In total contrast to last year, this year's event was held in conditions ranging from not much wind to hardly any (and on occasion none at all). May I thank once again Steve Fischer and his excellent race and rescue crew, who were more likely to succumb to boredom than exhaustion this time. Mark Donnelly organised the excellent catering ably assisted on the day by Les Smith. Our more senior members Ralph Spring and Ted Richards were sweeping and scraping pontoons to enable a safe and clean launching  - thanks chaps. Apologies to anyone I’ve not mentioned. Well done Antony Cole and Richard Holmes, first ASC team past the post although Julia Jenkins pipped them crewing for experienced helm Paul Young who arrived crewless.

Philip Chambers of Hampton set the early pace, if that expression is valid for a slow drifter. Regular visitors Neil Parsloe and Siobhan Ladyman were second. However Martin Davies (Rugby and Daventry) retained his crown by winning races 2 and 3 in frustrating but challenging conditions, to take the Aldenham Open for the third successive year. And this despite my exhortations to all present to stop him and his French-born wife and crew from beating us on Trafalgar Day!

Jim Strother