The O.S.C. Regatta was held this year on Sat 11th Aug, a beautifully sunny day with a gentle southwesterly breeze. On the Bridge were James Rob, Sheena, Jill Rob, Candy, Migs, and of course me. And on the Safety Boats we had Heather Patrick, Graham Hackett, Ian Sidebottom, Geoff and Lisa Burnand, Alex Chinn, David Robinson and James Tomlinson, with Lydia on board as our Photographer. Many thank to all of you for giving up your time to enable the Regatta to take place. All was set for a great day.

 

After the two Safety Boats had deployed the two large Yellow Buoys ( H and Q ), the Commodore’s Salver was started at 10.00am, closely followed at 10.05am by the iconic 10 Footer Race ( The George & Mary Cup ). Nineteen boats took part in the Commodores Salver with Mike and Eleanor Shallow ending up victorious, with Will and Liz second and Grog third ( in his Laser which is aptly named Grog ). The 10 Footer Race had seven boats taking part and Doc Foreman won in Morag, with Mark Bridges second in Ouzo and Mary Goldin third in Goblin.

 

No sooner had everyone returned to the slipway from these two races than the next three races started in quick succession, namely the Neil Iliff Cup at 11.30am, the Scylla Cup at 11.35am, and the Bombay Bowl also at 11.35am. The Neil Iliff Cup with 14 entrants was won by Hannah and Jacob Kunert in their Feva, with Louis Cooper second in a Hartley and Helen Goody third in her Mirror. The Scylla Cup ( for Day Boats and Small Cruisers ) was won by Judith and Eleanor Shallow in their Norfolk Oyster, with Patrick and Kate O’Connell second in their Tofinou 7. The Bombay Bowl was won by Will Fennell and Owen Thomas in their Tomtit, Tanya.

 

And then after this feast of activity on the water we had the Fast Handicap, with 12 entrants, which started at 13.00pm. This closely fought race, which contained the cream of the club’s competitive racers, saw Mike Shallow triumph with Vice Commodore David Rob as his crew, in Kite Runner, with Will and Liz second in Cassie, and David Pegg third in Sweep. And then we all had a well-earned lunch break.

 

And so after lunch, which was provided once again by Michelle Golder in our Training Tent with her “ Pop Up Cafe “, we had a briefing about the forthcoming Pursuit Race. This event is designed to give entrants variable start times which are calculated from each boat’s Portsmouth Number, and should result in a very close finish by all boats after the time for the race has elapsed.

 

And so at 14.30pm the Pursuit Race started with no less than 18 entrants. As the race neared it’s end the course had been designed so that all the competitors went round the final few buoys in a loop, and the spotters on the Bridge had to concentrate very hard indeed to differentiate between the leaders and the also-rans, and between the potential winners and the other boats who had already been lapped. But the team on the Bridge proved to be up to the task and the result was a clear victory for David Pegg in his Laser, Sweep. Well done David.

 

And so to the much loved Ladies Race, which this year had eight entries. This closely fought contest resulted in a victory for Eleanor Shallow, with her Mum, Judith, as her crew, closely followed in second place by Mads Cooper, with her Mum, Caroline, as her crew, and in third place was my own wife, Migs, with our daughter Bella and our niece Liz, as her crew. So it really was a family affair, with three Mums, three daughters, and a niece in the first three places. Well done everyone.

 

And then came the event which happens every three years, the Commodore’s Farewell Sailpast. I had to go and put on my blazer, shirt, and tie, and a number of boats dressed Overall with flags and other colourful accessories. And then, led by Sanderling, looking resplendent in her full set of flags and helmed by Migs with some of my family and good friends on board, the fleet of boats filed past me whilst I stood on the Pontoon acknowledging their hoots and shouts. It was a very moving moment for me as I near the end of my three years in office. What a tear-jerker !

 

And so we rounded off a wonderful day with a Bring and Share Barbecue at the Clubhouse, and a great evening was had by all, before we eventually went home for a good night’s sleep.

 

What a wonderful Regatta, and what wonderful memories. I hope you all had as much fun as I did.

 

Happy Sailing

 

Cheers Jonnie