Eighteen Firefly teams competed in a challenging series of races around Kingston on the River Thames over the weekend of 14-15 April.

The format of this rather quirky event involves a tow from Tamesis Club to Thames SC on the Saturday morning, three races at Thames SC, a race back (under two low bridges) to Tamesis on Saturday afternoon, a party at Thames on Saturday night and three more races at Tamesis on Sunday. Results, which are part of the M25 traveller’s series, are also split into two day events, the Challenge Cup at Thames and the Elizabeth Cup at Tamesis. If you managed to understand all that you’ve done better than several of the competitors!

The clear overall winners, taking first in five of the seven races were Mark Tait and Sally Wakefield from Wessex SC in their recently restored 59-year-old boat, Dido, first sailed at the 1948 Olympics.

Behind Mark and Sally competition was tight with up to half a dozen boats overlapped at race finishes. Surprisingly, in contrast to the rest of the country, the wind held up on the Thames for almost the entire weekend, providing beautiful sailing conditions in the unseasonable 25 degree C temperatures.

Overall results (M25 Series)

1st Mark Tait and Sally Wakefield F498 Wessex Exiles
2nd Alex Davey and Georgie Sutcliffe F3690 Royal Harwich
3rd Peter Cook and Janet Exelby F3919 Frampton
4th Steve Greaves and Amy Morris F1867 Rickmansworth
5th Barney Smith and Alannah Witherby F3023 Hamble River
6th Simon Spolton and Verity Birch F3924 Wessex

Thames Challenge Cup (Saturday)
1st Mark Tait and Sally Wakefield F498
2nd Peter Cook and Janet Exelby F3919
3nd Alex Davey and Georgie Sutcliffe F3690

Elizabeth Cup, Tamesis (Sunday)
1st Mark Tait and Sally Wakefield F498
2nd Alex Davey and Georgie Sutcliffe F3690
3rd Peter Cook and Janet Exelby F3919