Event REcap
Kestrel Nationals 2025 - Stone SC
Day 1 – Race 1
A windy day saw the fleet launch with varying degrees of trepidation.
Racing was right on the edge, with Sandy & Ailsa (1632) deciding early on to retire when their jib halyard snapped, followed by Karin Grice with her last minute stand in crew. It’s always lovely to see Chicken (408) on the water – the oldest boat currently racing – though her bright pink feathers were a little ruffled in the stiff breeze.
The start was hard fought, and the newest boat in the fleet, 1652, sailed by Mark Pollard & Andy Gladstone made good progress around the course, with Steve Worf & Dave Hearsum (1636), Stewart Murdoch & Ken Scott-Brown (1648) and Malcolm & Dans Worsley (1638) fighting hard.
The Le Mares in 1650 were fast but had some trouble with manoeuvres, putting them comfortably mid fleet with Paul Gray and Jules Batchelor(1600), Dean Saxton and Mark Harman (1593), Chris Grice & Kenny Hobbs (1472) and Paul Wilkinson & Jane O’Brien in 1605.
The leeward mark was the first big challenge, with the majority of the fleet choosing to wear round rather than gybe. Notable exceptions were Malcolm & Dans who not only risked the gybe, but were also the only boat to fly their spinnaker, gaining several places.
The second time around the course was increasingly eventful, with gusts of up to 30 knots. Steve & Dave were in the lead and sailing beautifully when they swam dramatically whilst wearing round, and then were separated from their boat by the wind.
This left Howie Enkel & Danni Tebbut in B Cup (1574) sailing their usual superb race, hotly pursued by Stewart & Ken in Pure Dead Sea Thing. After them came Mark & Andy in 1652 and Malcolm & Danny in the Grey Shark, followed by the Le Mares in Trilemma.
As the 30knot gust hit the front of the fleet Pure Dead Sea Thing lived up to her name by spending some time upside down with the mast stuck in the mud, and B Cup also rinsed the burgee thoroughly.
In fact, staying upright proved highly effective, with the top three finishers being those who didn’t succumb –
- Andy & Mark in 1652 (Starcross SC)
- Malcolm & Dan (Royal Tay)
- The Le Mares in Trilemma (Portchester SC)
11 of the 16 boats finished the race and all should be congratulated on surviving such tricky conditions.
It does demonstrate the delight of sailing such a capable and enjoyable boat in big winds, but the fleet decided discretion was the better part of valour, and there was much relief when the OOD cancelled all further racing for the day.
Day 2 – Race 2
After day 1’s race, which saw more Kestrels upside down than the right way up, we woke up some very light and questionable winds. Regardless of the windless situation the fleet went out and started race 2 perfectly on time.
Howie and Dani got a great start and flew up the first beat and rounded the windward mark first, followed by Chris and Kenny (who managed to round the mark instead of capsizing on it this time) then Malcolm and Dannielle, with our oldest boat in fleet 408 ‘Chicken’ sailed by Karin Grice and Phil Aspinhall rounding the windward mark in an impressive sixth position.
Unfortunately the rules got in the way and they had to give water to a few others who ended up getting through them on the next leg.
Once on the run the spinnakers all went up and there were a lot of changes of places, apart from Howie and Dani who were just cruising further ahead of the fleet.
Onto the second beat and again there with many place changes, which saw Sandy and Alisa in 1632 stay inshore and went from fifth to third rounding the second windward mark.
Then the confusion happened….
It turns out Kestrel sailors don’t know the difference between a letter E and a number 4. So we all headed out to the wrong mark.
So after a lot of going about and getting confused as to which mark we were meant to be going round all the kites went up again and we all managed to go round the correct course mark.
Sandy & Ailsa and Malcolm & Dannielle came out best after the mass confusion, claiming back second and third spots down the run. Howie and Danni had built up an impressive lead but they seemed to find a big hole down the run, all they could do was sit and watch the fleet come down on them.
They did however manage to hold on and claim a very impressive win for race 2.
Final positions mentioned:
- Howie and Danni – 1st
- Sandy – 2nd
- Malcolm – 3rd
- Chris & Kenny – 4th
- Stewart & Ken – 5th
Unfortunately the remaining scheduled races were cancelled due to a total lack of wind.
Day 3 – Race 3
Got under way in 11 to 16 knots of winds on Thursday morning.
Stewart & Ken made a blinding start and easily led at the first mark. (So blinding, that they were, in fact, OCS )
The first leg with the wind coming over the land became a fetch full of (annoying) holes – a condition which recurred throughout the day. Howie and Dannie fought through these to be second at the first mark and using their terrific downwind speed had taken the lead by the leeward mark from whence they proceeded to do a proper horizon job on the fleet.
Malcolm & Dannielle, after a so so first leg, fought through to challenge Stewart and Ken, eventually coming home 2nd.
Stewart’s start turned out to be OCS so the (unwitting) race for 3rd was conducted between:
- Chris and Kenny in 1472
- Ian and Alastair in 1644
Chris and Kenny prevailing.
At this stage the Championship was becoming a fight between Howie and Malcom, who were both clear of the field.
Race 4
In gusty conditions race 4 got under way with Stewart and Ken in 1648 first out of the starting blocks up the beat with strong gusts keeping the fleet on their toes.
Rounding the windward mark first was 1648 (Stewart & Ken) followed by Malcolm and Dannielle in 1638 then Ian and Alasdair in 1644.
An exciting long run run followed, most boats screaming along on the edge of disaster, boom ends nearly in the water… before starting round 2.
The second round gave the fleet fickle winds and some gusty moments. Howie and Danni in 1574 came through the front of the fleet to push 1636 hard to the line coming 2nd after Malcolm and Dannielle in 1638.
Stewart and Ken came in third but was over the line (again) at the start allowing Ian and Alasdair in 1644 to get third.
A much needed lunch was required after the morning’s sailing.
Race 5
The eagerness continued into the final race of the day. Everyone was trying for an OCS award, but the race officer decided a general recall was necessary instead.
Much confusion followed, was it 10 minutes? Was it 5 minutes to the start? Half the fleet went for 5 whilst others took a more relaxed view.
Still, there were contenders for an OCS award.
Malcolm and Stewart battled for the lead over most of the course, with positions changing 3 to 4 times, and Malcolm edging it at the finish.
Rich & Liz moved into 4th followed by Steve & Dave until both layed down at the gybe mark allowing Dean & Mark through.
Andrew and Mark in the newest boat showed great heavy weather control until Andrew performed a double backwards somersault with tuck: and fell out of the back of the boat.
Howie & Dani would have finished 3rd, but took an OCS allowing Dean & Mark to take the hard fought position.
Day 4 – Race 6
The light and fickle winds were back on the final day of the Championships, and as Howie and Danni had pretty much confirmed Malcolm and Dans as 2026 National Champions by being OCS in Race 5, competition was for the lower step on the podium.
In a 3 way Royal Tay fight for the win, Malcom and Dans took it from Stewart and Ken with Sandy and Ailsa third, the long runs against the tide being particularly trying for many competitors.
Howie and Danni had been over the line at the start, went back and fought their way back up to fifth.
Race 7
The light winds were still there as the fleet started what would be the last race of the Championships.
There were plenty of shifts, holes in the wind, and decisions to be made on how closen to the shore to sail to escape the tide.
Howie and Danni lead all the way round, until the last beat, when, not covering, they found themselves in a wind hole as it filled in from the shoreside, giving Malcolm and Danns their fourth win of the series, with Stewart in second and Ian third, Howie scraping across the line in fourth.
With an amazingly consistent four firsts and a second to count (discarding two seconds!) , Malcolm and Danns were again worthy National Champions for 2025.
Championship results :
