I suppose that after running this event for so many years one might expect it all to go really smoothly, but there are so many aspects to manage, as well as variables beyond one's control - such as the weather - that it is always very pleasing when everything runs like clockwork and all the plans work out. Such was the case for this year's Coppet Week, with only a minor glitch here and there, such as the delay to the committee boat setting out from the harbour on the first morning. 'Happy Hooker' was fulfilling her name by securing her line around the committee boat's rudder skeg, but thanks to a bit of underwater work by merman Tom Eyre this was soon freed and Sherpa Mor was out on duty.

A full week's programme and more!

Whilst a few wanted more wind or a different sort of wind, the weather was pretty kind to us this year, with very reasonable racing all six days of the event. Calmer weather can favour the slower classes and, although the top sailors are always at the head of the results through their skills, it is good to see junior dinghies such as the Topper getting results well up the batting order. A notable feature of the races this year was the impish wind shift just before the start of virtually every race, requiring the course to be tweaked to ensure the best sailing geometry! The ultimate in freak wind was for the last race where it swung from east to south to east and back, and the resulting leg providing a beat with a 90 degree turn round the committee boat in it. This race was restricted to just one lap as the wind was started to fall away. Having finished the last boat round, a good breeze reappeared and in beautiful sunny conditions a 60-minute Pursuit Race was added which was almost the highlight of the week. This was as thrilling and enthralling as we had hoped. The staggered start with boats departing slowest first, gave the Toppers the lead and it took some 40 minutes for the pursuing faster classes to get to the front. It was neck and neck to the finish at the 60-minute point when Richard Dee and Chris Gould (Merlin Rocket) just pipped Ben Pickering (Blaze). Feedback suggests that this addition to the week was very popular and will be included again if conditions permit.

The Sunday Race raised £355 for the RNLI from entry fees and Alisdair James accepted the pennant on behalf of the winner and thanked the RNLI for their ever-present vigilance and support for sailors everywhere.

Results

The unique number of different classes of dinghies competing in this event has already been highlighted and this of course adds to the complexity of prize awards. The overall championship is divided into two fleets (above and below 1050 handicap). Slow fleet results were dominated by family partnerships: 6th Mike and Marty Whittaker (GP14), 5th Steve and Jasmine Stubbs from Tenby SC (RS200), 4th Guy and Charles Humphreys (RS200), 3rd Ian and Ben Fryett (National12), 2nd Chris Winters and Megan Ward (GP14), 1st David and Sophie Edwards (National12), which also gained Sophie the Under 18 crew award. Fast fleet results: 6th Chris Gould and Ian Smith (Fireball), 5th S. Hunt and R. Critchelly (Merlin Rocket), 4th Ben Pickering (Blaze), who also gained the Under 18 helm award, 3rd Richard Dee and Matt Smith (Merlin Rocket), 2nd Rob Kennaugh and Abi Spurr with Robin Wood (International Canoe) taking the St. Brides Spa Hotel - Coppet Week 2014 Championship. The character of Coppet Week is reflected in the other special prizes awarded beyond the championship which embrace the variety of the event: Mike Whittaker gained the over 70s helm, still sailing a GP14 at a mature age! Richard Dee took the over 60s helm and Janet O'Connor the over 60s crew, both in Merlin Rockets - energetic stuff for would-be pensioners. Steve Clark (International Canoe) secured the over 50s helm and Ian Smith (Fireball) the over 50s crew. Cathy Goodwin (Miracle) received the Lady Helm award. Andy Way gained the stamina award for sailing in the most races, but with the most points. Daniel and Ruby Jackson (RS200) led the SSC entries in 25th place overall, with James Richards (Topper) being our leading Junior. Cerys Goodwin took the Topper class prize, Ian Leiper the Solo class, Niall Campbell and Jane Smee the Enterprise class and Rob Whitehouse the Laser class prizes. David Edwards (slow fleet winner) kindly gave a vote of thanks to the club and expressed the views of all competitors that it had been a really good week yet again and that they all looked forward to coming back for more next year. Commodore Martin Andrews concluded proceedings by thanking all the visitors for participating and extending a very sincere thanks to all club members and supporters who helped run the event, both on and off the water, reminding us all that these things only go so smoothly with the help of all the people working hard to make it so. Raffle

There was huge delight that the star raffle prize of the luxury weekend presented by St. Brides Spa Hotel was won by Cathy Goodwin (another Miracle for her family!). Club members Rob and Liz Talboys and longstanding Coppet competitors Gordon and Ruth Evans can both also look forward to their prize meals as other winners of the raffle.

Picture Gallery

No doubt a great many amazing shots were taken during the week, but many thanks to our official photographer Tony Charles who has kindly provided a great professional photographic record of the event which can be found at http://saundersfoot.weebly.com/coppet-2014.html">http://saundersfoot.weebly.com/coppet-2014.html

Skipper's Mate