CHIPSTEAD SAILING CLUB As part of Chipstead’s special events to celebrate its 50th Anniversary, the recent marathon relay proved to be an excellent new addition to the racing programme. There was quite a buzz of excitement amongst the 74 members taking part, as well as spectators throughout the day as the 13 teams of mixed classes of dinghies each sailed a total of 18 laps. Each team could have a maximum of nine helms, with the proviso that the total of their personal handicaps (PH) equalled or exceeded 11,000. Some teams chose to sail with as few as five helms, the minimum allowed, with four of the helms having to sail two sessions of two laps. The PH’s had been compiled by the Club Sailing Secretary, Geoff Burrell, from last years handicap race results using the principles of the RYA Portsmouth Yardstick. Using these results, team captains had spent many an hour adjusting their team make up to achieve a combined PH as close to the 11,000 as possible.

At the end of each two laps, a partly filled plastic milk bottle had to handed, thrown or retrieved from the water by the next competitor in each team, which resulted in some interesting and hair-raising manoeuvres.

A dry sunny day, with a mainly south-westerly fresh breeze throughout, en-hanced the enjoyment as the race progressed and team captains juggled with their order of sailing, and the officers of the day kept an beady eye on the competitors places, which proved a trifle nerve wracking at times.

That the PH’s worked reasonably well was borne out by the fact that after some five and a half hours racing, nine of the teams finishing 2nd to 10th, did so within some seven minutes of each other. However "The Untouchables" team of Steve Kippen (captain, sailing a Finn), Jane Marshall and Peter Morphew (Toppers), Robert Jollye and Peter Hazelwood (Scorpion) and Andrew Hubble (Laser) lived up to their name by winning with a seven minute margin.

That we had teams as diverse as the "Teacher’s Pets" - all beginners, "The Chipstead Belles" - our lovely lady members, "The Young Ones" - exclusively junior helms, and an almost totally family team of the Savells, "The Burning Sprockets", illustrated the interest and enthusiasm generated by this unique (as far as we know) event.