The National Swallow Championships 2024.

Published 13:50 on 17 Jun 2024

With last year's 75th Anniversary Championships lost due to strong winds, the National Swallow Fleet feared that the same might happen this year, but instead the 2024 Championships, hosted this year by Itchenor Sailing Club, will go down as one of the most memorable.

Saturday, the day of the RTI race, was a no-go for 26 foot keelboats however seaworthy they may be, but on Sunday, a brave but slightly diminished fleet survived the wind against tide ebb at the entrance of Chichester Harbour to make it to Bracklesham Bay where conditions were only slightly more manageable but the decision was made to race. PRO Peter Taylor and his team efficiently set up a windward leeward course and all was set for some very exciting racing.

In race one, the left paid up the first beat leaving Simon Slater's Meridian and Mike Wigmore's Gwaihir fighting for the lead which Meridian only relinquished on the run in to the final mark. Osprey (James Hartley) was third.

With conditions if anything now even wilder, race two saw Gwaihir again dominant but this time it was Carolyn Brigg's Marengo with the second and Osprey in third.

The reduced programme meant that if only three races were sailed, all would count, so it was still all to play for. This time it was the pre-event favourite Nigel Masding's Svala that was first to the weather mark but most of the other contenders were caught out by the now flooding tide and we're well into the pack at that point. Gwaihir recovered to second to take the Championship, with the ever consistent Osprey holding off Marengo to take third, and along with that the runners up spot overall.

The Swallow Fleet is now predominantly based at Itchenor Sailing Club where a fleet of thirty boats, embracing quite a few champions from other classes, enjoy tight fleet racing every weekend from April to October. The championships are always held on open water and usually away from home.  For more information and photos see https://swallowclass.org

All photos © Kirsty Bang.

Full results are at https://www.itchenorsc.co.uk/isc-open-meetings/national-swallow-class-championships

Last updated 14:01 on 12 September 2024