The postponed Dovestone Classic Flying Fifteen Regatta was held on the weekend of 8-9 September along with the open meeting for allcomers. Visitors were welcomed from Grafham Water and Ogston SC and the home fleet turned out their best. The racing was very competitive throughout the weekend.

Wind from the north was brisk and gusty as it coursed down the valley creating testing conditions for everyone.

David McKee, sailing with his son Andrew in ‘Full Monty’, won all four races in the open fleet. Ian Dyson and Anne Webb in ‘Affretado’ sailed a good series to come second and Graham Winterbottom and Barbara Miles in ‘Too Flippant’ were third.

When the final classics race was started, the race team witnessed several line incidents as the tension mounted. Any one of four boats could have won overall, but, ‘Fighting Fit’ lived up to her name and crossed the line in first place to win the trophy for the first boat number over 2000. Dovestone boat ‘Flame’ (759), sailed by Peter Hogg and David Downs, won the Trophy for the first boat under 2000.

The traditional Concourse d’elegance certificates were awarded to ‘Flame’ and ‘Tesscalamoo’, the latter owned by Michael and Teresa Hampson.

Overall Results

Classics

1st 2520 Fighting Fit, Nick Heath and Ian Henderson (Grafham Water SC)

2nd 2620 Spring Sonata, David Naylor and Norman Christie (Dovestone SC)

3rd 2633 Reservoir D’og, Jeremy Arnold and Mike Pearce (Ogston SC)