Tim Takes The Title

Gunfleet Sailing Club members enjoyed another race with a difference when they took part in the competition for the John Venables Trophy on Sunday 3 August 2025.  The course was set so that every race mark must be circumnavigated, with a common turning point between each one being the AWS buoy.

With wind from the south west, and speeds of 15 gusting 21 mph, it meant a mixture of rigs being chosen and soon the helms were vying for the best place to approach the line.  Whilst the seconds counted down so the craft crept forward, all near the Outer Distance Mark with the majority on starboard tack ready to head out to sea.  As the class flag dropped, signalling the start, the beat down the coast to the St. Michael’s buoy got underway.  Amongst a myriad of sails heading seaward, three helms decided to head to the shore on port, so reducing the impact of the negative ebb tide; Tim Dye leading the defiant trio in his RS Aero, followed by Emily Cossens in her Solo, and then Paul Jacklson, also in a Solo.  Dye managed to slip between the fishtail of the groyne before putting in a tack but as he headed out he was met by an armada of dinghies, all having tacked and now heading in towards the beach; he passed in front of Brian Allen in his RS Aero but just behind John Tappenden, also in an RS Aero.  Cossens, spotting the rather crowded waters, decided to keep going out to sea so, whilst running the risk of being confronted by a stronger adverse tide, knowing she would have clean wind.  Meanwhile Dye tacked again, caught his foot in his toe strap and nearly flipped the boat but corrected himself just in time.  Despite this faux-pas he was first round St. Michael’s mark and ran swiftly back to AWS before beating to the Eastcliff buoy.  Andy Dunnett, in his Laser, was laying second on the water, followed by Allen and then Dave Ingle in his RS Aero; Cossens held off Jackson and Yvonne Gough was the second Laser.  After Eastcliff it was back to AWS and then a further beat, this time to the Lilley Farm mark.  Dye maintained his lead and, in fact, opened the gap, whilst Allen pulled ahead of Dunnett.  Returning to the now familiar AWS it was then a reach out the Seaward buoy before a reach back to AWS and it was at the offshore buoy that both Allen and Dunnett rounded the mark the wrong way and were disqualified.  Cossens capsized at AWS and, requiring assistance from the Club Safety Boat, was forced to retire.  Meanwhile the remaining competitors ran to the Preston Park buoy, beat back to AWS before a reach to Kingscliff and then through the finish line.  Finley Taylor retired in his Topper, the course proving quite gruelling, and special mention must be made of Gough who not only came third but won the Austin Trophy for the first lady home.     

The John Venables Trophy:
1.    RS Aero – Tim Dye
2.    RS Aero – John Tappenden
3.    Laser – Yvonne Gough

Austin Ladies Trophy:  Yvonne Gough