Reggie Bennett Trophy

On 14/15 September, Seaview Yacht Club on the Isle of Wight hosted the Reggie Bennett tournament in Seaview Mermaids. This inter school / alumni team racing event was founded by Noel Dobbs in 1998 with fellow alumnus Sir Reggie Bennett (https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reginald_Bennett) who was then Commodore of WSC. This team racing event gives current pupils and alumni at Winchester and Radley the opportunity to race in keelboats, experience one of the UK's oldest yacht clubs and forge strong bonds with generations. Many OW sailors from the '90s onwards remember this event as a highlight of the school year and sailing calendar. 

After a convivial dinner between the teams on the Saturday night, Sunday had beautiful sailing conditions with ideal sun and wind. Teams from Winchester College, Wykehamist Sailing Club (WSC), Old Radley Sailing Association (ORSA) and Seaview YC battled it out in some of the best team racing we've seen in recent years. The current pupils impressed with some very competitive sailing and impeccable manners, while the OW team, including local sailing legend Noel Dobbs, were dominant in the round robin. After lunch, we managed to complete a second round robin with WSC once again finishing top. 

Given time constraints, we progressed to single race finals (WSC vs ORSA) and petty finals (Winchester vs Seaview). 

The final was very competitive, with lead changes on every leg of the course. WSC were leading at the last mark but in an unstable combination, and ORSA were just able to gain the one place they needed to win the competition for the first time in several years.

WSC secured the Reggie Bennett Trophy for inter school / OW competition, while ORSA won the overall Doglievsky “Dog” Bowl. (The Wellington Trophy and inter school trophy were awarded by default to ORSA, and Winchester in Radley school's absence).

Thank you very much to Seaview Yacht Club for hosting, and Jim Eynon (H, 1994-99) for organising and captaining the WSC team.

WSC team:

 - Jim Eynon (Captain) (H, 1994-99)

 - Noel Dobbs (D, 1950-55)

 - Mike Toogood (H, 1978-82)

 - Gerard Cloke Brown (B, 2014-19)

 - Pete Boden (H, 1994-99)

 - Oliver Gordon (K, 1999-04)

 - Alastair Morley (B, 1993-98)

It was also great to see Caspar Gray (B, 2016-21) following a long tradition of Wykehamist race officers and running an outstanding set of races.