Sailing: Lass is more at Itchenor ... excitement reaches Feva pitch at Chichester

When the wind was up, the challenge for the leaders was to hold off Lass. Felix and Perdix did their best on Saturday morning but had to settle for second best. Perdix gave up a third place when she retired realising she had sailed the wrong course. On Saturday afternoon Ted Roose’s Thora took up the challenge and, as a result of a cracking start against the strong ebb, held first slot for two legs until she was overhauled by the rampaging John Tremlett driving Lass. On Sunday morning Thora again took up the mantle of challenger, but again she had to settle for a close second. Sunday afternoon was a different kettle of fish for the competitors. The previous brisk wind all but died to leave the fleet struggling to cross the start line. The boats that succeeded took the top slots with Ilex in prime position. Well done Barry Field – a first race win in 46 years and he told all that would listen as he celebrated at the bar. Lass, and Falconet in the hands of Captain’s Cup winner Peter Lawrence, failed to finish – demonstrating a degree of fallibility that will give hope to the rest of the fleet. A steadier breeze returned for the last race on Sunday morning with the wind, still wet and cold, veering to the south east. As the fleet enjoyed a tour of the harbour Lass eventually overhauled the early leaders Perdix and Relaxation. Perdix’s second place in the final race was enough to give her second in the series as she finished on the same points and counting results as Thora – an interesting exercise for the scorer. With four firsts from five races, Lass was the winner of the Felix Bowl. Results: 1 Lass (Richard Jordan, Richard Bullock, John Tremlett) 3pts; 2 Perdix (David Humphrey, Julia Plumstead, Michael Shaw) 8; 3 Thora (Ted Roose, David Priscott, Chris Blevins) 8. CHICHESTER The RS Feva open at Chichester Yacht Club, supported by Zhik, took place in cold conditions. The top crews – Elliot Wells and Jake Van Todd, Samuel Grade and Katie Prescott, Lauren Miles and Esther Fenton-Jones and Anna Prescott and Jess Eales – battled it out at the front of the fleet. Prescott and Eales had a broken outhaul and had to retire from race three, but after a quick repair on shore they returned for race four. Sadly the wind died off in the third race, which made conditions challenging with the fast-flowing current and light winds. After the racing, all came ashore for a tea. The prizegiving followed. Thanks went to race officer Martin Orton and his team of helpers for a great day’s sailing. Results: 1 Elliot Wells & Jake Van Todd (Hayling SC), 2 Samuel Grade & Katie Prescott (Lymington Town SC), 3 Lauren Miles & Esther Fenton-Jones (Emsworth SC), 4 Anna Prescott & Jess Eales (HISC), 5 Chay Taylor & Stirling Taylor (Burnham-on-Crouch), 6 Phoebe Warren & Tabitha Peel (Emsworth SC). BOGNOR Fresh winds provided an exciting on-the-water experience to many who had not sailed before at Bognor YC’s open weekend. The club’s catamarans and dinghies were sent out to give visitors the opportunity to experience the adrenalin rush you can get from the sport. Bognor’s ribs were also kept busy giving rides throughout the weekend. Participants ranged in age from pre-school to pensioners and they came off the water with big grins on their faces. The club are grateful to Sport England, who enabled them to purchase the catamarans which were much-used over weekend. The weekend also featured a disco and a barbecue. Many new members signed up as a result of their visit and several have enrolled for a course with the club’s RYA-recognised training school. Further information about the club can be found on bryc.co.uk BOSHAM Bosham Sailing Club’s annual charity race around the Nab Tower kick-started the season for the cruiser fleet – despite wet, windy and cold conditions. A total of 16 boats and over 60 crew started at West Pole with a fine run in the fresh north-easterly force five. The sky lifted, the brave flew a spinnaker – a winning decision – and the rest stuck to plain sail. Rounding the Nab ended the fun. The beat back was hard and cold. Mainsails were reefed, but sails split, furlers jammed and six boats retired. For the remaining ten who finished, it was a hard slog against a ripping ebb tide to reach the finish at Bar Beacon. The Nab Tower Trophy was retained by the Oyster 42 Sundancer, skippered by Phillip Riesco and John Nelson, in a winning corrected time of 2hr 35min. The last boat to finish made it in 4hr 30min. The charity race raised more than £200 for Chichester Harbour Trust. Afterwards, the Nab Supper at the club was enjoyed by some 45 participants, glad to be swapping stories of derring-do in the warm and cosy atmosphere that epitomises Bosham SC.