35 eager Finn sailors entered this year’s UK Masters Championships, ably hosted by Hayling Island Sailing Club over the 25-26 April.
This year’s competitors included a couple of legends of the Finn fleet, Rob McMillan from Australia, the current IFA President, and Filipe Silva from Portugal, a recent World Masters champion, plus Cameron Tweedle, a recent three-time National Champion. It was great to see many new sailors in the fleet and several returning Finnsters. Several new Finn clubs were represented, with three entries from Rutland and Blackwater apiece, proving that it’s more fun to travel to BFA events with your mates and save on travel costs.
A 5-8 knot south easterly with sunshine was forecast for Saturday, and racing was held in Bracklesham Bay, east of Chichester Harbour, off the Witterings. In race one at the top mark, the fleet was led round by Lawrence Crispin from Stone SC, closely followed by John Greenwood of West Kirby SC, a two-time World Masters champion, followed by Silva and McMillan. These positions more or less stayed the same until the last downwind, when Tim Carver from Warsash SC, noticing a tide change, gybed early at the top mark and managed to pass all five boats and crossed for a deserved win. It was noticeable that the top sailors at the front of the fleet followed the wind shifts closely downwind, frequently gybing to maintain the optimal VMG to the bottom gate.
In race two, the ever-consistent Greenwood and John Heyes from Warsash SC led round the top mark, these two had a great battle round the course, with Greenwood getting the nod as they crossed the line.
Race three sailed in a decreasing wind; most of the fleet headed out to sea, hoping for a possible clocking sea breeze, but a few stayed left and were rewarded with a touch more wind. Daniel Dixon from Blackwater SC, with superior upwind speed, led round the top mark, followed by Greenwood and local sailor Mark MacDonald from Mengeham Rythe SC.
As the fleet crawled downwind in the dying wind, the race officer wisely decided to shorten course, and Dixon crossed for the win with a sizeable gap behind.
Sunday dawned with a chilly wind of 10-15 knots, and cloudy skies greeted the sailors for day two, with racing taking place on the more traditional area of Hayling Bay.
In race four, which started in a choppy sea, with the breeze gusting to 18-20 knots, the majority of the fleet headed left into the shore to keep out of the ebbing tide. Rob McMillan led, followed by a Cam Tweedle, a successful product of the BFA Under 23 squad and recent three-time British champion. The consistent Rob McMillan managed to stay comfortably ahead and crossed for his only win of the weekend.
Race five was almost a repeat of race four, with the fleet heading left, but this time headed by Tweedle, followed by the pretenders of McMillan, Silva and Crispin. On the last run, a storming Nick Craig, a multiple world champion in numerous classes, overtook the pretenders with his superior downwind technique, but he was unable to catch race winner Tweedle, who showed strong athleticism in his downwind technique to match Craig’s speed.
Nick Craig, sporting a new rig, storms downwind.
Race six was sailed in a declining breeze but still with an awkward sea state, and so was far more tricky with an oscillating wind and a turning tide. This was not a problem for 2026 UK Masters champion John Greenwood, who cemented his overall victory with a dominant win.
The UK Finn fleet continues to attract the top sailors, and the standard of competition at this year’s Masters event was particularly high. The depth in the fleet provided close and friendly racing for all levels of experience, across a whole range of wind conditions.
Thanks must go to HISC for hosting yet again a very professionally run regatta, with great courses, and it was good to see a sprinkling of new faces in the fleet, which bodes well for the rest of the season ahead.
John Greenwood collects the UK Finn Masters trophy from a strong international field.
Report by Lawrence Crispin
Results: Top 10
1st John Greenwood – 9pts
2nd Rob McMillan – 13pts
3rd Filipe Silva – 19pts
4th Lawrence Crispin – 23pts
5th Tim Carver – 25pts
6th Nick Craig – 28pts
7th Daniel Dixon – 33pts
8th Richard Sharp – 37pts
9th Cam Tweedle – 40pts
10th Michael De Courcy – 54pts
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