April - May

August - September 2009
9th Aug 18th Aug 31 Aug 7th September 11th September 13th September 27th September

27th September
An Indian summer with a very slight NE breeze gave people just enough to get round both races on Sunday 27th September. 24 boats took part including a flotilla of 7 lasers in the slow handicap ! Sunday points winners in the fast race were Richard White and Martyn Styles in their RS400 with Simon Cory and Claire Hansell 2nd. Seb and Jason Hansell won the slow in their RS200 with Roger Philips and Atticus Hansell 2nd in a Laser2000. The autumn points next saw the slow race result reversed. But a special mention for top dog laser sailor Alex Church who beat the 6 other lasers hands down in both races, swopping from a radial rig in the first race. Rosie Lord's Byte saga saw yet another phlegmatic finish with no capsizes ! Fast race winners remained the same but Chris and Helen Stubbs took 2nd in an RS400, Ed and Sarah 3rd and Simon into lowly 4th !
13th September
A foul NE ruined the weekend somewhat. The training Saturday with Hugh Styles and Helena Lucas had some brilliant theory and some shore based boat work but vicious waves made launching and landing dangerous. This was underlined when Annie's byte was catapaulted into the air and one member was struck with a rather expensive carbon mast. This required a hospital visit but there seems no lasting damage. The Norman Aitkins trophy race on Sunday had two legs postponed but some 'tough nuts' completed one race. Out of only 9 starters 3 did not finish. Simon Cory and Claire Hansell took the honours with Chris Shelton 2nd and Nigel Cureton 3rd in his Contender.
11th September
Stop press; Championship updates Adam Heeley now world and national champion in an SB3 was competing just north of Lisbon at Cacais. The crew weight limit is 270 kg so can be sailed by 3 large or 4 small sailors. There were 54 entries from 7 countries over 5 days in the Atlantic. They were sponsored by 'Gill'and led on every race day but with slim margins. Simon Cory and Claire Hansell are now national champions in their Buzz with Ed and Sarah styles 3rd, raced at the Solent. Chris Catt who it would seem can race anything, was 3rd in the RS200 nationals, 2nd in the RS500 nationals 2nd in the Europe nationals at Herne Bay. Junior members in the Kent team were winners of the team prize at the 'National school sailing association' nationals. Mark and Clinton Styles were 3rd at the Hornet nationals and Eric Styles and Alex Church were 4th. There is still to be an update on Hugh Styles in his Catamaran at Poole.
7th September
There has been frantic national and international news breaking for Downs members. A remarkable win for Adam Heeley as helm of his SB3 in Portugal to win the world championship, fresh from winning the nationals, more details on the class website and Yachts and Yachting magazine. Chris Catt was in the Europe nationals at Herne Bay this weekend, results still waiting, Simon Cory was in the Buzz nationals in the Solent, and Hugh Styles was in the F18 nationals at Poole all will be updated. Nearer home things have been no less remarkable, Rosie Lord finished a race on Sunday without capsizing, though whilst celebrating duly went over, and gurgling profanities were heard by Jeremy ! New junior member Oskar Bisset in his tiny brand new Tera beat half the fleet in both races. Nigel Cureton is top dog in the fast fleet with two wins in his Contender, with Tony Cook 2nd and 3rd. Chris Shelton back from an Indian reservation in Texas won the 1st autumn points in his Phantom with James Blackman 2nd in his Radial. The Sunday points prior to this was clinched by Seb Hansell the pointing expert (not Bricks) in his Topper with Chris in lowly 2nd. The conditions were warm sunny SW 2-3 gusting 4 with a vicious tide in the 2nd race. Calling all those single handers who want some olympic tuition from Hugh Styles, then contact Ysanne Spicer,for an all day session this Saturday, the 12th of September . There are full details on the club door notice boards if in passing
31 Aug There was a sad end to the evening sails with a cancelled race on August the 27th due to high winds. But it has been a successful year, with the Tuesdays in particular being very well supported almost rivalling the Thursdays. The most recent excitement must be the remarkable win for Mark Styles in the Commodore's Cup on Sunday. By his own admission he would regard himself as a casual and occasional sailor, but that hides a deep knowledge. The youngsters even with their weight advantage were always going to be in trouble the minute he touched the water in the club Topper race. 24 sailors took the plunge with husbands pitted against wives and children. One particularly fierce battle was between Martyn Wyman and wife Catherine at the rear of the field who were barely speaking at the end ! 3 races had to count with a final race for the best of the bunch after the heats. Mark won two heats and only had to finish in the final to scoop the prize in a tricky and gusty 4-5 sw. There was a notable performance for Hamish Walker, but where were topper experts of the year ? we'll put this one down to old experience !
18th Aug A light evening breeze held out on Thursday evening to see all competitors complete the race on what turned out to be a lovely summer evening despite the rain earlier in the day. First across the line and winner of the fast handicap fleet was Dick White and Chris Catt in their RS400. In the slow handicap fleet Chris Shelton in his Phantom lead from start to finish with the real action taking place for 2nd place between James Blackman and Roger Phillips. After a close tussle it was James in his Laser that crossed the line first taking 2nd place overall. Sunday saw much stronger gusty winds from the SW with Dick White again winning the first race in the fast handicap fleet but this time Chris Shelton had to settle for 2nd being beaten by Steve Comfort in his newly acquired streaker. In the second race Ed and Sarah Styles took line honors in the fast handicap fleet and Roger got his first place in the slow handicap fleet making up for his disappointment on Thursday.
9th Aug
Finally the Bank Buoy Scramble results were correlated. It resulted in a win for the Restalls in an RS200 Eric and Clinton Styles 2nd in a Hornet( Eric always seems to be in the top three for this event) and Richard White and our Commodore in 3rd in an RS400. Sunday the 2nd of August sunday points 3 saw yet another win for Frank Catt in his Streaker in the slow with Annie Lindley 2nd in her Byte, Seb 3rd in his Topper. Ed and Sarah won the fast, Eric and Clinton Styles 2nd in a Hornet. Though this race only contained 5 boats probably due to Cowes week. Summer points 7 had 21 boats with Frank Catt ruling the waves again, seb Hansell 2nd and strangely Annie Lindley did not finish this time. Eric styles finally got that win in the fast with John Cass and Julia Blackman 2nd in a Buzz. There has been very good turnouts for the Tuesday evenings despite the manic sundays. There were 18 boats on the 4th of August only 4 in the fast which Ed and Sarah took easily. Brian Cory's Mirror stole the show in the slow with father and son duo Rory and John Sharvill 2nd in a laser 2000. Thursday the 6th was hit by a summer calm, thankfully rare this year. Sunday the 9th sunday points 4 saw John Cass and Julia Blackman beat Ed and Sarah in the usual craft. The Restall's RS200 were onto frank in the slow to force him in to 2nd. Summer points 8 had 8 knots in a N.E and much better sailing. Dom and jenny Johnson's RS800 took the fast handicap honours, ed and Sarah 2nd. Frank had Sharpened his claws for the next race and pushed the Restalls into 2nd leaving them muttering about handicaps in the corridors. Steven Comfort was 3rd in another Streaker, it must be the warm weather!

August - September 2009