Sunday saw Welland Yacht Club welcome sailors from the Ouse Amateur Sailing Club in West Norfolk and North Hykeham Sailing Club to compete in the Wash Rivers and Edgar Bain Trophies.
Historically the Wash Rivers event was competed for between Welland, Witham, Denver and Whittlesey clubs – all based on rivers that flow into the Wash. Later Peterborough, Ouse Amateur and North Hykeham joined the list.
The trophy dates back to the mid 1950s. The Edgar Bain Memorial Trophy (named after a former Welland commodore, 1958-59) was originally competed for by Welland, Wisbech, Denver and Snettisham Beach Sailing Clubs, who all had a close association with Bain.
Now it is awarded to the highest-placed individual competing in the Wash Rivers race. Clubs enter teams of three boats, giving each team nine scores, of which the worst one is discarded.
The Edgar Bain is competed for over three races with two to count. There is also a tankard for the highest-placed competitor over 50 years old (second highest if the overall winner is over 50).
Welland’s three teams consisted of Gail Follington (Comet), Helen Boyd (Solo) and Neal Tack (Laser); Mark Scourfield (Solo), Keiron Powell (Laser) and Alan Cox (Laser); and Tom Bell, Alan Chapman and Alistair Mitchell, all in Lasers.
Ouse lined up with two teams: Bob Pope and Sue Pogmore (Albacore), Ian Bradley (Streaker) and Nigel Rolland (Heron); and Howard Hawks (Heron), Charmaine Rutland (Streaker) and Dave Cooper (Laser); plus Zair Middup (Topper) and Isaac Ashworth (Laser), competing as individuals.
The Lasers of Chris Mummery, Michael Robson and Steve Sallis made up Hykeham’s entry, giving a total of 20 boats.
The fleet was split into two groups, with Ouse’s Albacore and all the Lasers (11) making up the first start (being the quicker by handicap). The rest of the classes – Streaker, Solo, Comet, Heron and Topper – started five minutes later.
The wind appeared to be lacking for the first race so the shortest course possible was set. Welland’s Chapman and Munnery, of Hykeham, were neck and neck but Hykeham’s Sallis soon took the lead with Pope and Pogmore (Ouse) gaining second place by the time they cleared the club grounds.
The wind picked up slightly for the second start with Bradley (Ouse) and Boyd (Welland) closely followed by Scourfield (Welland) and Ryland (Ouse) as the whole fleet made their way up river to buoy 2, rounding it for the run back down to buoy 1 and the finish.
First back was Sallis, followed by Powell, Robson and Bell with the first of the second starters, Bradley in the Streaker, in overall fifth place to emphasise the effect of handicaps.
The Herons of Rollard and Hawks finished 18th and 19th with the Topper of Middup last across the line. However, once handicaps were applied, the top five saw a 1-2-3 for Ouse in the shape of Rollard, Hawks and Bradley. Welland took fourth and fifth places through Scourfield and Boyd.
With the wind looking set to strengthen, the course for the second race was increased to buoy 3 for two laps. Cooper and Sallis led the way, followed by Robson and Cox. Sallis pulled clear once beyond the club boundary. The second start saw Bradley edge ahead of Scourfield, followed by Ryland and Hawks. With the fleet rounding buoy 3 and running back to 1 it became apparent one lap would be all that would be possible in a reasonable time.
First across the line again was Sallis, ahead of Cooper, Munnery, Bradley and Pope-Pogmore with the Herons and Topper again at the back of the finishing order. After handicap, it was a win for Ouse’s Bradley, with Welland’s Follington second and Scourfield third, ahead of Hawks and Rollard.
After a break for lunch, the wind again showed positive signs for the final race so the course was left at 3-1 twice.
This time Powell took the initial lead, from Cooper and Sallis. The second start saw Bradley and Ryland edge it from Boyd and Scourfield.
With the wind still looking good for two laps for at least the faster boats, it was only the last four boats that finished with a single lap time.
With the wind dropping, this made for a long race.
Sallis again crossed the line first, followed by Munnery, Bradley, Bell and Pope and Pogmore.
Handicaps brought a second win for Bradley, with Sallis second and Munnery, Robson and Bell making up the rest of the top five.
With all the results compiled, the winning team was Ouse’s Pope, Pogmore, Bradley and Rollard, beating Hykeham’s Sallis, Robson and Munnery by three points.
Ouse’s Hawks, Ryland and Cooper took third place, followed by Welland’s Follington, Boyd and Tack, then Scourfield, Powell and Cox and finally Bell, Chapman and Mitchell.
Edgar Bain: 1 Bradley, 2 Rollard, 3 Hawks, 4 Scourfield, 5 Sallis.
Rollard picked up the tankard for the highest-placed over 50-year-old.
Next year North Hykeham will host the event, with Ouse following in 2025.
This Sunday Welland Yacht Club hold the annual open meeting, open to any sailor from any club.
