News - 31/08/18

The 2018 Contessa 26 National Championships is taking place in Cowes over this weekend, 1st and 2nd September. The event is hosted by the Island Sailing Club, and is sponsored via the Club by Wight Vodka. Shepards Marina is helpfully providing moorings for visiting boats at Rally rates. 

Whilst the Class is celebrating its 52nd birthday from the first launch date at Lymington, the concept of a Nationals is fairly recent and has been run for the last seven years. Racing and Championship trophies are for three separate classes ranging from Class 1 for IRC rated boats through to Class 2 (Class Handicap) and then Class 3 (Class Handicap without spinnakers). 

Needless to say, Class 1 will be highly competitive. Sadly, Round the Island Race winners of the Gold Roman Bowl for 1st overall Ross and Sarah Appleby are unable to attend, as Ross is involved professionally in the Round Britain race. However, 17-year-old George Smith who finished a creditable 3rd o/a in Round the Island will be competing, as will dual former National champion Chris Charlesworth in Meow, and also former winner Craig Cossar from the Royal Southern Yacht Club. They are joined in Class 1 by Rupert Houlton from Lymington in Elinor.

Classes 2 and 3 will also be competitive with several former Class champions involved, as well as two newcomers to the event. In these classes the Association particularly encourages and caters for those who are less experienced or new to racing, with an emphasis on the traditional Contessa 26 ethos of fellowship and event fun.

Contributed by Mike and Barbara Harrison (Class Secretaries)