CLUBS & SOCIETIES Alleynian Sailing Society Commodore: Graham Nicholls Hon. Secretary: Anthony Frankford (62-69) Email: anthonytfrankford @ gmail.com three years. It was the first time in the crew’s collective memory that Alistair Capon (73-80), now Secretary of the Arrow Trophy Yacht
Wellington, the other school to qualify for the final and having led the fleet racing overall on Saturday, were sure to provide tough competition. On Sunday, Dulwich benefited from the starboard entry to the start line sailing away fromWellington to complete a comfortable victory. Wellington had the starboard advantage for the second race which was then postponed mid- way through the pre-start following a 30 degree wind shift. When Match 2 did get underway, Wellington got the better of the pre-start and levelled the score. In the final match, Dulwich changed their approach and attacked Wellington with greater boat speed. This enabled us to come out on the right side of the umpire’s decision, with Wellington being penalised. Even with this advantage, Dulwich out- sailed Wellington around the short windward-leeward course, ultimately crossing the line a few minutes ahead to regain the Arrow Trophy last won in 2014 and further boosted the College’s reputation as one of the best sailing schools in the UK. Congratulations to the whole crew, and it was great to have John Tudor back in the team after a c.20 year absence, and to welcome Ben
Racing Association, was not on board to give his usual team talk ahead of racing on the Saturday morning. The forecast was for modest winds, gusting 18 knots, with the occasional shower. The Dulwich team set off into the ‘Central Solent’ ahead of four planned fleet races, with the team aiming for a top four finish that would ensure they progressed to the Sunday’s match racing. We made a solid start with a 3rd place in race one. Despite the building wind, the race committee which had enforced a single reef in the first race allowed a full sail plan for race two. Dulwich got a good start, gusting now 35k we rounded the first mark near the front of the fleet. Winchester (defending Arrow Trophy winners from 2015) were dismasted, enabling us to sail past and take 3rd. We finished first in the next race in what was the third and final race due to worsening conditions, which meant we finished 2nd overall.
I have been involved with the ASS since its conception. I sailed with Archie Shaw on the first boys week, and have been on most since. I helmed our first two entries in the Arrow trophy. Becoming Commodore has been a great honour and a pleasure. During my tenure we have strived to develop a wider base for our membership and encouraged a number of youngsters to get involved. We now regularly have 50 or so at our annual dinner and the Arrow trophy is a very popular event in our calendar. The boys’ week, which was once threatened with extinction, is now re-established as a very important part of our activities. It is a particular pleasure to see young OAs assisting; these are young men who sailed with us as College school boys and now are continuing as adults. Arrow Trophy Report 2016 The Arrow Trophy saw 25 schools compete over the course of a weekend in October with Dulwich taking over responsibility for running the regatta for the next A note from our Commodore, Graham Nicholls, who is standing down at the Society’s AGM, February 2017
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