Alan MallettThe 2010 Yeoman Nationals were hosted by Horning and sailed on Black Horse Broad with the wind setting a variety of challenges. Brisk, north-westerly, and Force 4 on Saturday, not the best direction for course setting, and light south-westerlies on Sunday fading to almost nothing for the final race.Alan Mallett

The 2010 Yeoman Nationals were hosted by Horning and sailed on Black Horse Broad with the wind setting a variety of challenges.

Brisk, north-westerly, and Force 4 on Saturday, not the best direction for course setting, and light south-westerlies on Sunday fading to almost nothing for the final race.

The turnout of 11 comprised nine home-based boats plus two visitors, and, not for the first time, Sally and Richie Dugdale maintained the vice-like grip on the silverware with four wins out of five. Runner-up was the youthful Simon Barker, who has taken over the family boat from his father, and who achieved one win and three seconds in an intense series of contests.

At one point in the second race a dramatic change of leadership was on the cards when Dugdale and Barker, in that order, led the fleet the wrong way round the first mark. However, after a couple more boats had similarly erred the tail end got it right, leaving the two leaders to battle their way back to the lead, which they did. Bernie Westgate received the Yeoman Salver for his third place while fourth placed George Whitefoot received the Alan Wheatley Memorial Trophy for highest placed competitor eschewing use of a spinnaker.

In Sunday's second race, Barker pulled out an impressive lead from a good start to hold it throughout and scupper Sally Dugdale's nap hand.

Nineteen Solos, many travelling a good distance, came to Hickling and Rollesby for a challenging series of races in varying conditions. Hickling on Saturday produced northerly Force 4 winds gusting higher.

Only 13 of the 19 starters completed the first race, in which Jon Clarke won from a second round lead, while Vince Horey did well to recover after capsizing at the gybe mark to take second gun.

With Horey's nemesis deleted all 19 set out for the second race with the only top three change being Horey's win from Tim Riley and Clarke. A shorter third race gave Horey his second win and the Hickling Snuff Box, ahead of James Meade.

The fleet then moved to Rollesby, with another two added, and welcomed the gentler winds, but it made little difference to the results, Horey winning again, but local lad Ian Ayres and Godfrey Clarke (Fisher Green SC) decided that enough was enough and put up a challenge.

The outcome was an intensely close race but Jon Clarke led all the way with the other front rankers and the two challengers, all of whom held second spot at one time or another, finishing overlapped. A good port start gave Godfrey Clarke a third race wins but Horey's second kept him in the running ahead of Jon Clarke. The final race saw Godfrey Clarke again supreme after an earlier lead by Mead, but at the end of the day Horey and Godfrey Clarke emerged as Norfolk Solo Champions.

Wroxham's Topper Open on Sunday drew 14 starters, including several from Beccles ASC for the four races and it is good to report that all 14 persevered despite discouragingly light winds notably in the afternoon.

The outcome was in little doubt as Flip Foulds won all four races, although Leah Tansley, who has improved by leaps and bounds, chased her all the way to gain three seconds and a third, being displaced by Joseph Girling in the third race, and those three finished in that order. Cathryn Brady gained a third gun in the first race, while Tim Haines at least had the glory of leading Flip and the rest for the first round of the final race after a flying start on starboard which left them all well adrift. The Saturday Open for two man boats drew precisely that number of starters on a windy afternoon, the home club's Simon Bennett coming out on top in all three races against Beccles' Jake Shipley.

GYGSC have their evening sailing tonight, followed by Gorleston Beach Regatta on Saturday and Sunday. Also this weekend the Punt Club has its YBOD Open while Wroxham entertain the Stars and Wayfarers. The Splash class have their Nationals at Horning on Saturday, when RNSYC host the first of three Simo Trophy races for the BODs. On Sunday Beccles host an Enterprise Woodcock salver meeting.

Next Wednesday NBYC are hosting an Open Evening at the clubhouse between 6.30 and 9pm to watch some racing and have a sail in members' boats of different classes. Ring 01603 782808 for more details.