Inlands 2025 Report

Over the weekend of the 12^th and 13^th May 16 boats took to the water at Ogston Sailing Club to compete for the title of Inland National Champion.

Race one started in a F2-3 and with the wind coming from the south the course was set in front of the club. Russel and James Short were first round the windward mark closely followed by Martin and Abigaill Honnor with Jonathan Woodward and Mhair Ogilvie hot on their heels. At the start of the next lap Woodward and Ogilvie experienced equipment issue and dropped back to 5^th with Andy Gomm and Daisy Ross moving into 3^rd followed by Ann Jackson and Allan Skeens. On the next lap Jackson and Skeens went right while the rest of the fleet went left, at the top of the beat the Shorts held the lead with Jackson and Skeens now in 2^nd followed the Honnor’s, with Woodward and Ogilive managed to get back to 4^th on the final push for the line.

At the start of race two the Honnor’s again rounded 1^st followed by the Short’s, but at the start of the second lap the pressure had dropped and the wind had shifted, which saw both the Honnor’s and the Short’s work left on the beat, however Woodward and Ogilive stayed right opting for more pressure. At the top of the beat Woodward and Ogilive rounded 1^st followed by the Short’s. These positions were held to the finish.

In Race three the race officer reset the course as the wind had gone left, it was the Honnor’s who rounded 1^st followed by Woodward and Ogilive, with the Short’s further down the fleet after a poor start, and Jackson and Skeens retiring due gear failure. At the start of the second lap the Honnor’s were informed of being OCS, which allowed Woodward and Ogilive to take another win with the Short’s pulling back to second.

On Sunday morning the wind was now in the east and race four saw Mike Heap and Sarah Rumball round 1^st then the Honnor’s followed by Jacksons and Skeens with the Short’s in 4^th. Woodward and Ogilive having had a bad start were down in the fleet. On the second lap Heap and Rumball when left which had worked on the first lap but struggled to get right at the top of the beat and fell back to 4^th, allowing the Honner’s to break clear to claim 1^st with Jackson and Skeens covering the Short’s to the finish, while Woodward and Ogilive took a gamble and went right and pulled up to 5^th.

At the start of race five it was still all to play for and it was clear that the start and a good first beat was crucial, this led to the first general recall of the weekend. On the second attempt and under the black flag it was a new name at the front Luke and Mike Wilshire who rounded 1^st followed by the Honnor’s. With the Honnor’s trying to cover all options and protect from the Short’s this allowed the Wilshire’s to escape and win the race. Jackson and Skeens held on to 4^th but Woodward and Ogilive ended up 7^th.

In sixth and final race, the Short’s just had to stop the Honnor’s from coming 1^st to secure the overall win, but at the start the Short’s got pushed down into the second row with the Honnor’s securing the pin. Woodward and Ogilive opted for clear air and broke right, this proved to be decisive and rounded 1^st followed by the Honnor’s. On the second lap Woodward and Ogilive were forced to take a penalty after a tacking duel with the Honnor’s who then established a led which they held to the finish, the Short’s pulled up to 3^rd but this was not enough, meaning it was Martin and Abigaill Honnor who were crowned 2025 Inland National Champions.