In past years the Folkboat national championship (Folkboat Week) has been held at Yarmouth Isle of Wight, and has been decided from a series of races over a six-day period. But with the large upsurge in interest in Folkboats mostly based at Lymington it was decided to race this year’s championship at Lymington over a three-day period at the Jubilee weekend. Folkboat Week will continue to take place at Yarmouth each year, with the Southern Area Championship taking place over the first weekend of the week

On 1 June the first two of seven races were sailed, with the intention of sailing three races on the 2 June and two on 3 June. East-south-easterly winds prevailed, and from a committee boat start to the east of the Lymington river, the first race produced disqualification for some of the early finishers, leaving Cloud Cuckoo (John Stork) the winner with Svenja (Robin Berwick) and Jessica (Crawford McKeon and Rory Stokes) in second and third places. The second race produced another win for John Stork followed by Crackerjack (Stuart Watson and Matthew Jones), Svenja and Prelude (Nick Ryley).

Day two saw similar but slightly lighter conditions, the two races sailed were won by Madelaine (Edward Donald) and Prelude, before a failing wind brought proceedings to a close. At this stage the consistent Svenja looked well placed, in the lead with two second places and two thirds.

Day three produced a south-westerly Force 4-5 as forecast, which was just as well with the necessity to complete three races that day. Cloud Cuckoo recovered form to win the first two races with Prelude winning the final race, and places were taken by Jessica and Crackerjack with a second and a third apiece, Sweet Caroline (Rodney Carran) with one second, and Celia Mary (Malcolm Donald) with a third.

Although the entries at 19 were slightly less than anticipated there was some extremely competitive racing on excellently-set courses, indeed at the start of the last race the event could have been won by any one of five boats. In the event John Stork, with his four wins, secured the championship with 17 points followed by Crackerjack (21points) Jessica and Svenja tied on 22 points with Jessica taking third place on count back.