The Club was very pleased to hold its first Open Meeting of 2020 on Sunday 23rd August. Twenty two Blazes entered for an exciting day of racing overseen by Race Officer, Phil Aspinall, was saw everything that happened.

Blazes fighting for position in front of the Committee Boat. Photograph by Gavin Kemp

The blustery conditions of Sunday certainly helped blow away the cobwebs and rustiness of competitors and race management alike when the RCYC hosted our first open event of the year, the Blaze East Coast Championship.  There were indeed a few visitors to join the ranks of this exciting new fleet of single handed dinghies – 22 boats competed over the 4 race series won on countback by Ben Harden (BSC) from James Hutton-Penman and Malcolm Hutchings.  There were plenty of capsizes across the whole fleet, the PRO displayed the black flat more than once.  3 different race winners (Ben, James and Andy McIvor, a visitor from the Blackwater SC), lots of big smiles and tired limbs at the end of the day.  A well organised and socially distanced prize-giving and apres-sail added to the success which was a credit to the whole club, organisers and support team as well as competitors.

The winner – Ben Harden. Photograph by George Winder.