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ARROW TROPHY REGATTA
This two-day regatta brings together Independent School alumni teams to compete in the challenging waters of the Solent. Teams sail short fleet races on the first day in two fleets of one-design yachts. The top four teams move on to day two, where they compete in a match-racing series to determine the final rankings and the overall winner, whilst the remainder fight out the fleet positions. Dulwich College has a strong history in this competition, winning silverware many times in the past and finishing fourth in 2023, taking home the Radley Shaker trophy. This year, we welcomed some new faces to the Arrow Team. As older, more experienced crew make way, we can introduce recent OA leavers to the sport and open opportunities to them for life. Joining the 2024 crew were Ewan Plowden-Wardlaw (13-24), George Hill (18-23) and Will Moore (20-22).
ROUND THE ISLAND RACE (RTI) 2024 In June, we entered a yacht in the RTI after a few years away. It’s an ideal race to ‘blood’ crew members who haven’t raced before and is one of the biggest participant sporting events in the world, attracting sailors and crews of all experience levels. A mixed society crew of RTI ‘old hands’ and first timers set out for the weekend with high hopes. Race day dawned with very marginal, 30+ knots wind forecast. Unsurprisingly, after an hour of very tough, soaking wet and difficult racing, we retired, returning to Cowes in 45 knot gusts. Sailing on for seven or eight hours more in such severe conditions with a less experienced This year there were six yachts, skippered and crewed by a mix of older and younger Alleynians, along with twenty-two boys in total and two school staff, Raj Joshi and Victoria Goldsack. It was another successful week on the Solent with the English summer throwing a wide range of sailing conditions at us. We spent two nights in Yarmouth harbour and made the most of the Yarmouth Sailing Club facilities during a wet and windy afternoon spent by the boys’ learning seamanship and navigation. We were fortunate to enjoy a sunny but windy crossing to Beaulieu where our Admiral (Joe Spence) joined us; helming the Commodore’s boat on a short trip down to the Beaulieu entrance, flipping burgers at the BBQ and watching the England Euros game with the boys. I’m sure that many of the boys had to pinch themselves when they told their parents! It was a great sight to see. crew just wasn’t an option. BOYS SAIL TRAINING WEEK The BSTW week truly is a team effort, facilitated and conducted by the College, the Friends and the OA skippers and crews, so I’m very grateful for everyone’s contributions. ALLEYNIAN SAILING SOCIETY My first year as Commodore of the Society, succeeding Richard Sainsbury (63-72) has been an interesting and very busy one since our AGM and lunch held alongside the James Caird in early March. As one of the society’s original aims was to be open to members from across the whole Dulwich College community, it was immensely gratifying to welcome several parents to the AGM lunch: Robyn Asher (co-chair of the Friends) with husband Jon, along with Stephen Lock and Helen Dingwall (parents of pupil James Lock). Staying in contact and retaining active links with our few remaining founders is integral to our approach, so Honorary Secretary Anthony Frankford (62-69), my partner Michele and I, hosted a lunch for founding members Martin (42-48) and Bernie Godfrey, Alan (41-46) and Gabriella Pollard, and my mother Anne Capon at Chichester Yacht Club in March. Many of our current skippers and crew enjoyed their very earliest sailing experiences with those same founding members. It was a fun and laughter-filled lunch updating on society plans, remembering past rallies, old friends, the very first Boys’ Sail Training weeks and early Arrow Trophy regattas, with our guests still showing their same mischievous sparkle despite an average age of 86!
Day one conditions were ideal for racing with a steady breeze and sunshine. A strong start is crucial, and we jockeyed for position near the front of the fleet. This made for exhilarating close encounters crossing the starting line. Navigating the course requires careful strategy, balancing tide and wind direction, while smart tactics, smooth sail handling and flawless manoeuvres are key. We performed well, holding our own around the course. However, we couldn’t pull ahead of some of the competition and after one or two tactical calls that split the fleet, we missed out on a place in the top four. Day two was frustrating at best. Fluky winds and a strong tide challenged the fleet over two long races, which severely tested our light wind sailing ability and patience. We did well to finish both races (compared to several other boats who failed to do so), leaving us with a solid mid-table finish of seventh overall. We might not have won silverware this year, but it was a great outing for the team – especially those learning the ropes onboard. Add in the traditional shoreside hospitality in Cowes and a wonderful regatta dinner held at the Royal Ocean Race Club (RORC) and it made for a great weekend. Our thanks to Reg Kheraj for organising the crew, logistics and for skippering the boat. We also took a big step and somewhat of a gamble, by submitting a proposal to the OAA to enter the RORC Fastnet race for 2025. Whilst this hasn’t ultimately proved to be successful, we’re setting our sights higher and increasing our ambition to enter more racing events to give our members wider racing opportunities and to become better sailors. By publication, we’ll have enjoyed a Christmas lunch at the Little Ship Club in London, adding to a programme of social events and helping our drive to stay in touch with our members, young and old, active or less active and at different life stages. Where else could you enjoy a sport and pastime where the mix of members range from 18 to over 90? Alastair Capon (73-80) Commodore
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