The North Lincs & Humberside Sailing Club (NLHSC) staged its two-day Regatta on 18-19 July, drawing a fleet of 20 boats from NLHSC and Welton Sailing Club for eight short handicap races across the weekend.
Fleet makeup and conditions
The event’s handicap format allowed a wide variety of classes to race, including a Miracle, Heron, Topper Xenon, Solo and Supernova. However the ILCA fleets proved dominant: ILCA 7 and ILCA 4 entrants made up 15 of the 20 entries, and the ILCA 7 sailors took nearly all race honours.
On Saturday competitors faced a steady, somewhat unusual northerly wind of 10–15 knots. Race organisers set a figure-of-eight course with two upwind legs at either end of the lake, producing tight, competitive racing throughout the day. Sunday offered similar wind strength but the course was changed to a box shape featuring a single upwind leg, which tightened finishes even further.
Race winners and overall result
The ILCA 7 fleet dominated the scoreboard across both days. Individual race winners included:
- Will Kebbell — winner of race one on Saturday
- Russ Skelton — race wins on Saturday (races two and three) and another win on Sunday (race three)
- Owen Eyles — winner of race four on Saturday
- Sam Skelton — winner of race one on Sunday
- Brian Henline — winner of races two and four on Sunday
After the eight closely contested races, Russ Skelton took the overall Regatta victory, with Brian Henline second and Sam Skelton third — all sailing ILCA 7s for NLHSC.
| Position | Class | Sail No | Helm | Club |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | ILCA 7 | 204006 | Russ Skelton | NLHSC |
| 2 | ILCA 7 | 182561 | Brian Henline | NLHSC |
| 3 | ILCA 7 | 216509 | Sam Skelton | NLHSC |
Club atmosphere and next steps
Beyond the racing, competitors and club members enjoyed a social evening on Saturday featuring live music, a barbecue and camping, which organisers said complemented the on-water action. With the regatta judged a success, NLHSC has indicated it looks forward to welcoming sailors back for the 2027 Regatta.
For readers seeking more detail on results and club news, NLHSC maintains a Facebook presence where race results and event photographs are shared.
