The Walker Challenge Race

The Walker Challenge Race started at the Harwich entrance off Dovercourt Breakwater early on Saturday morning with winds gusting up to 30 knots from the west. The Class 3 boats got off to a flying start, fetching out to the Medusa buoy, with only McGregor III attempting to fly a spinnaker. The Class 1 and 2 boats were hot on their heels, with spinnakers being flown by these larger yachts. Adrian Lower's new Swan 44, Selene, made the most of her waterline length in the windy conditions to set a fine pace.

By the time the fleet had got to the North East Gunfleet buoy, Judy and Jason Payne-James' Dufour 44, Heartbeat III, was out in front and led the fleet up the upwind leg all the way to the River Crouch, followed by the Class 1 boats who quickly overtook the smaller yachts in the fleet. Fortunately the tide was fair up the river but most of the boats took over 8 hours to complete the course. Heartbeat III took the line honours on the Royal Burnham Yacht Club line, with Oz Privateer, a Prima 38, and Inn Spirit (a local built Humphreys 36) battling it out to be next to finish.

In Class 3, McGregor III, the smallest boat in the fleet (a Highlander 28) just pipped Tony and Chuffy Merewether's Sunfast 32, Amazon, by 8 seconds to take the class win on corrected time.

Adrian Lower's Selene won Class 2 on her debut outing, with second place to Paul Scott's Sigma 38, Spirit.

At the prizegiving and barbecue in the RBYC, the competitors were all in agreement that it had been a tough race.