Osprey Scottish and Northern Championship 2026 at Coniston Sailing Club

Robert Shaw and Ian Little win the Osprey Scottish and Northern Championship during the Coniston Regatta © Diana Marshall-Kay

This Osprey event took place as part of the annual Coniston Regatta sponsored by Toplex and a host of other generous local firms. 80 dinghies took to the water and the Ospreys contributed 10% of the entries. The event overall was a resounding success with Coniston SC pulling out all the stops to provide a most enjoyable weekend both on and off the water. Next year is the club's 60th anniversary so if you missed this year make a note in your diary for 2027.

Those of us who live in the Lakes and sail on Coniston know all about rain and fickle winds but this year the sun came out and the wind blew straight down the lake from the south bringing warmth and giving, for Coniston, relatively steady conditions. There were however sufficient nuances to the wind, varying over the weekend from force 2 to 4, to be exploited and also test the concentration of participants.

Apart from the five regular crews the fleet welcomed two newcomers. 'Desperado' for the first time and 'Public Enemy' returning after a 25 year absence. One of the entrants, Paddy Lewis and Mike Priddle, failed to materialise and it transpired that Paddy's car had broken down scuppering their arrival. Speculation was rife as to what had gone wrong. Had the cocktail bar in the the Bentley gone wrong? Had the Chauffeur gone on the sick? We might never know but suffice it to say they didn't arrive and missed 6 races in sparkling conditions and, ashore the Hog Roast, an all time favourite with Paddy!

On the water a certain pattern emerged which remained active throughout the event. Out in front Alex and Nick Willis in 1291 and Rob Shaw and Ian Little in 1349 battled each other for first place and entered the final race all square. In the end after a little bit of match racing 1349 emerged triumphant and claimed the championship forcing 1291 into second place after what must have been the most closely contested Scottish and Northern's for many years.

Behind these two Alec Mamwell and Arthur Butler in 1350 sailed a really consistent series accumulating a perfect set of thirds. It might, from the results, seem as though they had an extremely boring time but the reality was somewhat different. They were usually close enough to the leaders to keep them on their toes. Unfortunately, this time, all their attempts to 'sneak up' came to nought and on the other hand they had to fight off the attentions of Ros and David Downs in 1114 who were not only trying to break 1350's grip on third place but also discover if their Osprey could go round in circles. Despite their assertion that it could there was no direct evidence that this was the case.

Behind these boats Willie Crichton and John Batt in 1341, Andy Reed and Steve Watson in 1183 and Desperado in 1252 were involved in a battle for survival. 1252 succumbed early in the event. 1183's efforts petered out but gave signs that, as Andy's health continues to improve, their results should get significantly better. That left 1341 to complete all the races and receive the High and Dry trophy for endurance. In the last race, however, the Dry bit did not apply as Willie, so pleased with his best start of the weekend, tacked and fell out!

The Osprey Association would like to thank Coniston Sailing Club for hosting this years Championship and, once again, making the Ospreys very welcome at their excellent club where the race management, catering and overall organisation have obviously been upgraded in recent times. This weekend was an outstanding success and I know that some of us will be back to join you for your celebrations in 2027.

Results:

1st 1349 Robert Shaw and Ian Little
2nd 1291 Alex and Nick Willis
3rd 1350 Alec Mamwell and Arthur Butler