Picture special and report: 100 sailors compete in Bosham Sailing Club's Masters regatta

“Champagne sailing” and the best home-made tea on Chichester Harbour – twin hallmarks of Bosham Sailing Club’s annual Masters regatta – lived up to expectations in spectacular fashion over the weekend 10-12 May.

Big fleets of boats, close racing and near-perfect south-easterly winds under cloudless skies made the Stride & Son-sponsored three-day event Bosham’s sailing highlight of the year so far.

And the cakes – everything from lemon drizzle to apple and rum – were just as spectacular.

Originally created as a counterpoint for more senior sailors to Bosham Sailing Club’s wildly successful Junior Week, this year’s Masters saw around 100 sailors get out on the water in more than 60 boats. Fourteen trophies were up for grabs, the winners decided after two back-to-back races each day.

Dinghies ranging from Chichester Scows and Tideways to National 18s and Finns took on courses, set by Race Officer Nick Fox, that saw Bosham boats racing across the harbour to the finish line in front of BSC’s iconic clubhouse on Bosham Quay.

There was some exceptional sailing and many close finishes. Wind and tide were near-ideal for enjoyable racing – until a sea breeze kicked in with a vengeance late on the Sunday, scattering boats as they rounded the last mark of the day.

The largest fleet in the regatta, the Yachting World Dayboats proved as fiercely competitive as ever. But with an impressive five out of six race wins, Nigel and Isabelle Russell in Casspiain proved the class of the field, winning both the YWDB Masters class and the YWDB Open trophy.

The Russells’ performance was dominant enough for them to take overall honours as the Bosham Masters champion 2024.

Race wins were celebrated over supper and a drink on the club’s terrace to the accompaniment of the Simply Jazz Quartet and one of Bosham’s spectacular sunsets.

“The fine weather helped but what really makes the BSC Masters so special is all the work put in by the volunteers, everyone from safety boat crews to cakemakers,” said Masters organiser Bob Murray.

“The event wouldn’t exist without them, or the support of our sponsor Stride & Son, who really are ‘For Sail’.”

The Bosham Sailing Club Masters sponsored by Stride & Son 2024 results

Fast Handicap: 1st Mark Upton-Brown (ILCA 7)

Medium Handicap: 1st Jane Mayhew & Karen Nash (Chichester Harbour 12)

Finn: 1st Shaun Hopkins

National 18: 1st Brian Nixon

Yachting World Day Boat: 1st Nigel Russell

Devon Yawl: 1st Eduardo Aldaz-Carrol

Tideway: 1st Peter Shaw

Chichester Scow: 1st Izzy Lee

Yachting World Day Boat Open meeting: 1st Nigel Russell/Isabelle Russell

Bosham Master 2024: Nigel Russell (Yachting World Dayboat)

President’s Bell (Lady helm over 70 with lowest points, excluding class winner) Judy Roberts (Chichester Scow)

George Smith Tankard (Male helm over 70 with lowest points, excluding class winner) Chris Ames (Tideway)

Brass Binoculars (Highest points having started all races) John Fletcher (Yachting World Dayboat)

Upside Down Trophy (most spectacular escapade) Chris Craig (Devon Yawl)