Zenith Open at Burton Sailing Club
by Peter Slater 16 Mar 10:26 PDT
14-15 March 2026
The first Zenith Open Meeting of 2026 got the season off to an excellent start at Burton Sailing Club, with five races completed from a planned six in a weekend that delivered everything from champagne sailing to survival conditions.
Stephen Blake of Carsington Sailing Club dominated proceedings, winning all five races sailed to take a convincing overall victory.
Saturday provided near-perfect racing conditions. After a welcoming brunch from Burton SC's galley team, nine Zeniths and one Zen launched into sunshine and a steady 14mph breeze. Four races were sailed on a varied programme of courses, including a challenging seven-buoy configuration alongside a traditional windward-leeward course. The variety produced close racing and plenty of passing opportunities around the course.
Sunday was a very different test. Gusts exceeding 30mph kept some sailors ashore, but seven helms headed out to take on the conditions. The Zenith's weighted centreboard and 11m² sail plan showed their capability in the breeze, with helms ranging from around 75kg to 95kg managing the gusty conditions well. After a demanding fifth race, the sixth and final race was abandoned as the wind continued to build.
Behind Blake, the remaining podium places were closely contested. Michael Alexander secured second overall thanks to a strong Saturday performance despite being unable to race on Sunday, while Simon Johnson completed the podium places on his return to sailing after a 20-year break.
Mathew Pritchard also impressed on his first outing in the Zenith fleet, showing strong pace, particularly in the heavier breeze.
Adrian Tattersall made the long journey from Fishguard to compete and was awarded the Endeavour prize, while Christine Fowler sailed the Zen on Saturday before assisting with launching and recovery on the windy Sunday.
Carsington Sailing Club sailors enjoyed a particularly strong showing overall, placing two Zeniths in the top three - proof that their Wednesday afternoon racing programme is paying dividends.
Thanks go to Burton Sailing Club for excellent race management and hospitality, Chris Swallow for hosting the event, and Hartley Boats for their generous prizes.
Overall Results:
| Pos | Sail No | Helm | Club | R1 | R2 | R3 | R4 | R5 | Pts |
|---|
| 1st | 130 | Stephen Blake | Carsington Sailing Club | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 |
| 2nd | 154 | Michael Alexander | Rutland SC | 2 | 2 | 3 | 4 | | 11 |
| 3rd | 118 | Simon Johnson | Carsington Sailing Club | 4 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 14 |
| 4th | 134 | Chris Swallow | Burton SC | 6 | 3 | 2 | 5 | DNF | 16 |
| 5th | 119 | Eric Green | Ogston SC | 7 | 6 | 6 | 2 | 4 | 18 |
| 6th | 100 | Matt Pritchard | Burton SC | 3 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 2 | 20 |
| 7th | 101 | Paddy Lewis | Datchet Water SC | 5 | 4 | 7 | 6 | | 22 |
| 8th | 149 | Adrian Tattersall | FBYC | 8 | 8 | 5 | 7 | 5 | 25 |
| 9th | 132 | Ian Firth | Notts County | 9 | 9 | 9.5 | 8 | | 35.5 |
| 10th | 100 | Chris Fowler | Ogston SC | 10 | 10 | 9.5 | 10 | | 39.5 |