-hand side of the course, which offered a better upwind angle, and the left-hand side, which had slightly more breeze.

In these conditions, the results were quite open, but by the end of the first day, the provisional podium was made up of Duncan Matthew and John Chalker (GBR 3844), Michel and Kevin Vincent (BEL 3530), and Richard Hope and Jeremy Arnico (GBR 4044) in that order.

Back ashore, crews enjoyed plenty of Belgian beers followed by a crew dinner organized by the SNEH.

Stronger wind was forecast for Sunday. The first race started at 10:00 hrs in light but building wind.

In these more stable conditions, a group of five boats (GBR 4044), (GBR 3844), (GBR 3692), (BEL 3530) and (BEL 3915) pulled away from the rest of the fleet and consistently fought for podium positions.

After a brief settling in, the wind for the day, coming from the Northeast, settled between 5 and 10 knots.

Throughout the five races held on Sunday, the reigning Belgian Champions, Ezekiel Desantoine & Laure Joly (BEL3915) looked much more comfortable than the day before, claiming four wins, which gave her a strong lead in the 2025 title race.

Among the leading group, the order of finish changed frequently, with many races being decided in the final meters before the finish line. Further back, the fleet was also closer together than on Saturday, but the rankings saw fewer changes, with final positions becoming clear more quickly.

In the end Ezekiel Desantoine & Laure Joly (BEL 3915) retained their title, having secured five wins over the weekend. They were followed on the podium by Duncan Matthew & John Chalker (GBR 3844) and Richard Hope & Jeremy Arnoco (GBR 4044)

The prize-giving ceremony followed shortly after the return to shore, with competitors being rewarded with beers offered by the event sponsors and polos donated by the Belgian Class Association.

The Equinox Trophy, which annually rewards a deserving competitor, was awarded this year to Nick & Catherine Heath (GBR 3692) in recognition of his many years of participation in our Championship.

Next year, the Championship will take place slightly earlier to avoid overlapping with the European Championship. It will be held at Lac de la Plate Taille (SNEH) on September 26th & 27th, 2026. The venue is easily accessible after the ferry crossing and can serve as a convenient stop on the way to the European Championship.

Overall Results: