The Chase Sailing Club celebrates its Platinum Anniversary in Style

Steve McCarthy's Scorpion during The Chase Sailing Club 70th Anniversary Platinum Pursuit © Chris Anderson

Callum Anderson windsurfing during The Chase Sailing Club 70th Anniversary Platinum Pursuit © Chris Anderson

Steve Turner in the new Hartley Zenith during The Chase Sailing Club 70th Anniversary Platinum Pursuit © Chris Anderson

2025 marks a momentous year for The Chase Sailing Club as we celebrate our Platinum (70th) Anniversary, and what a year it's been so far! Over the weekend of June 28th and 29th, the club hosted an incredible two-day celebration of sailing, food, and live entertainment.

Our goal was to bring the entire Chase SC community together on the water, and we succeeded with over 70 boats, SUPs, windsurfers, and even model boats taking to the lake throughout the weekend. It was a fantastic sight to see all crafts enjoying the water together.

The Robline Platinum Pursuit - Saturday

Saturday greeted us with glorious sunshine, temperatures reaching 27 degreesC, and a steady breeze of 15 -28 knots, perfect conditions for what promised to be an epic race.

Race Officers Graham Flynn and Paul Lester arrived early to set a challenging course using the club's race marks. A total of 38 boats, 36 club entries and 2 visiting sailors were briefed, and racing kicked off promptly at 13:00. Participants ranged from seasoned pros to first-time racers.

Vice Commodore Steve McCarthy set the tone early in his Scorpion with a graceful capsize at the gybe mark, soon followed by others, including Matt Parkinson, who seemingly scheduled a cooling dip every 30 minutes. Despite only sailing for a year, Matt impressively battled round the course in a Phantom, finishing a well-earned 16th.

As the 120-minute race approached its climax, the battle for the lead came down to Sam McKay and James Vyse in a Kestrel, with Sam Coxon closing in fast in his Phantom. In a dramatic finish, Coxon just managed to pip them to the win. Well sailed, all!

Behind them, Elsa Minton in her ILCA 6, Richard Instone (Hagar) in his Solo, and Finn Watson in a D-Zero all had standout performances. The tough conditions were evident, out of 38 starters, only 16 boats managed to finish the demanding race.

Back ashore, the BBQ was sizzling thanks to Trish Blackham and her catering team. With delicious food, cold drinks, and the sun still shining, the lakeside was buzzing with post-race stories and laughter.

Commodore Chris Anderson gave a short speech and presented the prizes:

• 1st Place: Sam Coxon - Phantom
• 2nd Place: Sam McKay & James Vyse - Kestrel
• 3rd Place: Elsa Minton - ILCA 6
• Special Recognition: Matt Parkinson - for grit, determination, and a commendable 16th place finish

Sam Coxon wins The Chase Sailing Club 70th Anniversary Platinum Pursuit - photo © Chris Anderson

The Party - Saturday Night

As night fell, the Lichfield Room buzzed with excitement, filling up with over 100 guests eager for an evening of live entertainment. At 8 PM sharp, The Rattle Snakes hit the stage, and from the first chord, they had the crowd on their feet. With a setlist spanning everything from 60s classics to modern hits, they absolutely rocked the house. There were no bums on seats, everyone was up dancing, singing along, and soaking in the electric atmosphere. Forget Glastonbury, The Chase SC was the place to be! The energy didn't let up as the band played well into the night, capping off a truly unforgettable evening.

The Stag Cup - Sunday

Sunday arrived all too quickly, bringing more glorious sunshine but with it, much lighter winds. With the Stag Cup set for a noon start, Race Officer Chris Anderson laid out a simple figure-eight course. A brief postponement followed due to a glassy calm on the lake, but soon enough, a gentle breeze filled in and 25 boats lined up for the 90-minute pursuit race.

All boats had a clean start except Mark Blackham in his Blaze, who jumped the gun and, unfortunately, failed to return, ruling him out of contention.

The race was a true test of patience, skill, and the ability to read the wind shifts. Huw and Delyth Hopkins sailed their RS200 to near perfection, securing a well-deserved victory. Hot on their heels was Paul Lester in his Finn and Finn Watson in his D-Zero, claiming second and third place respectively.

Huw and Delyth Hopkins win the Stag Cup during the The Chase Sailing Club 70th Anniversary celebration weekend - photo © Chris Anderson

A special shout out goes to George Brook, who sailed his Topper in his first major event. With determination and grit, he made it all the way around the course and secured a solid 20th place finish. A fantastic effort and one to be proud of, well done, George!

A Fitting Finale

The final prize-giving was led by Commodore Chris Anderson, who thanked all sailors, volunteers, and supporters. The weekend wrapped up with smiles all around, marking a truly unforgettable celebration for The Chase Sailing Club's 70th year.

A heartfelt thank you to everyone who helped make the Platinum Anniversary Weekend such a success, here's to many more wonderful memories.

A huge thank you to our event sponsor, Robline UK, for their generous support of the Platinum Anniversary weekend. Their backing helped us deliver a top-tier event, both on and off the water.

Robline Platinum Pursuit 70th Anniversary Race Results:

Stag Cup Results: