The Medway Dinghy Regatta, hosted and organised by Wilsonian Sailing Club on behalf of the Medway Yachting Association was held over the weekend 14-15 July. There was an excellent entry of 88 boats, with 39 visitors representing 15 sailing clubs including a contingent of 10 from Broxbourne SC and a fleet of Laser Stratos from Ahoy Sailing Centre. The event was sponsored by MTS Cleaning Services and Laser UK and incorporated the Pacer Nationals, and open meetings for the 3000 and the Laser Vortex.

Four races were scheduled, two on each day, with three to count and with a Barbeque /Disco on Saturday evening.

A blustery south-westerly gusting to 20 knots gave demanding conditions for the opening race and with wind against the flood tide the lumpy sea added to the challenge. The wind eased after lunch to provide some respite to those who had survived. In contrast the wind backed to a light fluky easterly overnight making the beat against the tide a tedious process and many boats failed to finish within the two-hour time limit. However, an unexpected Force 3-4 sprung up for the final race and this gave the best conditions of the weekend, so everyone who had stayed could go home rejuvenated.

The International Canoe aces Mark Goodchild and Simon Allen dominated the fast handicap, though Ian Foxwell/Hannah Packman (29ER) tried to spoil their campaign. Goodchild eventually came out on top with four pole positions, he won the first race by just one second over Allen, he led the fleet in races 2 and 3 for comfortable victories, was challenged by Andrew Pickrell/Jonathan White (RS 800) in the final race before registering another win, while Allen added a fifth to a couple of seconds for overall runners-up spot. Foxwell/Packman had a 2nd, 3rd and 5th to count to secure third on aggregate and
a 2nd for Pickrell/White in the last race promoted them to 4th overall.

In the Laser vortex fleet, Phil Harris mastered the conditions well to win the first race with ease, finishing 6 minutes ahead of second placed Neil Spinks, but a dip in race 2 allowed Mike Gower to win with Spink second and Ben Rayner third. Family commitments prevented Harris from sailing on Sunday. None finished in the third race but Spink sealed victory with a win in the final race, with Gower second and Rayner third.

There was confusion over the postponement of the medium handicap fleet in race 1 and 14 boats started prematurely. However, Neil Lamprell (Phantom), David Vettergreen/Janice (Laser 2000), Jo Wicken (Laser Radial) and Jayne Lambert/Paul Thorpe (Laser 2000) started correctly and finished in this order. Lamprell won in the afternoon with Vettergreen/Smith second again. All the fleet ran out of time in race 3, so with three races to count the four were ensured of securing the top four places. In the final race Lamprell was beaten by Vettergreen/Smith for first and second prizes respectively, Lambert/Thorpe with a 9th and 7th were third and Wicken with a 8th and 14th was fourth. Roy Winnett/Geoff Lambert (Laser 2000) were able to count a 4th and 3rd so could claim the fifth prize.

Tony Hunt/David Bourne won all three races for victory in the 3000 class event, with David Fenech/Alison Williams securing runners-up spot with a couple of seconds and a third.

Richard Stone/Catherine Gore, after many years, failed to keep possession of the Wayfarer Matkin Trophy. They were unable to sail the first race due to other commitments and needed results in the other three races, but the fleet was unable to finish within the time limit on Sunday morning, so was left with just a 1st and 2nd to count. However, Roger Gibbs/Matthew Claridge with two seconds and a third under their belts came up trumps to lift the Matkin Trophy.

It was all-square between Brian Lamb/John Player and John Goudie/Susan Raiser going into the last race with a 1st and 4th apiece, but Lamb/Player held for third to claim second prize while a fourth secured Goudie/Raiser the third prize.

David /Sandra Wilson (Graduate) again failed to lift the slow handicap Medway Regatta Trophy and were upstaged by Ceilldh Higgs/Alex Benfield in their Mirror and had to settle for second spot with Bob Redrup/Martin Wayland (RS Feva) third.

As six Toppers had entered they were able to have their own fleet, which Jo Wicken won with ease, winning the three races. Daniel Redrupp came second with Leigh Rees-Reynolds third.

It was a similar story with the four Pacers and four Miracles the victors winning all four races. Colin/Maureen Lown consistently got their tactics right to win the Miracle event, with David/Jackie Hudson second. While Mike Warwicket/Kate Fitzsimmons won the Pacer event with Bill/Laura Banks runner-up.

Overall Results
Fast Handicap1st Int. Canoe 265 Mark Goodchild (Wilsonian YC) 3pts 2nd Int. Canoe 278 Simon Allen (Hayling Island SC) 9pts 3rd 29ER 060 Ian Foxwell/Hanna Packman (Wilsonian SC) 10pts
4th RS 800 11 Andrew Pickrell/Jonathan White (Wilsonian SC) 11 pts 5th RS 400 1283 Chris Ashby/Mike Smith (Wilsonian SC) 18pts

Medium Handicap1st Phantom 1073 Neil Lamprell (Wilsonian SC) 4pts 2nd Laser 2000 2634 David Vettergreen/Janice Smith (Wilsonian SC) 5pts 3rd Laser 2000 21314 Jayne Lambert/Paul Thorpe (Wilsonian SC) 20pts 4th Laser Radial 133369 Jo Wicken (Wilsonian SC) 25pts
5th Laser 2000 21792 Roy Winnett/Geoff Lambert (Wilsonian SC) 26pts

Slow Handicap1st Mirror 70335 Cellidh Higgs/Alex Benfield (Herne Bay SC) 4pts 2nd Graduate 2974 David/Sandra Wilson (Broadwater SC) 5pts 3rd RS Feva 2424 Bob Redrup/Martin Wayland (Broxbourne SC) 7pts

Wayfarers1st 1759 Roger Gibbs/Matthew Claridge (Medway YC) 7pts 2nd 10201Brian Lamb/John Player (Wilsonian SC) 8pts 3rd 9812 John Goudie/Susan Raiser (Wilsonian SC) 9pts

Miracles1st 206 Colin/Maureen Lown (Wilsonian SC) 3pts 2nd 3795 David/Jackie Hudson (Wilsonian SC)

Laser Vortex1st 1048 (Yorkshire Dales SC) 5pts 2nd 1013 Mike Gower (Wilsonian SC) 6pts 3rd 1136 Ben Rayner (Yorkshire Dales SC) 10pts

30001st 3603 Tony Hunt/David Bourne (Wilsonian SC) 3pts 2nd David Fenech/Alison Williams (Wilsonian SC) 3rd 3605 Peter/Joshua Heyes (Wilsonian SC) 10pts

Pacers1st 2302 Mike Warwicket/Kate Fitzsimmons (Bough Beech SC) 3pts 2nd 1700 Bill/Laura Banks (Bough Beech SC) 8pts 3rd 2299 Russell/Aaron Knottley (Bough Beech SC) 10pts

Toppers1st 22418 Stephanie Wicken (Wilsonian SC) 3pts 2nd 41358 Daniel Redrupp (Broxbourne SC) 8pts 3rd 31728 Leigh Rees-Reynolds (Broxbourne SC) 12pts