Students from across the UK assembled in Helensburgh last weekend [11/12 Nov] for the British Universities Fleet Racing Championship run at Helensburgh Sailing Club and jointly organised by HSC and Strathclyde University Sailing. A fleet of 59 dinghies competed, 35 Fireflies and 24 racing on handicap including 17 RS200s.
Saturday’s blue skies looked perfect ... except for the complete absence of any wind! Race Officer James Miller eventually chased a light zephyr into Rhu Bay, off the HSC clubhouse, but that proved elusive and the only attempt at a race was eventually abandoned.
Sunday racing was a different business entirely – more blue skies but a fresh and steady north-easterly which rewarded competitors and organisers alike with a racetrack which was successfully used for all four of the races crammed in to constitute a series. After an early start races followed on in rapid succession, keeping everyone on their toes - and keeping blood flowing to the toes in the near-to-freezing conditions!
Exeter University produced the Handicap class winners in a 420, with Durham second in a Wayfarer and HSC’s Calum Bell (sailing for Strathclyde, pictured above) coming third in his RS200.
Loughborough took top spot in the Fireflies, with Exeter featuring again, in second spot this time, and with East Anglia finishing third.
The event was the culmination of months of careful planning by the HSC and Strathclyde committees, with over 40 volunteers from both clubs managing all the operational roles both ashore and afloat. Father and son James and Jake Miller led the respective organising teams and were rightly complimented on the event’s success.
The event closed in late afternoon and the fleet dispersed to Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Manchester, Oxford, Liverpool, Warwick, Newcastle, Swansea, Southampton and beyond. A fine start to the universities’ winter schedule of sailing.
- Winners, Handicap Class: Ollie Meadowcroft and Oliver Rayner – Exeter
- Winners, Firefly Class: Ben Tylecote and Alice Lucy – Loughborough