The Deben Yacht Club celebrated its 150th Anniversary with a Sesquicentennial Regatta on the 16th and 17th July, including the first Over 40 National Championships. In total there was a good turnout of 43 boats, 18 of whom were visitors largely from Waldringfield SC — next door down river. Unfortunately, despite this special event in the Mirrors, there were no visitors in this class and just five of the helms out of the 18 qualified for the Over 40 event.
Conditions on the Saturday were not exactly ideal for sailing, with little wind all day, before it died almost completely away as the tide turned. A practice race enabled the visitors to familiarise themselves to the upper reaches of the Deben before the first race (2 to count) in the afternoon. The fleets set off down river, but as the wind dropped, twenty boats had to be towed in and only the most patient crossed the line.
The weather on Sunday looked to be little better and the light southerly wind forced a Committee Boat start past the cut, where there was more, if shifty, wind, This gave the opportunity for some close battles in many fleets, particularly the Mirrors. The front runners, led by Matthew Ambrose, pulled away from the rest of the fleet, between whom there was some very close racing indeed. Jeanne Harman was the first ‘veteran’ home in this and the final race after lunch. This was blessed with a good steady breeze, and even some sunshine, and competition was close enough in all fleets for the top places to be still undecided. In the Mirrors, Matthew’s second win of the day secured him overall first, with Jeanne leading the Over 40s to take the Championship.
RESULTS OVERALL:
LARKS
1. P. & K.Wilton,WSC
2. L Harris & T. Auber, WSC
LASERS
1. R. Cooke, DYC
2. C. Woodard, ASC
3. C. Whittle, DYC
WAYFARERS
1. C. Johnson & I. Mitchell, WSC
2. J. Hammond & C. Wilkinson, WSC
3. D. Suskins & D. Fisk, DYC
MIRRORS
1. M. Ambrose & R. Duce, DYC
2. E. Bellfield & A. Rich, DYC
3. C. Finbow & P. Warwick, DYC
4. P. & C. Morgan, DYC
Cadets
1. K. Barnes & G. Davidson, WSC
2. J. Cooper & E. Thompson, WSC
3. P. Krailing & A. Barber, WSC
MIRROR OVER 40 NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP:
1. J. Harman & B, Alexander, DYC
2. D. Shipman & H. Morgan, DYC
Editors Note: This article is from Reflections No. 79 Winter 1988, pages 12 and 13. It has been captured by OCR, so typos & errors are possible.
