Chris Pickles and Laura Westell totally out sailed all competitors to deservedly win the Gul RS200 inlands championship at Grafham Water SC last weekend. In doing so they became the first winners of the new Hewitson Inland trophy.

Tom and Jo Hewitson as well as winning the 2002 GUL Nationals have been the total form team at the Inlands winning the event five times in the last six years. The trophy had such a permanent place on their mantle place that in a lovely gesture they decided to donate a new trophy. The superb new trophy was presented by Tom and Jo to Chris and Laura on Sunday.

As the Inlands was going to be held in flights it was pre entry only and 102 boats who entered were seeded, split into four equal fleets, two fleets starting together on each start with a programme that ensured every one raced each other once each day. The forecast was dire for the weekend so it was actually quite a pleasant surprise to race three good races on Saturday in 6-9 knots from the north-east that stayed pretty constant.

In race 1 Geoff Carveth/Emma Clarke comfortably won the first flight from Chris Pickles/Laura Westell and Littleton’s Gareth Robinson/Willow Holland. In the second flight Chew Valleys Ian Maclean/Helen Wightman blitzed the race from Nick Charles/ Juliet Kingsnorth and Colin/Aaron Smith.

Race 2 really opened things up Carveth/Clarke led the first flight again and looked in control but this time Pickles/Westell were too fast for them down wind and won the race with Itchenor’s Richard Neall/Sara Terry third. In the second flight Bristol CYC’s Paul/Pat Teague did a blue horizon job from half way up the first beat. Gunard’s Tom Olden/Emily Rowlandson were second ahead of Chris Martin/Katherine Lovering.

In the first flight in Race 3 Tom/Jo Hewitson finally remembered how to sail after a 10th and 16th to lead throughout to win from Matt/Emma Jenkins and Penzance’s Jeremy Stephens/Rebecca Knee. In the second flight Pickles/Westell were again quick down wind to win from Roger Tait/Georgie Hill and Jimmy/Iain Millar.

Sunday and it was inevitable, a real flat calm, by midday even the ducks had given up trying to make ripples and racing was cancelled. This left Pickles/Westell sitting pretty with two firsts and a second three points ahead of Carveth/Clarke. Natasha Lister/Helen Williamson thrashed loads of gold division sailors to win the bronze division from Bud worth’s Jon Chapman/Debbie Sutcliffe and Littleton’s Trevor/Barry Rawlins. The Teague’s just won the silver division from club mates the Millar’s on the same points with Tait/Hill only one point behind.