The sailing programme at Stour Sailing Club Manningtree, had been suspended due to Covid-19 but as some restrictions had been lifted by September and people were keen to race, it was decided that the annual two-day Micro Championships at Stour Sailing Club Manningtree, should go ahead as planned and could be run within Covid guidelines. As some owners hadn’t launched their boat this year, a smaller-than-usual fleet of five boats took part in what has become known in the UK as the Manningtree Micro Worlds and Gem Nationals.

Micro tonners, the Micro 18 having been designed by Stephen Jones and the Gem by Rob Humphreys, are raced regularly at Manningtree throughout the summer and the club is proud of having what we think is the largest fleet in the country. With a lifting keel and substantial rig, these boats are widely sailed in other parts of Europe and usually raced with a crew of two of three who are often competitive dinghy sailors.

The format for racing on both days was, as usual, a passage race down the river Stour to Stutton followed by two 2 windward/leeward races and a passage race back up the river to Manningtree. Saturday’s racing was held in a brisk north-easterly and the sailors felt the effect of having done limited sailing so far this year and not being at peak fitness. Results were largely influenced by boat handling, gear reliability and agility. On the Sunday the wind was from the same direction but considerably lighter, producing some very close, exciting racing with tactics and speed dictating results.

The Micro Worlds result was taken from the four windward/leeward races with one discard and the winner by one point was Ed Roberts and Evie Clemance, with Ian Pavey and Ray Chittock second in Muscle and two points behind them Urchin, sailed by Will and Edd Harvey in third.

The Gem Nationals result included all the races over the two days with no discard and as it was decided that Ed and Evie’s boat isn’t strictly a Gem, having had modifications made to the keel and carrying a larger spinnaker than the others, the prize was awarded to Will and Edd Harvey with Ellie Bates and Holly Pavey second and Ian Bloomfield and Stef Goodwin third.

There was also a trophy for the winner of the passage race series, counting three of the four races, which can’t be won by the winner of the Micro Worlds or Gem Nationals, and this was won by Ian Pavey and Ray Chittock in Muscle with Ed and Evie second.

Prizes were donated by Stef Goodwin from Dolphin sails. Full results can be found by clicking the link Micro Worlds Results – 2020

There are more photos and videos from the event on Stour Sailing Club’s facebook page and more information about Micro racing at Manningtree on the club’s website at https://www.stoursailingclub.co.uk/micro-racing/