News
Junior Fortnight 2018
Thoughts turning to JF2018? You can see which duties you've been allocated by clicking here.
Posted 19th July 2018
Itchenor takes second place in Commodore's Invitational Regatta at RYS
Following Itchenor’s invite from the Royal Yacht Squadron, Andy Fitzgerald volunteered to find a crew, not knowing what he had let himself in for. The inaugural regatta was 4 crew fleet racing with the Royal Yacht Squadron’s own fleet of J70s. The crew competing for Itchenor comprised Andy FitzGerald, Jonathan Pudney, James Hartley and Fred Hayes.
It was a six-race regatta with one discard over the two days characterised by light winds. Race one was all about learning, having learnt that they were set up wrong, the squad took a slow walk to the back of the fleet with a seventh. However, things picked up in race two with a good second, and both races showed the importance of a good start as the boat that won the start won both races.
The race team then called a passage race back to the club as a new westerly wind arrived circa 15 knots. A strong east going tide saw a strung out start, but despite a shabby start by the first mark Itchenor were up to second and hunting the leader down. Much tacking later, a full beaching on the sandbank and back to first again, they succumbed to going around the last mark the wrong way around, forcing them to double back to take second.
The following day there was a light easterly breeze that was filling. Sharpened by yesterday’s experience Andy’s crew won the start and won the first race. It was now a proper contest between Itchenor, Aldebrough Yacht Club and Royal Torbay Yacht Club who had won the first two days’ races.
With a safe start, race two resulted in a second to the Squadron commodore. Race three started with a contested Port end with the Navy. Itchenor were ahead again at the first mark but by now the breeze was failing and sailing away from the others didn’t happen as the tide set strongly against the windward leg. The race restarted at the leeward mark and the wind played games as the crew played the right hand side, losing three boats to finish fourth. Itchenor was now one point behind RTYC.
The last race was started in a new southerly breeze and despite a safe middle of the line start ISC were called over, dipping the line they went left in almost drifting conditions with big wind changes. Having been directed to the easterly zephyer, they picked up the wind first to round first. Shorten course was sounded and a spinnaker reach to the finish, ISC won the race and regatta or so they thought, but alas the boat behind came up on a new wind to overtake the crew, two boats short of the line and as they did, so the race team abandoned the race, resulting in a second overall to RTYC
Huge thanks to the Squadron for a fun regatta. The J70 was great fun, easy to sail and light on the tiller; the boats seemed well matched with nice sails.
Results:
1. Royal Torbay YC
2. Itchenor SC
3. Aldeburgh YC
Posted 17th July 2018
Rowing
Friday evening took us to Pilsey Island to inspect the obstuctions at low water and the oysters. Please join in - we now have two boats and need more coxes and crews! Contact the office for details.
Posted 17th July 2018
Itchenor RS200 Open Meeting marks winners’ fourth title in National Tour
In a weekend where consistency was key, Matt Mee and Emma Norris took the fourth event of the RS200 Rooster National Tour at Itchenor Sailing Club counting one win, three seconds and two thirds.
Four races were scheduled each day but two discards, and a tricky light sea breeze meant it was going to be tough to put together a series – demonstrated by there being seven different race winners across the event.
Please click here to download the full report
RYA Dinghy Level 2 Course – Sat 21/Sun 22 July
This two day course covers the foundations of sailing; rigging, launching, sailing in all directions, capsize recovery and essential safety knowledge. By the end of the course successful participants will be able to sail and make decisions in good conditions. This course will be in one of the Club’s new 2000 dinghies with an RYA qualified instructor. Price £235 per person (non-members £275) includes RYA Logbook and Certificate. Timings 0930 – 1600 hrs. Successful completion of this course allows you to take out a club 2000 dinghy unaccompanied.
RYA Basic First aid - one day course - Sunday 22 July
Our one-day course covers all the usual first aid subjects, but from a boating perspective. It is aimed at anyone who goes afloat, whether on inland waters, rivers, estuaries or on cross channel passages. This is the recommended course for those looking to gain their RYA Dinghy or Powerboat Instructor Qualification. Cost £70 including book and certificate.
To book places call the Office on 01243 512400 or email via this link
National Swallow National Championships 2018
The cream rises to the top
The 70th anniversary event of the Swallow’s debut at the 1948 Olympics in Torbay was hosted by Itchenor SC and sailed in Hayling Bay over two days in glorious if somewhat light conditions and attracted a top quality fleet of 17 boats.
This was a long-awaited battle between a number of elite boats and sailors and did not disappoint – even if tidal conditions and significant wind shifts occasionally challenged the fleet. First win after a delayed start on Saturday went to the family-crewed Skua and in emphatic style from Gwaihir (the 2017 Champion). However in the second race the order was reversed with Carolyn Brigg in Marengo (the 2016 Champion) filling third place twice over in Marengo. A bold start for the final race of the first day and some canny upwind tactics brought Swift (Jon Perry) to the front with Gwaihir and Skua recovering well from indifferent starts to occupy the other podium positions.
At the end of the first day’s racing Gwaihir topped the leaderboard by a single point from Skua and the fleet celebrated this auspicious anniversary with an excellent open air Championship Dinner at Itchenor Sailing Club.
Racing was again delayed on Day 2 for the sea breeze to settle but when it did the race produced another winner with Solitude (Anthony Lunch) showing good speed and control of the fleet to notch up a win with Marengo and Osprey (James Hartley) following. In the final and breezier race of the 5 race series Gwaihir managed to cross the fleet on port and was away. Skua still the closest challenger did an excellent recovery job to climb to second but it was not quite enough. Marengo finished third once more.
The event benefitted from excellent race management by Itchenor SC members and by Richard Fleck the Race Officer and great catering by the Club team.
Note:The mainsail in the background on the bandstand is Stewart Morris and David Bond's actual gold-medal cotton winning sail from Swift in the 1948 Olympics.
Points Week at ISC - Review 2018
Please click here to read the Points Week 2018 review
Nice image galleries courtesy of Kirsty Vind.
Swallows
Sunbeam
XOD
Prize giving
and some images courtesy Sula Riedlinger.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/sula23/albums/72157670213666878
https://www.flickr.com/photos/sula23/albums/72157670255153298
https://www.flickr.com/photos/sula23/albums/72157696428681111
Bembridge Sailing Club Itchenor weekend June 2018
This year, four Redwings and five One-Designs signed up to head over to Chichester for the weekend hosted by Itchenor SC. There would have probably been more but unfortunately it clashed with an inter-BSC member wedding in Bembridge.
The passage race on Saturday morning followed the traditional course to Chichester via the Winner and West Pole. As in previous years, the location of the former (40º from St Helens Channel buoy!) tested both fleets and with the light NE'erly initially meaning it was a beat, the fleets soon split up and decided on varying routes. Most tacked onto port soon after the start at Garland and headed towards the Lifeboat Station to try to reduce the tidal effect; Rob Mathieson in No 1 BOD got it pretty spot on and reached Winner a country mile ahead of the other four One-Designs and indeed even rounded ahead of one of the Redwings.
Please click here to read the rest of this story on Yachts & Yachting
Calling anyone who has competed in Junior Fortnight over the past 50 years, and all Past and Present Junior Fortnight Parents.
Come and celebrate 50 years of Junior Fortnight –
Posted 9th April 2018
Junior Fortnight 2018
Entry forms and Notice of Race and Sailing Instructions now online. Click here
Posted 8th April 2018
Junior Training Weeks entry now live.
Spring Mailing 2018
Posted 12th March 2018
Please click here to download the Spring 2018 mailing
Ready to Race Day
A great Ready to Race day held at the club on Sunday. Talks for all interests, capped off with an inspirational keynote speech from the RYAs director of racing Ian Walker. Photo. Ian Walker with Ready to Race organiser Rob Struckett.
Data Privacy
Posted 1st March 2018
ALL MEMBERS – IMPORTANT, PLEASE READ AND ACTION
The laws on data privacy change this year. On 25 May, the new General Data Protection Regulations (“GDPR”) come into effect, replacing the Data Protection Act 1998. GDPR tightens how any business collects, stores and uses personal data. This link takes you to details of the uses to which the Club puts your personal data and to a consent form to cover the continued use of data for certain purposes which needs to be completed by all Members aged 16 and over, and by a parent/guardian of members aged under 16 years..
Congratulations to Will and Mary Henderson and Alice and Richard Bullock for winning their respective Snowflake series.
Posted 5th March 2018
Click here to read the round-up.
Congratulations to our Magic Marine RS200 National Circuit Winners Maria Stanley and Rob Henderson from Itchenor SC.
A record breaking 507 sailors from across the UK took part in the Magic Marine RS200 National Circuit 2017.
Maria Stanley and Rob Henderson sailed a perfect series, counting 1,1,1 from wins at Exe, Itchenor and Rutland to leave them just one point ahead of rivals Matt Mee and Emma Norris from Red Wharf Bay, counting 1,1,2. Placed third were Tom Ballantine and Hannah Peters/Maddy Anderson, with Joe Adams and Emma Lucas in fourth and Jack Holden/Amy Yeoman/Alex Warren in fifth.
Cadets do winter training at ISC.
Posted 11th December 2017
Nice little article and pictures from a wintry ISC. Great to see you Cadets! Click here to read the article.
Green Form 2017/2018
Posted 7th December 2017
Last year we started collecting data on Members boating activities and interests, and recorded those details against each Member’s name in the Members Handbook. We also expanded the Cruising Boats list to include RIBs, small motor boats and cruising dinghies. These proved popular, so we are repeating the exercise again this winter to give members who didn’t complete the form last year an opportunity to provide their boating activities and boat details. Additionally, if your activities or boating details have changed from last year, please let us know. This link takes you to a simple questionnaire which will only require a couple of minutes of your time to fill in for each member. This should help us know our members much better and, because the responses will be reflected in the handbook it should help members with similar interests to identify each other. Link to form.
John Merricks Sailing Trust (JMST) celebrates 20th anniversary
Picture shows Sir Ben Ainslie flanked by Milly Bullock and Katie Nurton.
You can read the whole article here.
SAVE THE DATE.......
Mirror Nationals 2018, 25-27 July, Ullswater Yacht Club
The dates for the 2018 Mirror Nationals have now been confirmed and they will be held at Ullswater Yacht Club in the beautiful Lake District the week before JF. If you have never been to a Nationals but would like to come and give it a go this would be the perfect opportunity, in a relatively sheltered location and is the ideal warm up for JF. Last year's Mirrors 1 and 2 winners both attended the Nationals the week before!
We had a team of 7 boats from ISC last year and it would be great if we could get similar or better numbers this year, especially as we have the largest Mirror fleet at ISC. The Bullocks will be taking 2 or 3 boats again this year, anyone else want to come and join us? It's a great introduction to sailing outside of Itchenor, different venue and conditions and a chance to meet other sailors from around the country.
If you are interested and would like to know more please contact Milly Bullock, Mirror Class Captain.
Close racing and perfect conditions for the Itchenor International 420 Open
Fresh from training in Weymouth and Rutland, the International 420 class travelled to Itchenor Sailing Club in West Sussex for a coached open meeting on 28-29 October. The sailors were greeted with unseasonably warm weather, an empty Chichester Harbour and perfect 420 winds of between ten and twenty knots.
Although there was extremely close racing throughout the weekend, results on day one were dominated by Vita Heathcoate and Milly Boyle with four bullets out of five races, showing exceptional speed and boat-handling on multiple, tight race courses. Others threatened, but Eleanor Keers and Aaron Chadwick were the only team to break the perfect streak and, with slightly more breeze on Sunday morning, opened with two wins to briefly challenge for the overall event, before Vita and Milly got back on top form to win the last three races and ultimately the Open meeting. Eleanor and Aaron came in second place followed by Adele Young and Dan Burns in third place.
Itchenor Sailing Club has reciprocity arrangements with the following clubs:
Cercle Nautique Honfleur
Royal Channel Islands Yacht Club
Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club
Royal Perth Yacht Club
Seawanhaka Corinthian Yacht Club
Further details are available from the Office.
US Team Racing Championships
Posted 21st October 2017
Itchenor Sailing Club team, the Birdham Bandits, has been invited to compete in the US Championships for the Hinman Trophy, following their success in the UK Championships earlier this year.
The US Championships runs from October 20th through to the 22nd and are being held at the Seawanhaka Corinthian Yacht Club, Oyster Bay, on Long Island New York.
Here is a report on Day one from George Yeoman:
We have managed to get 8 races on the first day of the Hinman Trophy. We had 8-14 knots to start with and tide running across the course which was set in the river just off the club, very similar to Itchenor. The has had brand new modified 420s made for the event so a lot of the day has been spent learning how to sail these new boats.
We started well and managed to win 2 of our first 3 races. The racing is unbelievably tight with many of the teams only winning the races on the finish line, as the American say "the talent is deep" (i.e. Goes a long way down the fleet) making no race a sure thing.
As the day wore on the breeze started to decrease and rule 42 (illegal propulsion) became more prominent. We were unfortunately on the wrong side of a few of these calls and ended up losing a couple of races on the bounce due to having penalty turns from the umpires. This started a bit of a trend and as the breeze died we found ourselves struggling with our boat handling. We finished the day having won 2 and lost 6.
We will need to sail our best to win our remaining races to have a chance of qualifying for Gold fleet before finals, but the forecast is showing that very little sailing may occur. Even so we are enjoying the incredibly strong competition, every race has gone down to the wire and we will dust ourselves off and go again (should the breeze allow us).
You can follow the racing on Facebook live and the results. Click here
Days 2 & 3 of the US Team Racing Nationals (Hinman Trophy) were scuppered with very light winds leading to long postponements and each team only sailing 2 races each day.
We were unable to regain our rhythm following the tough first day and the lack of Sailing wasn’t allowing us the time in the boats that we needed to get ourselves up to pace. This lead to some close but disappointing losses at the hands of some very well drilled American teams.
Overall we have had a disappointing weekend of racing but the hosts, Seawanhaka Corinthian Yacht Club, and all the other competitors were utterly brilliant at looking after us. We have had a really enjoyable event with lots learnt leading in to the winter team racing season with the aim of retaining our UK National Title for the 3 year running and back to back Wilsons Trophies. We have to thank the club for your support and we look forward to doing you all proud this winter.
Mends Cup Awarded to Ben Saxton and John Tremlett
Posted 18th October 2017
Itchenor Sailing Club is pleased to announce that the prestigious Mends Cup for the most notable sailing performance of the 2017 season will be jointly awarded to Ben Saxton and John Tremlett.
Ben Saxton with his crew Katie Dabson claimed gold at the first ever foiling Nacra 17 World Championship at La Grande Motte, France in September.
John Tremlett with his crew on Lass won the XOD Captain's Cup in Cowes Week for the fifth consecutive time, unprecedented in the 87 year history of the trophy.
Many congratulations to Ben and John for their superb achievements.
ISC win British Keelboat League Finals in Cowes.
The team was Ben Saxton, Andy Shaw, George Yeoman and AJ Dawson. We had qualified from the regional qualifier with Ben and AJ won sailing with Tim Saxton and Arthur Henderson.
Rebirth of the 470 Nationals at Castle Cove Sailing Club
Posted 12th September 2017
It’s been some years since the 470s have had a National Championship competition. 12 years in fact. Yet, in that time, Great Britain have won four Olympic medals in the class.
As chairman of the class, Neil Marsden had a vision to redress this and revive the National Championships for the 470s. So, in December last year, Neil developed and executed a plan to find a great venue, a sponsor and persuade all 470s owners to bring them out of retirement and match their boats with youth sailors coming to the end of their youth sailing careers.
The result was an amazing weekend of sailing with seventeen 470s competing in 20 to 25 knots of breeze at Castle Cove Sailing Club in Weymouth. A total of five races were run over two days with Tokyo Olympic hopefuls competing with old 470 masters and youth sailors from the 420 and 29er class. Followed by two great socials hosted by Castle Cove Sailing Club and sponsored by JDX Consulting. From ISC Izzy and Katie Davies as well as Gemma Keers all sailed.
Although it boasts many household names, the 470 Nationals Cup must be the ugliest cup on the circuit! To balance against the ugliest cup of our UK classes, the competition prizes included signed tee-shirts from the stars of Love Island.
The Women's Champions were Amy Seabright and Anna Carpenter and the Amateur Champions were Arran Holman and Marcus Tressler. The overall winners were Jonny McGovern and Christian Birrell who rolled back the years to show the youngsters how to race.
But the overall winner was the 470 class itself which showed that with a vision and some determination, a class can be revived and open the possibility that the 470 is an exciting challenge and more than just an Olympic pathway boat.
Jonathan Davies
Congratulations to Ben Saxton and Katie Dabson on winning the Nacra 17 Worlds
Updated 11th September 2017
From the closest and most exciting finish to a world championship Medal Race in the Olympic history of the multihull class, Great Britain’s Ben Saxton and Katie Dabson pipped Spanish rivals Fernando Echavarri and Tara Pacheco, foiling at full speed across the finish line to win the 2017 Nacra 17 World Championship title on the French waters of the Baie d’Aigues Mortes by La Grande Motte.
Down the final run the Spanish veteran Echavarri, 2008 Olympic gold medallist in the Tornado catamaran class, sailing with Tara Pachecho, lead the British duo into the finish of the double points Medal Race but was lifted by the breeze and lost out to the flying, fully foiling Brits who judged to perfection their layline to the finish.
“In all my years that is the closest finish I have been involved in. It was decided in the last 20 seconds.” Smiled Echavarri ruefully, “But to be honest if it is not us who won I am happy to see Ben and Katie win, they have worked hard and deserve it.”
“When we were coming towards the top of the second beat I said to Katie ‘world champions, all we have to do is pass that boat. So we were gunning it down pretty hard, we really went for it.” Reported helm Saxton who has been in the Nacra 17 since 2013 and was runner up for the World Championship title in 2013 in The Hague.
Click here to read full article
RS200 Nationals at Tenby
Updated 3rd September 2017
Maria Stanley and Rob Henderson 3rd o/a and first Lady helm - and ISC top Club. Report from Y&Y here
International 14 POW from Rock
Update 3rd September 2017
Katie Nurton and Nigel Ash add more silverware and finish 2nd o/a
Please click here to see the Y&Y report and results of this event
Club Regatta - Sunday 27th August 2017
Posted 29th August 2017
The Club’s annual regatta took place last Sunday afternoon in glorious sunny weather and a (just!) sailable sea breeze. There was a great turnout and everyone enjoyed the brass band in the bandstand and wonderful regatta tea afterwards. Please click here for the results.
ISC success in Mirror Worlds
Posted 23rd August 2017
Itchenor achieved success in the Mirror World Championships at Restronguet earlier this month with Imogen Bellfield pairing up with Scarlett Shepherd from Restronguet, crowned World Ladies and Youth Champions and 5th Overall.
International 420 Scottish Open and National Championships.
Posted 23rd August 2017
Three Itchenor boats traveled up to the UK Nationals in Helensburgh, Scotland. 18 races over 5 days in perfect 420 conditions of 12-25 knots made for challenging racing, with Bertie Fisher and Ollie Hawkins finishing 5th overall and Sally Lorimer and Pippa Jones 3rd all girl boat.
2017 Mirror Nationals, Restronguet, Cornwall
Posted 31st July 2017
Victorious Itchenor team at the Mirror Nationals
The victorious team from Itchenor have just returned from a fantastic week’s sailing at the 2017 Mirror Nationals in Restronguet, Cornwall. 50 boats had entered and there was an international flavour to the Nationals this year with Australian and South African teams competing, over here for the Mirror Worlds that start next week, and it was good to be able to race against not only people from other British clubs but those from abroad as well. The race team laid on 10 races over 3 days with a mixture of windward/leeward and triangle courses. We had a lot of wind and waves to surf on with some exhilarating spinnaker reaches to the finish and as you can see from the photo everyone has come home smiling! It was a really fun weeks holiday and we’ve all come back looking forward to next year’s Nationals, maybe some more of the Itchenor fleet would like to come and join us?
On to the results, congratulations go to Richard and George Bullock who sailed a very consistent regatta to finish 3rd overall. Maddie Hantrais and Emilia House were 10th overall and 1st under 19, Tom Ewart-Smith and Monty Heath were just behind them in 11th. Milly Bullock with a mixture of Zara Bullock and Clare Hantrais (who said Mirrors were just for kids!) came 16th. Alice Bullock and Laura Hantrais came 31st and won the trophy for Endeavour and Charlie and Edward House came 42nd and got a special prize for politeness to the race officer. Itchenor once again had the best team and we have brought home the Fleet Shield for the 8th time.
The Mirror Worlds are starting on Monday 31 July and Philip and Felix Goodwin are flying the flag for Itchenor, best of luck to them.
Charles Stanley Direct Cowes Classics Week final day
Posted 21st July 2017
Winner of the 10th Charles Stanley Direct Cowes Classics Week put his success down to a bit of practice and a tightly competitive fleet which keeps him on his toes year round. Mike Wigmore and his crew who brought his Swallow Gwaihir across the Solent from Itchenor, explained “It’s great coming to the Classics. We love the combination of windward leeward sailing and round the cans courses. I can truly say we’ve never had a better regatta.”
Magnus Wheatley of Charles Stanley Direct presents the Charles Stanley 1792 Cup to overall winners, Swallow sailor Mike Wignore and crew of Gwaihir. © Rick Tomlinson
Mike made his comments despite Charles Stanley Direct Cowes Classics Week (CSDCCW) wrapping up today (Friday) with three days of racing out of a potential five when a second day of racing had to be cancelled due to wind in the Solent pushing toward 30 knots.
A History of Itchenor Sailing Cliub
Posted 16th December 2016
We thought you might enjoy this wonderful record of the history of our Club from its formation in 1927 until 1981, written by Tony Wright (who was Admiral of the Club from 1970-1985). The foreword written by Robin Wilson (Commodore 1977-1981, and who kindly gave us this copy) sets the scene nicely.
