Page 159 - The Rifles Bugle Autumn 2019

ITC sailors strike a pose
THE RIFLES RIFLES SPORTS 157
This year’s Regatta took place in variable weather at The Rifles second home on the Isle of Wight, the superbly run and very well-appointed Sea View Yacht Club. Twelve Mermaid dinghies put to sea, carrying 40 past, present and future Riflemen with considerably varying degrees of skill but equal amounts of enthusiasm. All battalions were repre- sented, with the exception of 1, 3 and 6 RIFLES, and two crews from RHQ and one each from ITC and HQ Infantry joined them
Eight courses were set over the two days by the excellent SVYC bridge crew, led by Robert Lidbury, and the eight races were closely and fiercely competed, with very few crew changes taking place. Difficult conditions on Monday afternoon, including heavy rain right at the end, were replaced by brisk winds and sunshine on Tuesday morning.
All those taking part in the Regatta enjoyed an excellent dinner at the Yacht Club on Monday night, at which we hosted our bridge crew, Carole Hughes, donor of one of the trophies, and Maj Gen Tom Copinger-Symes.
Best boat overall and best battalion boat was 7 RIFLES, while ITC won best non-battalion boat. Best young crew was 2 RIFLES. The second placed battalion boat (winning a trophy which was previ- ously awarded to the best Ladies’ Crew, a category which, in these enlightened times, has been discon- tinued) was 8 RIFLES.
Many thanks to the battalions which subsidised the dinner and the Rifle Sports Fund for chartering the Mermaid fleet. The date for next year’s regatta is Mon 8 and Tue 9 Jun 20. Try to be there!
Andrew Trelawny
Blue sky sailing
BEST BOAT OVERALL AND BEST BATTALION BOAT WAS 7 RIFLES
The best non-battalion crew from ITC – Josh Baldwin, Charlie Davis, Joe Sewell