Note to self: Darter! second day afloat, first race of the year, 3am collection. Must try harder! TG
CONGRATULATIONS
Posted 22nd April 2014
Congratulations to Jo Kalderon who was successful in qualifying for the 420 World teams in Germany this year. Jo and her crew Midge Watkins finished in the top seven all girl boats over a racing series of 26 races and will now represent GBR in the Worlds in Germany this year.
Congratulations also to the three other Itchenor boats who participated in the qualifiers - Izzy Davies and Gemma Keers finished 11 th, Katie Davies and Grace Summers finished 12th and Lucy Mellors finished 14th all girl boat. A tremendous result all round for Itchenor
TRAINING 2014
Please click here to download the Adult 2014 Training Booking form
Please click here to download the Under 18 Training Booking form
COURSES
RYA Level 2 Powerboat courses
April 26th and April 27th
May 24th and May 25th
£150
Click here to download the explanatory leaflet
SWIFT Ladies Sailing
SWIFT is a new development for Itchenor Sailing club. A keen group of ladies approached the club with the idea to improve their sailing skills and make more use of the club and its facilities. We have teamed up with local RYA qualified Instructors to provide a training programme to suit a range of abilities. The sessions will be headed up by Melvyn Cooper and he will be joined by other sailing instructors from the local area. A beginners group will take people through the basics of sailing and progressing at their own pace. An intermediate group will improve people’s skills and develop the confidence needed to sail around Chichester Harbour and join in other club activities here at ISC, this will be tailored to meet the needs of the group and the Instructors will provide constant feedback and goals for you to develop your own sailing skills.
These sessions will run from 9.30 to 12.30 on Wednesday mornings during school term time from Easter through to the summer break and the starting again in September through to October half-term.
All involved will need to bring their own sailing equipment including a wetsuit or drysuit, a buoyancy aid and some wetsuit shoes or trainers you don’t mind getting wet. We would expect people to be sailing Toppers and Lasers in the Intermediate Group. The beginners group will use the Toppers, club RS Tera’s and Vision.
The dates are as follows:
April 30th, May 7th, May 14th, May 21st
Half Term
June 4th, June 11th, June 18th, June 25th, July 2nd, July 9th
Summer Break
Sept 10th, Sept 17th, Sept 24th, Oct 1st, Oct 8th, Oct 15th, Oct 22nd
We ask that people sign up for at least a half term at a time so that we can plan for numbers
and activities accordingly. Cost £25 per person per session. Please return booking forms and
payment details to the office.
Adult non-members can join the club on a trial basis at the cost of £50, this membership can
only be taken for one school term and is for weekday use of the club only.
If you have any questions please contact George Rice, the Sailing Manager in the office on
01243 512400 or sailing@itchenorsailingclub.co.uk
Click here to download the explanatory leaflet
Wednesday Evening Junior Training
Following the success of recent years we would like to continue to offer this for juniors to
improve their sailing skills. These after school sessions will be run in term time starting at
5.15pm on Wednesday evenings for about two hours throughout the summer term and then
until October half term in the autumn.
The aim of the sessions is to have as much fun as possible and improvesailing skills. The
sessions will be headed up by Jake Elsbury Chief Instructor at CYE and assisted by RYA
qualified instructors. There will be lots of games, skills & drills and the occasional fun race to
finish things off. All levels are invited to come along join in.
All involved will need to bring their own sailing equipmentincluding a wetsuit or drysuit, a
buoyancy aid and some wetsuit shoes or trainers you don’t mind getting wet. We would expect
people to be sailing Mirrors, Toppers or the Club RS Tera’s.
The dates are as follows:
April 30th, May 7th, May 14th, May 21st
Half Term
June 4th, June 11th, June 18th, June 25th, July 2nd, July 9th
Summer Break
Sept 10th, Sept 17th, Sept 24th, Oct 1st, Oct 8th, Oct 15th, Oct 22nd
We ask that people sign up for at least a half term at a time so that we can plan for numbers
and activities accordingly. Cost £20 per child per session. Please return booking forms and
payment details to the office.
Junior non-members can join the club on a trial basis at the cost of £20, this membership can
only be taken for one school term and is for weekday use of the club only.
If you have any questions please contact George Rice, the Sailing Manager in the office on
01243 512400 or sailing@itchenorsailingclub.co.uk
Click here to download the explanatory leaflet
ROLY FRANKS 1928 – 2014
Posted 14th April 2014
Members will be saddened to learn of the death of Roly Franks on April 9th. Roly had been a member of ISC since 1953.
There will be a service of thanksgiving at 2.30pm on Thursday 24 April at Matfield Church, Matfield, Tonbridge, Kent.
BRAND NEW DECKING
Posted 2nd April 2014
Huge thanks to the working parties who have replaced some of the decking over the winter months.
XOD 'POINTS WEEK'
Posted 31st March 2014
Please click here to download the NOR
MAX MIRROR MISSION AND MIRROR TRAINING WEEKS
Posted 20th March 2014
Forms for the ever popular Max Mirror Mission and Mirror Training Weeks are available now.
You can download them here - or on their respective Mirror pages
Mirror Instructor opportunities form
ISC SUMMER PARTY - Saturday 19th July
Following the success of last year we are once again organising an ISC Summer Party which promises to be even bigger and better than before.
We have just booked the band Urban Central, a fantastic five-piece pop rock band who cover some of the greatest party floor-fillers from the 60s to 2000s.
They have recorded with Toyah, The Average White Band, Richard Cottle, Bucks Fizz, The Sweet, The London Philharmonic Orchestra, among many others.
Book now for an evening of wonderful food, great company and the chance to dance your socks off. Price to be confirmed.
RS200 WINTER WARMER
Posted 3rd March 2014
Please click here to read the RS200 Winter Warmer report
Please click here to see the results
BART'S BASH - ANYONE INTERESTED? LET'S HELP MAKE IT HAPPEN
Posted 19th February 2014
BACKGROUND ON BART'S BASH
Click here to read the full article
The Andrew Simpson Sailing Foundation is planning a monster sized attempt to set a new Guinness World Record for 'The Largest Sailing Event' in the World Ever, which we are calling 'Bart's Bash'!
Sir Ben Ainslie enthused "We have been overwhelmed with the support from the sailing community for the Andrew Simpson Sailing Foundation. We firmly hope this event will inspire sailors young and old, beginners to professionals with clubs getting involved to capture people's imagination and create thousands of Guinness World Record Holders" Iain Percy OBE added "I am positive that it will not only receive enormous support from the UK but worldwide support too, it's going to be a colossal event and a great fun way to get thousands of people on the water at the same time whilst raising money for the Foundation".
The date to save for 'Bart's Bash' is Sunday 21st September.
For more information please contact Tim Anderton by emailing time@bartsbash.co.uk
ISC WIN CAM CUP AT GRAFFHAM
Posted 17th February 2014
Itchenor Sonicboom finished worthy winners, from a field of 19 teams that included two from Ireland, in a superb Cam Cup held at Grafham Water on Sunday 16 February 2014 – organised by Cambridge University.
Please click here to read this article
RYA SAFETY ADVISORY NOTICE 2014
Posted 5th February 2014
It's probably worth reading this before you take to the water this season. You can download it by clicking here.
RS200 WINTER WARMER
Posted 4th February 2014
This weekend we finally managed to kick off the Itchenor Winter Warmer.
Whilst Saturday was a blow out with gusts of nearly 40 knots and a tide that came well over the jetty, Sunday proved to be a perfect 12-16 knots with a strong tide. RO Roger Yeoman managed to fit in 4 back to back 20 minute races in a corner by Rookwood.
In the 1st race it was slightly pin end bias and Ben Palmer & Lucy Preston went off winning that end however it was not enough to get across the midline starters and it was George Yeoman & Sophie Ormsby who led at the top mark followed by Ben & Lucy. By lap 3 Tim Saxton & Holly Scott had managed to pull through to 2nd place and Ben & Lucy finished 3rd.
Boom cam video from race 1:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hECjVxly8mk
Race 2 again was slightly pin end bias and this time George & Sophie who won the pin however could not quite get across the starboard tackers again. So it was Ben & Lucy at the top mark 1st but George & Sophie just managed to squeeze inside to block the tack, however ended up hitting the mark after misjudging the tide. This meant Ben & Lucy led from James Rusden & Will Rusden, followed by Tim & Holly. On the run the Rusdens managed to speeze past Ben & Lucy to take the lead which they extended till the finish.
Boom cam video from race 2:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=umDwhyGbi4k
Race 3 was starboard end bias and George & Sophie managed to come in late and squeeze out Nick Charles at the boat end. After a bit of a tacking dual up the beat it was George & Sophie followed by Nick and this stayed the way the whole way round the course with a bit of elastic keeping them together. While a close race between the Rusdens, Tim & Holly and Ben & Lucy rounded off the top 5.
Boom cam video from race 3:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JYaRbnKB6Dc
Race 4 was a fairly square line with Tim & Holly winning the pin and George & Sophie winning the boat end. Tim & Holly decided to tack early and duck the Rusdens and George & Sophie and this ended paying off as they came in on the starboard lay line to lead at the top mark. A tacking match up the next few beats led to Tim & Holly held on to their lead whilst being closely followed by George & Sophie. The Rusdens finished 3rd.
Boom cam video from race 4:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fnkBlk-nF48
The final over all placings were:
George & Sophie 1, 5, 1, 2 = 9
Tim & Holly 2, 3, 4, 1 = 10
James & Will 5, 1, 3, 3 = 12
Next weekend is the 1/2 March hopefully we will see you all then!
420 Training and update
Posted 26th January 2014
Four ISC boast have qualified into the transition squad for 420s. Katie and Izzy Davies , Lucy Mellors. Millie Moss and Jo Kalderon. The girls will be training over the next couple of months ready for the Youth Nationals in Weymouth, the French Nationals in July and the UK nationals at Hayling.
With X gen training for mirrors, 6 further boats in the Mirror development squad and six more Mirrors in the National Junior squad our junior and youth strategy which we set out four years ago is clearly starting to work.
EAST HEAD MANAGEMENT UPDATE
Posted 6th January 2014
This article is courtesy of the Chichester Harbour Conservancy - and we think will be of interest to many members.
"As part of our Coastal Management strategy, we have agreed the first steps which will be carried out to reduce the risk of a breach of the delicate part of the sand spit known as The Hinge at East Head.
The work is planned to start in January 2014 (weather permitting) and will be carried out under the aegis of the East Head Coastal Issues Advisory Group (EHCIAG). EHCIAG was set up to manage the Adaptive Management process at East Head and includes a range of organisations, stakeholders and experts in coastal environmental management that are listed below.
Our overall strategy is called "Adaptive Management" which involves taking steps to achieve equilibrium between the sea and the land with a workable strategy to avoid a breach at The Hinge, and to maintain public access to East Head.
The work will be carried out by engineers from Chichester District Council and will consist of:
1. Removing failed gabions (the wire baskets holding the stones) with the stones being left naturally on the beach at the western end.
2. Adjusting the height of some of the groynes (the horizontal planks going out to sea), and replace and repair some others to enhance the collection or movement of sand and shingle.
This is to allow a natural process to occur which will include some erosion and some natural rebuilding of material at this area. As the beach area moves back, it is envisaged that a more natural beach shape will form providing a better profile for long term protection of the immediate area.
Planning consent is also being sought to allow recharges with sand and shingle at The Hinge from time to time to keep a safe width and height at the critical point. The area is monitored regularly and EHCIAG works closely together to ensure that the area is actively managed. "
JUNIOR SAILING
With 6 Itchenor boats selected for the RYA National Squad and another 6 selected for the South Area Development Squad, time to focus on our pipeline or next generation squad. 9 Itchenor mirrors assembled at 9.00am on Saturday 23rd November for the first weekend in a 10 day race training programme designed to bring our younger mirror sailors up from sailors who can competently sail around a course to sailors who can race around a course. In near perfect training conditions, coaches Charlotte Fitzgerald and Charlie Warren, supported by Emily Heath and Gemma Webb focussed on boat handling skills, including tacking, gybing and spinnaker handling. A testament to the success of the weekend were the happy, smiling children despite the cold, a few capsizes and a couple of attempts to use the yet to be completed new slipway!
ISC RS200 SAILORS DO WELL
Posted 18th November 2013
Tim Saxton and Holly Scott from Itchenor SC wrapped up the final RS200 circuit event of 2013 with victory at the End of Season Championships at Datchet. After light wind conditions on Saturday, things improved on Sunday with more wind and some sunshine.
Another Itchenor crew, Rob Struckett and Senem Cilingiroglu, won the opening race on Saturday with Saxton and Scott second. Ben Palmer and Lucy Preston from Hayling Island SC took the second race. On Sunday George Yeoman and Sophie Ormsby, Itchenor yet again, won races 3 and 4 before Saxton and Scott found there way to the front to take the final two races and the overall series. Nick and Juliet Charles were second and Yeoman and Ormsby third.
Next year the fleet is looking forward to the bi-annual trip to Garda, the Nationals at Hayling Island SC which promises to be massive alongside the excellent regional and National events.
INTERNATIONAL 420 TRAINING
Posted 28th October
Itchenor 420 training – the journey begins”… http://youtu.be/TnVcZd72Ebs
John Tagg awarded The Burnford Needle 2013
Posted 20th October 2013
It is The Swallows turn to award The Burnford Needle.
Our choice has been a member of ISC since 1974 when he initially sailed Fireflies.
He flew up to The Swallow class in 1987 and has been a valued member ever since; often featuring in the prizes.
He was RCS from 1980 - 1981 and from 1990 - 1993.
Also Chairman of National Swallow Class from 1990 to 1993
We would like to award The Burnford Needle to John Tagg.
Itchenor XODs win close battle with Royal Burnham Yacht Club
Posted 7th October 2013
A strong team of sailors from the Royal Burnham Yacht Club visited Itchenor Sailing Club this over the weekend of October 5th and 6th for a series of team races in the hosts’ XODs. The three race series started on Saturday afternoon with an hour long race around the fixed marks in Chichester Harbour in ideal wind conditions but with a tricky, strong ebb tide. The first two legs of the course saw the teams closely matched;` but by the end of the second windward leg Itchenor had established a commanding lead with their three boats in the top slots. However, as the six boats turned for the long run to the finish, the Burnham boats came back and ensured close racing all the way to the line with two of their boats moving into 3rd and 4th positions. With the scoring done it was Itchenor’s race and so the hosts were ahead overnight.
Please click here to download the whole of this story
INTERNATIONAL 14 WORLDS, TORONTO ROUNDUP
Posted 27th September
Archie Massey, crewed by Dan Wilsdon, won the International 14 World Championships for a record 4th time in a row. In a strong 67-boat fleet, Itchenor boats also finished 3rd, 4th and 6th, which is an amazing achievement for one club! In the World Team Racing competition, which preceded the Worlds, there were also two Itchenor boats (Douglas Pattison/Mark Tait and Katie Nurton/Nigel Ash) in the winning GBR 1 team. The team was very well supported by Jeremy and Mary Pudney, who used up their whole luggage allowance to bring emergency winter wetsuits/drysuits over from the UK and also provided refreshments on the finish line.
Itchenor results
1st Archie Massey & Dan Wilsdon
3rd Andy Fitzgerald & Richard Dobson
4th Douglas Pattison & Mark Tait
6th Katie Nurton & Nigel Ash
16th Andy Penman & Chris Watson
25th Jamie Reid & Hugh McLean
27th Charles Duchesne & Andrew Handasyde-Dick
42nd Robin & Martin Pascal
44th Colin & Imogen Smith
54th Dominic Van Essen & SImona Saccani
NEW SAILING MANAGER
Posted 13th September 2013
Our new Sailing Manager, George Rice joins us this week. He comes to us with experience of having worked for Performance Sailcraft; Director of Sailing at Royal Hospital School; Regional Development Officer at the RYA; Competition Manager and Training Operations Manager in Oman; and most recently for Clipper Marine, Hamble. George looks forward to meeting members. Please join me in welcoming him to the Club.RS200 OPEN
MEETING REPORT - Report courtesy Yachts & Yachting
Posted 12th September 2013
36 boats arrived for the Bolle RS200 circus at Itchenor Sailing Club, near Wittering.
If you have never been, Itchenor itself really is quite quaint, and remote enough to be the setting of a pretty convincing zombie movie. Even my B&B had heated floors, tennis courts and a pool. Both redundant, as plenty of damp exercise awaited over 8 races, for which the forecast of 12-14 knots proved to be a sad underestimate. ('Sad' as my novice shipmate is the same weight as a dry J-cloth and, at best, an open meeting virgin). We loved the RO's well-intended yet prolonged and detailed briefing. ('Windward, leeward, sail through start line upwind', would have done).
For the record, locals Will and Rob Henderson rather upset the form book by winning races 2 and 4. Mar-Eye-Yah Stanley won the first, Chris Catt the 3rd, at which a squarer line and maybe a flooding tide saw 8 numbers on the OCS naughty board. First two races were as port-biased as Winston Churchill with a salty Stilton. And you really needed to work the tide, an X factor initially beyond mere (Welsh Harp) pond life such as I.
Saturday night was all frocks and top tucker, as (almost) all attended a black tie dinner, then mingled with club locals... think tweed, think red trousers, think mustard cords. By dint of some logistical error, I managed to forget my black trousers, wearing jeans below my dinner jacket. 'M' would have pursed her lips in disapproval.
Congratulations to The Hendersons for scoring below par on a couple of tricky days, and beating some very quick regulars, with Catt and Martin 2nd, and Cherub National Champions the Peterses 3rd.
Thanks also to Itchenor Sailing Club, who were hugely hospitable. The place is as much sailing hotel than sailing club, and I'd recommend a visit.
INTERNATIONAL 14 TEAM RACING WORLDS - Toronto, Canada
Posted 10th September
Day one of the World Championship fortnight for the International 14s was sailed today from the Island Clubhouse of the Royal Canadian Yacht Club in Toronto. As always the first 2 days of the event is sailed for the Team Racing Championships, and this year we have 7 four boat teams entered, 2 British, 2 Canadian, a German, an Australian and a Japanese team.
Much to the relief of several sailors who had just arrived, and the Japanese who were still waiting for their container to be delivered to the Island, the day dawned windless and after a reminder of the rules from our friendly umpires racing was postponed while we waited for the breeze.
At about 13:00 5-8 knots filled in from the east across the race course, between Torontos central business district and CN tower, and the Yacht Club island. A starboard S course was set with GBR 2 and Germany drawing the first race of the event. After more team racing manoeuvres than the 14 fleet has seen in the last 5 years GBR2 kept close cover up the final beat to win the first race of the regatta in 3, 4, 5, 6.
The very next race saw GBR 1 into action against the Australians, the pairing thought most likely to contest the finals. Up the first beat Douglas Pattison and Katie Nurton sailed into a clear 1-2 which they kept for the rest of the race, and looked to have a safe 1-2-4 up the final beat when Archie Massey sailing for Australia bore down to create a Port-Starboard with Sam Pascoe. Archie was deemed not to have give sufficient time for Sam to avoid, and was disqualified, ensuring a first win for GBR 1.
GBR 1 then sailed to a very comfortable 1-2-3-4 against the Germans, while GBR 2 had 2 races, one against each of the Canadian teams. After another race filled with team racing against CAN 2, GBR 2 looked to have a safe 1-3-5-7 coming up the final beat, when the boat in 3 mistook an umpire boat for the finish line, but thankfully finishing in a winning 1-4-6-7. Against CAN 1 a position of 1-5-7-8 round the windward mark proved to be unrecoverable through the rest of the race despite many boats spinning and attempted mark traps.
After a very successful first day, completed by free beer and BBQ, the teams are looking forward to a bit more breeze tomorrow, although hopefully not the 30 knot gusts forecast, to allow completion of the round robin followed by semi finals and finals
420 Open Meeting REPORT
Following on from the Easter training programme, a successful Schools week, a well attended Junior Fortnight and the participation of three boats at the Nationals with success in the Silver fleet, the on-going development of 420 racing at Itchenor took another step forward last Sunday with the re-introduction of an 1 day Open Meeting hosted by the club.
We were thrilled to have 20 Boats on the start line, including 10 Itchenor and 10 visitors from Warsash, RLYC,Rutland, Burghfield, Midland, Whitstable and nearer to home Bosham Sailing Clubs. After a briefing at 10.45am, Chris Darling set three back to back races down harbour on traditional sausage and triangle courses, with good upwind/reaching and downwind skills being tested to the full.
Mrs Moss handed out the prizes, and congratulations to Robbie King And Ryan Orr (Warsash SC) for three straight wins, showing impressive boat speed round the course. Two Itchenor boats Isabel Davies/Millie Moss and Jo Kalderon/Madeline Watkins were 2nd and 3rd respectively, with other Itchenor boats competing well with this step up in quality that comes with the arrival of the Open circuit participants.
RS200 NATIONALS 2013 REPORT
Posted 1 September 2013
Please click here to download and read this report
INTER CLASS CHALLENGE
Posted 31st August 2013
At 0915 on Sunday 25 August there were four K6s rigged and ready to go for the 2013 Itchenor Inter Class Challenge. There was a force 3 gusting 4 from the north north east in the harbour.
Class representatives were:
Mirror Jonathon Pudney/Andrew Young
Laser/International 14 Paul Ward/Andrew Penman
Swallow Harry Roome/Chris Fox
XOD John Tremlett/Richard Bullock
Race officer Roger Ewart Smith fitted a short windward leeward course into the channel near Peacock, with 2 rounds. It was five races, all to count.
Race 1 saw Tremlett testing the depth behind the committee boat as the gun went allowing the others to get away. Pudney took the lead off the line and held on to win, followed by Roome. After a bit of swimming by Tremlett, he caught up to finish third.
Race 2 saw Tremlett get his revenge with a win over Pudney and Roome.
Race 3, it was Ward’s turn to run aground behind the committee boat. A very close battle resulted in an incident at the last leeward mark, with Pudney coming out first across the finish line, followed by Tremlett.
Race 4 had a three way incident at the windward mark, resulting in a first race win for Roome, followed home by Tremlett and Pudney.
So to the decider with three boats capable of winning - and the order at the first windward of Roome, Tremlett, Pudney would have resulted in a tree way points tie. However Pudney gybed away and picked up a gust to win the final race and overall glory for the Mirror fleet, with Tremlett second and Roome third in the race and overall.
Many thanks to the K6 fleet who again lent their boats for this event – and rigged them, provided the race officer and put the boats away again. What great support!
ITCHENOR JUNIOR SAILING UPDATE
Posted 29th August 2013
Itchenor Juniors continue to build on their Mirror Worlds success
• Katie Davies and Izzy Fitzgerald winning the Silver fleet at the 420 Nationals in Pwllheli.
• Three of our Itchenor World Mirror sailors participated in their first National in the 420.
• Jo Kalderon completed her season with a 6th in the silver fleet with Izzy Davies finishing 8th in the silver fleet.
Itchenor XODs return triumphant from Cowes Week
Posted 12th August 2013
The Itchenor Sailing Club fleet of X One Designs set off for Cowes earlier this month with the intention of coming home with two prestigious trophies – the Captain’s Cup for the overall winning boat and the Phillipson Shield for the top club. They did not disappoint.
Competition for top spot was fierce with six different race winners in the seven races. Only Lass sailed by John Tremlett with a crew drawn from fellow owners Richard Jordan, Richard Bullock and Jeremy Lear won two races – on the opening Saturday to put down a marker and critically on the last Saturday to seal the overall prize. Other Itchenor race winners were Steve Lawrence who won by over 5 minutes on Monday in Catherine, and Michael Martell who steered his Astralita to victory on Thursday.
Over the week there were solid performances from a number of the other boats – to complement Lass’s first place and Astralita’s 3rd overall, Alastair Shaw and Chris Froy’s Phoenix was 5th and Catherine 6th. Itchenor therefore demonstrated it had the strength in depth to see off a strong challenge from their traditional adversaries from Lymington by a healthy margin.
Well deserved celebrations took place when the crews returned home on Saturday evening to Itchenor, somewhat tired but content that their objectives of a fourth consecutive Captain’s Cup win and a hat trick of Phillipson Shield victories had been achieved.
BEN SAXTON WINS SILVER
Posted 7th August 2013
Club member Ben Saxton joined the Club earlier this year to sail his RS200. He's also a member of the British Sailing Team and sails the newly introduced Nacra 17 Olympic-class catamaran with Hannah Diamond (Hamble). The pair have recently returned from the inaugural Nacra 17 World Championships with a silver medal, having finished second overall and only three points off first place after a week of racing at Scheveningen on the Dutch North Sea coast.
Ben transferred to the Nacra 17 in late 2012 from the Olympic 470 where he won silver at the 2012 European Championships sailing with Richard Mason - he and Hannah are campaigning to represent GBR at the 2016 Rio Olympics
Away from Nacra 17 sailing, Ben is current (2012) National Champion and Endeavour Trophy winner. Sadly he'll be unable to defend his RS200 title next week at Mounts Bay as he and Hannah are off to Lake Como for the Nacra 17 European Championships but he wishes good luck to the other Itchenor 200s at the event.
Closer to home, Ben recently took part in the the club Dinghy Fest, sailing the RS200 with fellow British Sailing Team member, windsurfer Izzy Hamilton. It was Izzy's first time in racing dinghy, but the pair managed to win some races and finished first overall.
If you want to follow Ben & Hannah's progress go to their website www.teamsaxtondiamond.co.uk
