Itchenor Sailing Club Annual Schools Week Regatta marks 68th Year!

Published 14:57 on 5 Jul 2022

A spectacular fleet of ninety-nine Fevas from thirty schools across England filled the boat park at Itchenor Sailing Club on Sunday 26^th June and then seamlessly launched from three slipways on Monday to kick off the 68^th Annual Itchenor Schools Week Regatta.  The keen sailors met up with Itchenor Sailing Clubs main Committee Boat headed up by Race Officer Roddy Bridge and his race team at the mouth of Thorney Channel in Chichester Harbour. 

Strong southwesterly winds provided a challenging day one, but Roddy Bridges skill and perseverance won out as he impressively started all ninety-four competing Fevas from a single start line.  Conditions improved slightly for the sailors in race two with lighter winds and a shifting tide, but the winds picked up again in race three.  Tristan Alheid and Finlay Lomas-Clarke of the Weydon School finished first in races one and two with Merryn Attridge and Toby Smith of Royal Hospital School taking first in race three.  At the start of the fourth race, after a general recall combined with tired, rain-soaked sailors fighting the waves caused by wind against tide, the Race Officer decided that it was time to send the fleet home for a well-earned rest and a very late lunch.

Reunions with old friends and sailing rivals at Itchenor Schools Week are almost as anticipated as the sailing, especially for schools who have been regular competitors for years.   Monday evenings BBQ proved a fantastic opportunity to share stories about the first days sailing while refueling to the sound of the steel drummer playing crowd favourites.    

Glorious sun and steady southerly breeze offered the re-energized Feva sailors nearly perfect conditions on day two.  Racing was hard-fought and close in each of the races.  Alheid and Lomas-Clarke started off day two with bullets in the first two races of the day and Freddie Sunderland and Eleanor Whitmarsh of Solihull School took first place in the third race of the day.  The final race of day two was won by George Garcka and Zac Skagerlind of Our Lady of Sion School Worthing.

Successfully having completed seven races over two days, navigating the highly changeable range of Chichester Harbour weather, winds and tides, a parade of brightly coloured spinnakers with beaming sailors aft headed back to Itchenor Sailing Club having been part of a brilliant and long-to-be-remembered 2022 Itchenor Schools Week. 

Itchenor Schools Week 2022 Results  

The top school prize went to Royal Hospital School.

Overall Winners

Last updated 13:27 on 26 January 2024