Chichester Harbour Race Week 2026 - Day 2

As forecast today's weather came in stronger from the east to provide a different course for Series A and B with start lines on the Pilsey sands, weather marks laid in the Itchenor Channel south of Astra, and with a gybe mark on the winner bank. Prior to the first start the wind strengthened to force 5, pulling further south, but then settled to a solid force 4 easterly to provide excellent racing for all fleets and a classic CHRW day.

On Series A in the Fast Handicap, it was a day for the Fireball of Simon Kings and Jono Looe to excel and they took handicap honours but only by 9 seconds from the Merlin Rocket of Simon and Jackie Lytton. The Merlin of Judith and Graham Williamson came in 3rd on corrected time.

The Flying 15's had their usual close racing with many place changes and it was Mark and Anne-Marie Wood who eventually won the day.

In the Hadron H2/D-Zero it was a superb day for Richard Leftley in his Hadron with a commanding win. Simon Pettit rolled back the years with a good win in the competitive Finn class, leaving him overnight leader ahead of David Hitchcock on equal points.

The stronger winds were much more to the liking of the RS800's in the Fast Asymmetric class with the first 4 places being taken by them. The winner of the pack being Bryan and Anne Ormand. The RS400's were again winners of the Slow Asymmetric but this time it was Andy and Allyson Jeffries from Eastbourne Sovereign SC taking the winning gun. However, it may have been different if the 59er had seen the green starboard round course flag and sailed the course correctly!

There were new names at the front of the RS200 fleet with Alan Roberts and Chris Witty HISC, winning followed by Ian Martin and Lucy Preston. However Aiden Mitchell's consistency leaves him in second place tonight.

On SERIES B It was impressive to see how quickly the 2000's completed the larger course today and the winners were Justin Smith and Jumbo Olphert followed by Paul and Caroline Fisk. In the Medium Handicap one time CHRW Finn champion Neil Robinson crewed by Alex Coles from Mengham Rythe SC won on corrected time in an RS Vision. Tom Kennedy from Emsworth Slipper won the Aero 7's while the Aero 6's were taken by Kevin Duce from Burghfield.

Today's Aero5 winner was Iona Williams followed by Debbie Caldwell while yesterday's winner Carol Fiddaman came in 3rd. In the Solo's local lad Alex Butler HISC won a good race from Paul Lewis, although Paul leads the fleet overnight. In both the ILCA4 and ILCA6 classes the winners were the same as day one. the only classes for this to happen, with Ella Gardiner winning the ILCA4 and Thomas Knight taking the ILCA 6.

RS Feva XL winners today were Richard Hewitt and Max Murphy from HISC.

Tomorrow the forecast is for slightly less wind but again from the east, and starts will be slightly later.

Event website: chichesterharbourraceweek.sailevent.net