Itchenor Sailing Club
 Burgee | |
| Founded | 1927 |
|---|---|
| Clubhouse | Itchenor |
| Country |  United Kingdom |
| Commodore | Charles Hyatt |
| Website | http://www.itchenorsc.co.uk |
Itchenor Sailing Club is a sailing club located in Chichester Harbour which was founded in 1927.
Racing
The Sailing Club races every Saturday and Sunday from April to November with midweek racing for keel boats, as well as specific weeks for Class Regattas.
A comprehensive programme is run for keelboat classes: National Swallow, Solent Sunbeam, X-One-Designs and for jetty dinghy classes: International 14, RSK6, RS800, RS200, International 420, Topper and Mirror. Open Meetings are held for most classes, including the annual Schools Week.
The Mirror fleet at Itchenor is the biggest and most active fleet in the country and possibly the world [1] comprising just over 100 boats.
Sailing events
Junior Fortnight
Junior Fortnight is an annual series of racing that takes place over a fortnight during the summer holidays. It has its own Committee, headed by a Chairman whom oversees the running of Junior Fortnight.
As well as a racing programme which consists of ten to thirteen races in all, there is a social programme. The social programme includes two bops which occur on the first and last nights of the event, a talent show, themed parties, cricket matches and a prizegiving at the end of the fortnight.
This event, which is organised and run by Itchenor Sailing Club, sees competitors from neighbouring sailing clubs in Chichester Harbour. These include Hayling Island Sailing Club, West Wittering Sailing Club, Emsworth Sailing Club, Bosham Sailing Club and others
Schools Week
Schools Week (also known as Schools Championship) is an inter-schools sailing competition which is organised and run by Itchenor Sailing Club. It was started in 1953 under the name of 'The Public Schools Firefly Invitation Championships'.[2]
Competing schools include, Portsmouth Grammar School, Sevenoaks, Charterhouse, Oundle, Tonbridge, Bedales and Bishop Luffa to name but few.
The competing boats are 420s and Fireflies.[3] There are higher and lower fleet categories for competitors. In 1997-1999, Laser Radials were introduced to the class but didn't catch on.
Notable club members
- Vanessa Branson, businesswoman and sister of Richard Branson
- Michael Mates, MP for East Hampshire (1974-2010)
- Kate Winslet, actress and singer
- Olympic sailors
- Sir Peter Scott – O-Jolle (1936)
- David Bond – Swallow (1948)
- Stewart Morris – Swallow (1948)
- Charles Currey – Finn (1952)
- Iain MacDonald-Smith – Flying Dutchman (1968)
- Rodney Pattison – Flying Dutchman (1968) , Flying Dutchman (1972) , Flying Dutchman (1976)
- John Merricks – 470 (1996)
- Ian Walker – 470 (1996) , Star (2000)
References
- ↑ "Mirror Class page". Itchenor Sailing Club website.
- ↑ "Schools Week History". Itchenor Sailing Club website.
- ↑ David Priscott (July 6, 2009). "Schools Sailing Championships at Itchenor Sailing Club". Yachts and Yachting.