Seven National 12s turned up to contest the venerable Henley Challenge Cup, first sailed in 1938, on a gentle overcast day last Sunday.

A light breeze for race 1 brought about the usual early exchange of places before John and Mandy Thornton (N3468) stretched out to a good lead, to win comfortably from Mike Day and Anne Murch (N3496).

Behind them, the racing was tight to the finish line when Alan and Emma Cadwallader (N2802) came through to take third. By the afternoon, the wind had dropped away to a gentle zephyr. John Meadowcroft, guesting in N3496 with Mandy Thornton, was an early leader but Day and Murch pulled through on the bank to win, with the Cadwallader team again third.

For the final race, the wind disappeared altogether, and John Thornton was back in N3496, with Katy Meadowcroft in the front. Again, the lead changed hands several times, depending on who was going backwards the least. The weather gods chose Thornton and Meadowcroft for their amusement, depositing them at the back at a crucial moment, which allowed Day and Murch to take a narrow win, and the meeting, from the Cadwalladers in second with Steve and Rosie Rothery (N3303) third.

Overall Results

1. Mike Day and Anne Murch N3496 Flipside St Catherine’s SC

2. Alan and Emma Cadwallader N2802 Dubious Henley SC

3. John and Mandy Thornton N3468 Pillow Fight Henley SC