Thames Sailing Club v Arun Yacht Club

Sigrist Trophy Challenge - Second leg

The river sailors of Thames Sailing Club adapted to the very different demands of coastal sailing to win the historic Sigrist Trophy in the second leg of their team racing match against Littlehampton's Arun Yacht Club, based at Littlehampton.

Three crews from each club competed for the 1920 Sigrist Trophy, originally presented by Fred Sigrist, a founder of Kingston aviation company, Hawker. In the first leg, sailed on the river in Thames SC's Victorian-era `A' Rater yachts, the home team won, but Arun sailors hoped to make their local knowledge pay on the return match, off Littlehampton, in Tempest keelboats, a former Olympic class.

In light winds on Saturday Race 1 started well for Arun, with David Robinson taking a winning lead; but as the race progressed Thames's Julian Smith, John Reay, and Martin Hunter took second, third and fourth, giving Thames a points victory. In Race 2 Thames's Smith and Hunter seized first and second early on to give Thames their second win, but it was Race 3 which saw the best team racing.

After the Thames team got themselves in a real tangle at the start Thames's Kevin Pearson blocked two Arun boats long enough to let his team mates, Reay and Mark Edmondson, recover. Reay then sailed well to catch Colin Meadows in the leading Arun boat and forced him beyond the turning mark, allowing Reay and Edmondson to take a winning lead, giving Thames a comprehensive victory in the Sigrist Trophy challenge.

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