Firefly Craftinsure Vines Series at Dell Quay Sailing Club
by Will Pank & Alex Baxter 13 Oct 05:05 PDT
26-27 September 2026
Firefly Craftinsure Vines Series at Dell Quay © John Rogerson
The Dell Quay Firefly Open 2026 was a qualifying round of the 2026 Craftinsure Vines Series, sailed at Dell Quay Sailing Club. Twenty-three Fireflys made the trip to Chichester Harbour, with visiting sailors from a number of clubs joining the home fleet for a weekend that offered a bit of everything: a drifter, some proper close racing, the 80th Anniversary Long Distance Race and a Saturday night that some of us remember better than others.
Saturday: three-race open meeting
Saturday was very much a day of two halves. Race 1 got under way with barely a breath of wind across a millpond harbour, and the fleet spent most of it hunting for whatever scraps of breeze they could find. It was a frustrating, patient opener that rewarded anyone who kept their head out of the boat.
Thankfully, a light breeze filled in for Races 2 and 3 and gradually settled, giving much more consistent racing. Once it steadied, the fleet got into its stride and the racing throughout the pack was tight.
Nobody handled either set of conditions better than Will Pank and Ekin Aksehirli (999), who won all three races, the drifter included. With one discard, that left them on just two points and a clean sweep of the day, hot on the heels of Will's win at the Inlands the weekend before. Local knowledge paid off for Mark and Beatrice Tait in that opening drifter, where they were second, with Jono and Freddie Pank third.
Behind them it could hardly have been closer. Steven Greaves and Isobel Bretherton (1867) and Terry Hacker and Alice Lucy (1) both finished on five points, with Greaves and Bretherton taking second on countback by virtue of beating Hacker and Lucy in the final race. Jono and Freddie Pank (Imperial Poona YC) were fourth on eight points, and the best of the home fleet, Dell Quay's own Mark and Beatrice Tait, were fifth on nine. Rob and Mel Sherrington rounded out the top six. There was good competition right through the fleet, with everyone making the most of the changing conditions and the chance to race against a strong visiting contingent.
Saturday Results: Full Fleet (Greaves/Bretherton take second from Hacker/Lucy on countback, last race)
| Pos | Sail No | Helm | Crew | Club | R1 | R2 | R3 | Pts |
|---|
| 1 | 999 | Will Pank | Ekin Aksehirli | | ‑1 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| 2 | 1867 | Steven Greaves | Isobel Bretherton | | ‑5 | 3 | 2 | 5 |
| 3 | 1 | Terry Hacker | Alice Lucy | | ‑15 | 2 | 3 | 5 |
| 4 | 3098 | Jono Pank | Freddie Pank | Imperial Poona YC | 3 | ‑7 | 5 | 8 |
| 5 | 498 | Mark Tait | Beatrice Tait | Dell Quay SC | 2 | ‑11 | 7 | 9 |
| 6 | 4500 | Rob Sherrington | Mel Sherrington | | 4 | 6 | ‑8 | 10 |
| 7 | 3007 | Nigel Wakefield | Naomi Richards | Netley | 6 | 5 | ‑21 | 11 |
| 8 | 3741 | Steven Greaves | Arthur Greaves | Lymington Town SC | ‑13 | 8 | 4 | 12 |
| 9 | 2937 | Chris Kameen | Charlotte Kameen | Imperial Poona YC | 11 | 4 | ‑14 | 15 |
| 10 | 3840 | Leo Dixon | Lily Dixon | West Kirby SC / Parkstone YC | 10 | ‑12 | 6 | 16 |
| 11 | 3674 | Claire Lasso‑Dyer | Sophia Hillary | Dell Quay SC | 9 | ‑10 | 9 | 18 |
| 12 | 3695 | Angus Cook | Georgia Evans | Castaways | 7 | 14 | (RET) | 21 |
| 13 | 2065 | Jason Aldous | Josephine Mason | Papercourt | 8 | ‑13 | 13 | 21 |
| 14 | 3739 | Rachel Crebbin | [TBC] | CYC | 12 | ‑15 | 12 | 24 |
| 15 | 3125 | Lee Sydenham | Anne Sydenham | HISC | ‑21 | 9 | 16 | 25 |
| 16 | 3630 | Harris Goodman | Chloe Peeth | Hill Head SC | 14 | ‑17 | 11 | 25 |
| 17 | 2018 | Finn Kameen | Paul Kameen | Bosham SC | ‑18 | 16 | 10 | 26 |
| 18 | 18 | Will Parrett | Rory Parrett | Dell Quay SC | 17 | ‑20 | 15 | 32 |
| 19 | 88 | Thomas Wildman | [TBC] | | 16 | ‑18 | 17 | 33 |
| 20 | 3023 | Barney Smith | Daisy Brooks | Hamble River SC | ‑20 | 19 | 18 | 37 |
| 21 | 373 | Hiram Pargeter | Harrison Pargeter | | 19 | ‑21 | 19 | 38 |
| 22 | 3127 | Shaun Pollard | Zara Pollard | Dell Quay SC | ‑22 | 22 | 20 | 42 |
| 23 | 67 | Oliver Rutter | Jon Rutter | Dell Quay SC | 23 | 23 | (RET) | 46 |
Sunday: the 80th Anniversary Long Distance Race
Sunday brought a very different challenge: the Anniversary Firefly Long Distance Race. In place of Saturday's short-course format, a longer course took the fleet around more of Chichester Harbour, testing boat handling, tactics and navigation in equal measure.
Home advantage told. Mark and Beatrice Tait (498) won after a great race, with Will Pank and Ekin Aksehirli second, so no clean sweep for the weekend, and Lee and Anne Sydenham third. Harris Goodman and Chloe Peeth were fourth, and local favourite Will Parrett, crewed by Rory and Otto Parrett, took fifth. Thomas Wildman finished sixth, followed by Harvey and Sophia Hillary in seventh.
Seventh doesn't tell the whole story for the Hillarys. After an excellent race, Harvey came unstuck on the final downwind leg, tipping it in backwards and somehow ending up with a buoy wedged between the jib and the mast. Full marks for recovering to finish.
There was also some navigational drama for Barney Smith and Daisy Brooks. Having decided that local knowledge and the advice of a former National Champion were more trustworthy than Daisy, who actually knew the course, Barney went the wrong way round the marks. It was a memorable tactical call, if nothing else, and it kept the rest of the fleet thoroughly entertained, though sadly it ended in a DNF. Chris and Hope Fry also retired.
Sunday Long Distance Race: Results
| Pos | Sail No | Helm | Crew |
|---|
| 1 | 498 | Mark Tait | Beatrice Tait |
| 2 | 999 | Will Pank | Ekin Aksehirli |
| 3 | 3125 | Lee Sydenham | Anne Sydenham |
| 4 | 3630 | Harris Goodman | Chloe Peeth |
| 5 | 18 | Will Parrett | Rory / Otto Parrett |
| 6 | 88 | Thomas Wildman | |
| 7 | | Harvey Hillary | Sophia Hillary |
| DNF | 3023 | Barney Smith | Daisy Brooks |
| DNF | | Chris Fry | Hope Fry |
Off the water
It wouldn't be a proper Firefly Open without some fun ashore. Saturday night's curry went down well with the whole fleet, and the party carried on in the clubhouse with beer pong, among other things.
A massive thank you to Will Parrett for hosting Team Norfolk, who had a wonderful time camping in his garden. Between the hot tub, the fire pit and the hospitality, we were looked after in style. There may have been one or two (or perhaps a few too many) drinks around the fire pit, although exactly how many is a little hazy. Will's generosity made the weekend extra special, and it's moments like these that make travelling to open meetings about much more than just the racing.
Thank you
Despite the lack of wind in Saturday's opener, the breeze eventually played ball, and Sunday's long distance race was a fitting way to mark the class's 80th year. A big thank you to the Dell Quay race team, safety crews and volunteers who made the event happen, and to all the competitors who travelled to take part.
Congratulations to Will Pank and Ekin Aksehirli on the overall win, to Mark and Beatrice Tait on their Long Distance Race victory, and a particularly big thank you to Will Parrett for making Team Norfolk feel so at home. We look forward to coming back to Dell Quay soon.
Craftinsure Vines Series standings
After Dell Quay, Jono Pank leads the Vines Series helms on 8 points from his best five results. Jenny Smallwood is second on 27 and Jason Aldous third on 37. Will Pank is sixth: his card is full of wins but only has four results on it, so one more counting event would send him flying up the table.
| Pos | Helm | Best five |
|---|
| 1 | Jono Pank | 8 |
| 2 | Jenny Smallwood | 27 |
| 3 | Jason Aldous | 37 |
| 4 | Alex Baxter | 40 |
| 5 | Nigel Wakefield | 42 |
| 6 | William Pank | 55 |
| 7 | Guy Davison | 58 |
| 8 | Barney Smith | 62 |
| 9 | Lucy Boreham | 69 |
| 10 | Alex Davey | 71 |
In the Top Stick crew competition, Freddie Pank leads on 15. Behind him it's tight: Philip Aldhous has 27, Isobel Bretherton 29 and Georgia Evans 31.
| Pos | Crew | Best five |
|---|
| 1 | Freddie Pank | 15 |
| 2 | Philip Aldhous | 27 |
| 3 | Isobel Bretherton | 29 |
| 4 | Georgia Evans | 31 |
| 5 | Josephine Mason | 41 |
| 6 | Rachel Crebbin | 51 |
| 7 | Rosie Davey | 68 |
| 8 | Naomi Richards | 96 |
| 9 | Chloe Harding | 103 |
| 10 | Stella Davey | 110 |
Standings count best five results; events not sailed score 50.
Next up
The Craftinsure Vines Series moves inland to Spinnaker Club on Saturday 17 October. With only three rounds left (West Oxfordshire, Spinnaker on 1 November and the finale at Bough Beech on 14 November), every result counts from here, so get your entry in and come and join the swarm.
Raffle update
The Anniversary draw for a new Ovington Firefly, F4444 (Ovington Boats hull, Selden spars, Hyde sails and covers, Sailboat Trailers trolley) continues through the season: one ticket per helm, one per crew at every qualifying open meeting, and only three events left to collect them.
Opt in by 14 November 2026, or your tickets won't count.
The prize draw will be held at the 80th Anniversary Dinner at the Royal Thames Yacht Club on Saturday 21 November 2026.
The 2026 Craftinsure Vines Series is proudly supported by Craftinsure, craftinsure.com. The National Firefly Class Association's named sponsor is Tideway Wealth. All results and entry information: www.fireflyclass.co.uk