Thirty-one boats entered the National 12 Open Meeting hosted by Royal Harwich Yacht Club over the Bank Holiday weekend, 26-28 May. The weekend consisted of competing for the Half Model Trophy - a points series of six races and a separate race for the Burton Salver. The hot and sunny weather, together with a mainly light to moderate breeze, provided excellent racing conditions. John Selby (OOD) and his team set superb courses making the best of the sometimes shifty conditions.

Saturday began with 2 points races sailing in a force 2-3. Race 1 was closely fought between Chris Mayhew and Charlotte Ibbotson, Tom Stewart and Elizabeth Ross and Bruce and Henry Johnson all from the home club. Mayhew and Ibbotson took line honours with Stewart and Ross taking the Johnsons on the final beat to finish second and third respectively. Race 2 was won by Steve Sallis and Jenny James from Hykeham Sailing Club, followed by Stewart and Ross then Mayhew and Ibbotson.

The Burton Salver's start on Sunday morning was postponed for an hour to allow sufficient water for the fleet to launch. The Burton Salver has traditionally given the competitors something different from the close circuit racing by offering the competitors a race down river and back. The race began with one short windward mark followed by a long reach to a mark positioned just off Levington. The windward mark was very hectic, with the fleet splitting for the reach with all the boats trying to keep out of the flooding tide. Antony Gifford and Jo Brown from Aldeburgh YC led, with Nigel Waller and Rebecca Johnson chasing through the fleet. Mayhew and Ibbotson also caught up to third and that is how they finished. Notable performances came from Patrick Elcombe and Carol Shore from Middle Nene SC whose downwind speed was impressive which gave them fourth place. This race also saw the youngest helm of the weekend with Alison Martin swapping with her helm Bim Daser from Ranelagh SC.

Races 3 and 4 followed after lunch. Race 3 was initially led by Mayhew and Ibbotson but they dropped back after an unfavourable shift, enabling Stewart and Ross, to lead. There was a lot of place changing with Sallis and James, the Johnsons, and Graham Camm and Zoe Ballantyne sailing their recently launched boat all amongst the action. Stewart and Ross took the gun, followed by Mayhew and Ibbotson then Sallis and James. These first three boats were now looking the most consistent.

Race 4 saw Mayhew and Ibbotson build a comfortable lead for 2 laps only to loose it when a rope became jammed down the centreboard case. Sallis and James sailed through to take line honours, followed by John and son James Whitehead from Redesmere SC, with the improving Gifford and Brown taking third. Mayhew and Ibbotson came in fourth only to later be disqualified after a protest following an incident with the Whitheads. Gifford and Brown and Jon Brown and Guy Johnson were also involved in an incident which was later resolved in the protest room. The eventual result was that the original witness to the incident was disqualified!
Races 5 and 6 were sailed on Monday in yet more sunny conditions with a building force 3-4. Gifford and Brown led from the windward mark and maintained their lead to the end, with Mayhew and Ibbotson second, followed by Camm and Ballantyne.

Race 6 had a similar start to Race 5 with Gifford and Brown leading from Mayhew and Ibbotson at the windward mark. However Mayhew and Ibbotson and Stewart and Ross had a close tussle for clear air on the reach slipping them both down the fleet. Gifford and Brown took line honours to finish on a high note with Sallis and James securing the overall win with a second place. The Whiteheads came in third with the all lady crew Frances Gifford and Janes Jones taking fourth.

The results were as follows :
Half Model Trophy
1st Steve Sallis and Jenny James, 3436, Hykeham SC, 12 points
2nd Chris Mayhew and Charlotte Ibbotson, 3437, Royal Harwich YC, 17 points
3rd Tom Stewart and Elizabeth Ross, 3465, Royal Harwich YC, 18 points
4th Antony Gifford and Joanna Brown, 3447, Aldeburgh YC, 20 points
5th Graham Camm and Zoe Ballantyne, 3469, Burton SC, 27 points

Burton Salver
1st Antony Gifford and Joanna Brown, 3447, Aldeburgh YC
2nd Nigel Waller and Rebecca Johnson, 3461, Royal Harwich YC
3rd Chris Mayhew and Charlotte Ibbotson, 3437, Royal Harwich YC

Under 21
Richard Williams and Sarah Mayhew, 3450, Royal Harwich YC

Non-Double Bottomed Boat
Bim Daser and Alison Martin, 3410, Ranelagh SC