It was fitting the RCOD regatta was held over the same weekend the club celebrated its 150th anniversary. The class now in its 86th year, reflects so much of the Royal Corinthian’s rich history and we hope some of its bright future as well.

As for the sailing, who could complain.  It was near perfect conditions over 3 days, clear skies and a sea breeze that kicked in from midday over the weekend  As usual, first mention must go to Edwin Buckley and Team Phoebe, withouth their indefatigable support this event would never happen. They  presided over 13 committee boat starts including a glorious spinnaker start under a spring tide for the last race of the regatta.

As for the racing, team Cormorant – Justin Waples, Steve and Lizzie Rands, Paul Buckley, and Karen Aylen – won the regatta, with Martin Makey’s Corinna in second place. For the first two days he was two up with John Harris working his socks off in the front of the boat for the windward/leeward series on Saturday.

Special mentions to Nigel Cole who returned to the fleet helming Coram for a guest appearance on Friday and it was great to see him back in the fleet.

The Coleman family now in their second year of owning Coriander are also starting to show a good turn of speed and we  await Paul Buckley’s racing debut after taking ownership of Coryphee with his father. And we shouldn’t forget Saturday afternoon when we were joined by our sister fleet at the Royal Burnham which made a blaze of colour and a great one design spectacle.

But it was the final race on Sunday which finished in front of the club that showed despite the advancing years these boats remain evenly matched.

Under spinnaker and a stiffening easterly Corsair, Coralie and Corposanto finished within 30 yards of each other. With seven boats out over the three days and at least two more out for Burnham Week we are now one of the club’s biggest fleets, so we are still very much part of the future.