Please select your home edition
Edition
Maritimo M50

Firefly Itchenor Sailing Club Burgee

by Nigel Wakefield 30 Jun 19:48 UTC 28-29 June 2025
Firefly Itchenor Sailing Club Burgee © Paul Kameen

The briefing was notable because the Race Officer Charles Duchesne was under the impression that Fireflys average 4 knots! We braced for long courses. Alex Ogilvie took the opportunity to school the RO on the distinction between the letter "B" and the Greek letter Beta. We all mentally filed that factoid under NFU. 17 boats set off to the SE corner of Chichester harbour in a firm 12-15 knots for three races.

It was an interesting course, beating south west into a spring flood tide. The start was on the left of the channel and the windward mark on the right, but which way to go up the beat? Play the left, to look good early on and hope it lasted? Or cross the channel early and appear from the right with a late charge? Those who simply attempted to conquer the tide in the channel died the "death of 1000 tacks".

Roger Morris and Izzy Bretherton correctly gambled their chips on the left shore, also using their team race skills to win the pin and ensure they were further left than Karl Marx. Nigel Wakefield and Emily Saunderson were next up from the pin also going very left, (Jeremy Corbin would approve). (This paragraph describes both race 1 and race 2).

Nigel/Emily won the day with three wins. Roger/Izzy were strong with two 2nds and a 6th. The windward mark was the graveyard of dreams for many. The tide making it seemingly impossible to approach on starboard. Most of the fleet had performed 360s or 720s or bail out gybes at the top mark during the day.

Sunday's wind was a gentle 8-10knots. By now the fleet had worked out that the beats were one-sided and left was the only way to go. The difference on Sunday was that the start line was starboard biased forcing the fleet to balance the benefit of line bias against the desire to get into the shallow water on the left. Stuart Hudson and daughter Lizzie were fast out of the blocks (from the pin) taking Sunday's first race by a mile. Was Stu Hudson going to do a "Hudson" and appear from nowhere to win the event? Stuart/Lizzie again won the pin in the second race only for the committee boat end starters to prevail.

Honourable mentions must go to the boats that were so relieved to reach the windward mark that they moored to it. Ben Nicoll and Vicky Sisk selflessly stopped there and kindly towed it downwind, allowing all the boats behind to overtake them. Lucy Boreham and Rachel Crebbin decided that the beats were far too long and tried to tow the windward mark back towards Itchenor. In the battle of wills, the anchor prevailed, despite Lucy remonstrating with an inflatable buoy. Nigel and Emily proudly unrolled a brand new mainsail for Sunday only to find it had no numbers. They were seen rolling it up and putting it away again sheepishly.

Nigel/Emily did enough to take the 2025 event and Itchenor Burgee Trophy. Roger/Izzy recovered from their OCS to get two more counters and finish second overall. After sailing that boat for 20 years, Roger has just moved his mast foot 40mm!?! Roger/Izzy were the only non-ex-national champions in the top 5. Veteran pairing of Guy Davison and Sally Wakefield took the third podium spot, despite gybing out at one of the top marks and coming in early for tea/cake (and allegedly a nap). The Hudsons were 4th. Paul and son Finn Kameen 5th. This event has been fantastic for many years, massive thanks to Itchenor SC and we hope to return next year.

Overall Results:

PosBoat NameSail NoHelmCrewClubR1R2R3R4R5R6Pts
1stTip Top Too3007Nigel WakefieldEmily SaundersonNetley / Lymington Town SC111‑2‑414
2ndThermopylae3133Roger MorrisIzzy Bretherton 22‑6(OCS)2410
3rd 3318Guy DavisonSally WakefieldLlangorse SC‑83731(DNS)14
4thFursty Ferret3850Stuart HudsonLizzie HudsonRLYC‑64(OCS)16617
5th 2018Paul KameenFinn KameenBSC‑7‑13367218
6thFourwood Thinking3023B SmithAlannah HebbertHamble River SC(OCS)‑12278522
7th 3625Jenny SmallwoodPhilip AldousWest Oxfordshire SC5‑959(OCS)322
8th 4400Jono PankRupert Garlick ‑10744(OCS)924
9th 4125Ben NicollVicky Sisk 368‑10‑111027
10thSpaghetti3146Sophia JohnsonDom Johnson ‑1359‑1151130
11thBonkers2065Jason AldousJosephine MasonRoyal Harwich YC4‑101089‑1231
12th 4458Alex BaxterJamuna Bothe ‑118(OCS)510831
13th 2947Laura KameenKaren Phillips (DNC)(DNC)DNC123740
14thWillow3739Lucy BorehamRachel CrebbinDell Quay SC91111‑1313(RET)44
15th 2550Hermione PattisonTash GladmanISC‑14‑141214121351
16th 3189Alex OgilivieLorelei Bates 12‑15141514(DNS)55
17thHookey2525Gideon SherwoodArthur Sherwood 151613(DNC)(DNC)DNC62

Related Articles

Oxford Youth Open Regatta 2025
Inaugural event which pitched a slightly different formula at youngsters Youth sailing is a key focus for any club. Healthy clubs have a healthy youth membership. Oxford Sailing Club benefits from the expanse that is Farmoor reservoir and has a rich youth heritage as a recognized venue for many significant events. Posted on 26 Sep
Enduring 24 hours at West Lancs YC
In-depth coverage of the 2025 reboot of a classic dinghy racing event The 2025 reboot of this classic dinghy racing event surely lived up to its name as an endurance event. With just over a week to go there were grave faces around the bar at West Lancs YC as there were rumours of 57mph winds. Posted on 24 Sep
Firefly open meeting at Dell Quay
With the infamous legendary Pie & Mash supper The Dell Quay Sailing Club Firefly Open 2025 was more than just a regatta — it was a two-day spectacle set against the magnificent backdrop of Chichester Harbour and underscored by Dell Quay's centenary year celebrations. Posted on 22 Sep
54th West Lancs 24 Hour Race
National Firefly Association triumphs Southport's iconic 24-Hour Dinghy Race came to a thrilling conclusion, with the National Firefly Association taking the coveted trophy after 24 hours of relentless, round-the-clock racing on Marine Lake. Posted on 22 Sep
Firefly Nationals at Lyme Regis overall
Massive congratulations go to Ollie Meadowcroft and Hazel Jones Massive congratulations go to Ollie Meadowcroft and Hazel Jones, who sailed with consistency, speed, and tactical nous to secure the 2025 Firefly National Championship at Lyme Regis by a single point. Posted on 1 Sep
Firefly Nationals at Lyme Regis Day 6
Final two races held on Friday for the fleet Race 7 having been abandoned and postponed on Thursday, Race 8 went ahead as the first race Friday when a light Southerly breeze developed, and the fleet launched after a short postponement. Posted on 24 Aug
Firefly Nationals at Lyme Regis Day 5
The Great Wind Chase In the thrilling world of Race 6, the tricky north-easterly winds had everyone strategising like chess grandmasters. The first gate start was cancelled after a large shift after about 30 seconds. Posted on 22 Aug
Firefly Nationals at Lyme Regis Day 4
2025 Sir Ralph Gore Trophy day The 2025 Sir Ralph Gore Trophy was contested on Wednesday on the waters off Lyme Regis. The course was a set of 4 equilateral triangles and then a final beat making 13 nautical miles in total. Posted on 21 Aug
Firefly Nationals at Lyme Regis Day 3
A slightly reluctant fleet were chivvied off the shore A slightly reluctant fleet were chivvied off the shore convinced there was no wind to find a very pleasant rolling sea and steady force 3. Posted on 20 Aug
Firefly Nationals at Lyme Regis Days 1 & 2
Thrilling adventures on the high seas The first race of the championship was nothing short of exhilarating, with Mother Nature throwing in a few surprises to keep everyone on their toes. Posted on 19 Aug
Palm Beach Motor YachtsMaritimo M75