Race Report 26^th July 2026

It was a fine day, sun and clouds, but in view of the blustery W wind, and the fact that sailors were recovering from the sumptuous feast of the SGSC Summer Party the evening before, the course was switched from a C (for which some had arrived early) to an A (for which some arrived late).

Three Enterprises started: James Armitage and Ella Hayes in Zephyr; Lev and Inna Kolobov in Porpoise; Joe Armitage and Paul in Big Polly;  Felicia Biekark and Aerial in the Leader, Distant Thunder; and Nick Jeffery and daughter in his Duckling, Eeyore.  Rebecca Hayes rigged her Mirror, but did not start.  Sam Shemtob and Emma in the Wayfarer, SY2, turned up 20 minutes after the start.

Lev was first round the first mark, but James overtook and worked out a long lead by the end of his eight laps.  Joe had to retire with a broken forestay.  Lev and Felicia battled around together and were close until the last lap, when the Leader shipped a lot of water.  Nick Jeffery went steadily round and completed a very creditable 5 laps, and Sam did 4 once he got started.  All crews did well to stay upright.

Thanks to Tim Young, supported by Bob and Christina Hayes, for safety boat duty.

The corrected times show that Nick was the winner, by the finest of margins, over James in the Handicap Cup points.

Nick Floyer, OOD.

Next week is a 1630 start for an A or B Course.

OOD: Mary Brown.     Sunday’s race took place in the continuation of the heat wave that we have enjoyed or endured for many weeks – an evening race with a 17:40 start, and a F2-3 N wind perfect for a B course.

This is a corrected version with Rob in second place. The Master of Sums apologises for his previous error.

7 boats launched through the slimy mud that has accumulated on the foreshore in the warm and rainless weather.  Three Enterprises: (James Armitage in Zephyr with daughter Ruth; Rob Adams with Ella Hayes in Big Polly; Lev and Inna Kolobov in Porpoise);  Chris Greenwood and Felicia Biekarck in Distant Thunder, Leader; Joe Armitage in his Laser, Punt; and two Mirrors (Olly Adams and daughter Felicity in Spinosaurus; and Rebecca Hayes in Wagtail).  All got away promptly on a running start from the OOD’s position at No.1 Strand and quickly disappeared from the OOD’s view behind vegetation on the Middlesex shore.

Andy Ross, after a struggle to prepare a safety boat swamped by the wake of a passing boat, and having recovered the engine from a dip in the river, set a long B-course with a buoy down towards Chiswick Staithe. 

The leader of the fleet, James, hove back into sight about 12mins after the start, beating elegantly to windward with the flood tide to turn and cross the start line after a lap of about 18 mins.  He was followed closely by Lev, then Joe, then Rob, then Chris.  They all chose to run down the Surrey side where the wind and tide were most helpful.  The second lap was a variation on the pattern with following group being Rob -Lev- Joe – Chris.  Lev experimented with the Middlesex side on his third and final lap and suffered for it.  James finished just before the hour followed by Rob, then Chris, then Joe with Lev about 10 mins behind.

The Mirrors had a harder time of it with the flood tide competing hard with the variable  north wind.  Olly finished his second lap just after James finished his third but decided he would continue for a third lap anyway.  He said It was such a lovely day to be out on the river.  Becky persisted heroically on her own to finish her second lap in about an hour and a half.  

Next week is the famous SGSC Summer Party on Saturday and a C-course on Sunday at 12:30. 

Mary Brown, OOD, and Henry

Race Report 12^th July 2026

James Armitage’s Enterprise (Zephyr) crewed by daughter Ruth got a perfect A-course start against son Joe’s Laser (Punt), both boats crossing the start line at the far end of the transit bang on time. The OOD had postponed the start by 5 minutes to 12.05 to allow Commodore Felicia Biekarck (sailing Tamir Gottfried’s Laser) to get to the starting area in time (after a speedy Laser rig, launch and club lock-up) unfortunately capsizing in the final 3-minute count down, giving Dave Baker in the safety boat some extra activity. Stan also sailed a Laser (Keith Clarke’s Kaia) while Lev raced his Enterprise (Porpoise) single-handed.

Joe quickly pulled ahead and completed his first triangle in exactly 7 minutes, two and a half minutes ahead of James, Lev another minute behind with Felicia having pulled ahead of Stan. Some close Laser sailing saw Felicia ahead of Stan by 30 seconds after two rounds. Six seconds separated Felicia ahead of fleet leader Joe as they beat past the line – after 3 and 5 laps respectively.

Distractions on the bank saw a confusing ending with a shortened-course yellow flag raised by a long-standing club member, who insisted on a shortened-course hooter too… Having missed a first-place finishing honk, Joe went on to sail a 6-minute eighth lap of victory after a 7-lap  53 mins 55 secs winning time, Lev completing 6 laps in 57 mins 47 secs and James and Ruth completing 7 laps in 58 mins 4 secs. Stan clocked up 6 laps in 1 hour and 12 secs, while Felicia cooled off with a second dip in the Thames and completed 5 laps in 1 hour 5 mins and 7 secs after the start signal. The OOD will brush up on the SGSC racing rules before his next duty.

Nick Jeffery (OOD)

Race Report 

Sunday 21 June 2026

OOD: Nick Jeffery

SB: Enoch Rodriguez+ Andy Ross

Weather: Light Easterly breeze. Sunny. Hot

A prospective new member (with a Firefly) approached the club as boats were being prepared and a three-Laser line up was achieved, thanks to our Commodore Felicia racing back from a rowing event in Henley bringing son Kiran. 

Keith Clarke (Kaia, Laser) and Joe Armitage (Punt, Laser) launched, and a pit-stop team had Kiran Biekarck’s Laser 5.7 (pink & blue sail) in place and launched 10 mins before the start of a triangle A course, ably laid by Enoch Rodriguez and Andy Ross.

The 6-minute horn went at 19:00 at the Bell & Crown start line. As the 3-minute warning was sounded, Kiran was being plucked from a capsize into the safety boat and Felicia paddled towards his laser in a kayak. Keith was just over the line at the start that Joe timed perfectly at 19:06. 

Felicia dived in to pick up where Kiran had left off towards Kew Bridge and joined the race two minutes after Joe had completed his first lap In 7 minutes 21 seconds). Felicia completed her first lap 21 minutes 40 seconds after the start (but 12 minutes 26 seconds after her start) and Keith completed his first lap 15 minutes 20 seconds after the start (some time having been spent recrossing the line). 

The OOD decided to wrap up after Joe completed 7 laps in 43 minutes 20 seconds, believing the breeze might drop and competitors were tired after the Tideway race the day before. 

Keith completed 4 laps in 46 minutes 32 seconds and Felicia completed 4 laps just 3 minutes 26 seconds behind, with a smaller sail and a nice gust for the final leg. 

Even without adjustment for the late start the final corrected time results were: 1. Joe / 2. Felicia / 3. Keith. The Master of Sums confirmed that these results would have stood even if 9 minutes had been removed from Felicia’s time. 

Nick Jeffery (OOD)

Race Report, 17^th June 2026

OOD: Heather Adams;    Safety Boat: Rob Adams

A late afternoon ‘long’ B course – a tricky wind changing direction and gusting.   Four boats set off with James Armitage in the lead (crewed by Ruth in Zephyr, Enterprise), a lap took nearly 30 minutes.

Competition ensued between Chris Greenwood (with Felicia in Distant Thunder, Leader) and Lev Kolobov (with Inna in Porpoise, Enterprise) with Chris finishing second in the end a minute ahead of Lev after two laps.

Patrick Lane-Stollen launched in Ellie (Laser) but eventually retired – but all enjoyed the challenges of the race.

Heather Adams, OOD

Next week is an A/B course, starting at 13:20.

Race Report: Sunday, May 31

Today we had an A-course, starting at 14:45—one hour earlier than our programmed schedule due to a typo in the calendar.

Five boats on the start line. Racing in Enterprises were James Armitage crewed by Ruth (in Zephyr); Dave Berger crewed by Sheila (in Entre Nous); Lev Kolobov crewed by Ina (in Porpoise); and Rob Adams sailing single-handed in Big Polly. On the Solo (Tango), we had Lennert Pronk. Mid-race, Patrick Lane-Spollen joined in for some friendly sailing on his Laser, and Sam Shemtob also took his Wayfarer out for what looked like a downriver tour. OD duty was covered by Felicia Biekarck, with Chris Greenwood in the safety boat (SB).

The weather was less sunny than in previous days, yet it offered a great westerly breeze, with some stronger gusts, but overall fantastic and unusually steady by our Strand standards.

The race started with James/Ruth and Dave/Sheila paired in the lead, followed by Rob and Lev/Ina, who finished both the first and second laps side-by-side in a tight competition. Lenny started with a bit of a delay but reached the first mark right in the pack. His second and third laps were rather adventurous, featuring a pit stop among the trees on Oliver’s Island followed by a capsize; but as usual, he was up for it all and chased the race to the end, completing 5 laps.

James/Ruth crossed the finish line first at 51:41 minutes, Dave/Sheila at 55:26 both boats with 7 laps completed. Lev/Ina at 52:15 and Rob at 53:00 with 6 laps, and Lenny 53:48 with 5 laps.

It was great to have such a good turnout of boats despite the early start. We also had a fantastic SGSC fan club cheering from the bank at Bell&Crown, with David Jones and little Magnus (a 5th-generation Armitage) supporting officer duty, and our honorable Margaret Berger with family having a great time enjoying the view. So nice!

The Handicap system gave first place in the Handicap Cup to the Bergers (we don’t often have the pleasure of their company so their handicap is low). They pushed the Armitages into 2nd place in that Cup, but were first in the Class and Polly Prizes. And all the Enterprises were pretty close on the adjusted lap time.

I look forward to seeing you all in the water again next Sunday.

Felicia

Next Week: Sunday, June 7th

• Work Party: 10:30 AM
• Race: Late A/B course, 18:20 start
• Duty: Heather Adams (OD) & Rob Adams (SB)

Hoping for a race report – apparently a nice race down to Hammersmith Eyots and back with the tide with very little wind.