Author - Claire Clark - Publicity Officer

The Solo Champion of Champions Race was part of the 50^th Anniversary of the Class and held at FelphamSCthe day after the end of a very successful National Championship week. As an invitation only race, the entry requirement was that competitors had to have a top 5 finish in either a Solo National, Inland or World Championship.

An impressive line up of past Solo champions took part in the event, however sadly there were two notable absences from the line up due to injury - Jim Hunt and Harvey Hillary who the class wishes well in their recovery.

Race 1

The sunny morning, slight sea conditions and a Force 2 produced a general recall which allowed a very late Steve Cockerill to make it onto the water for the 2^nd start and just arrive at the committee boat end as the gun went.

Jamie Lea was 1^st to the windward mark closely followed by Chris Brown and Bob Taylor but by the start of the 2^nd beat Lea and Brown had got away from the chasing fleet with Taylor and Steve Ede leading the pack.

Brown took the lead as the fleet started the run with Lea 2^nd and Steve Cockerill having moved up to 3^rd, with Taylor 4^th and Richard Pye finding his way through to 5^th.

The front two had a luffing duel on the final reach with Lea winning the battle, however it was Brown who tacked away up the left that won by half a boat length at the finish from Cockerill in 2^nd and Lea, who had covered the right finishing 3^rd.

Race 2

The fleet got away first time with Lea the early leader, chased this time by Robbie Wilson and Cockerill who misjudged his approach to the windward mark and finding he had no room to tack, had to round at the second attempt.

On the run Lea led from Cockerill who had fought his way through to 2^nd, with Andy Davis 3^rd and Keith Videlo 4^th. Lea now had clear air and held his lead to win, from Cockerill in 2^nd and Wilson in 3^rd.

Race 3

Paul Childs, Ian Mitchell and Geoff Carveth were the leading 3 at the windward mark, on the first reach a luffing match resulted in these 3 luffing themselves almost to a standstill while Jamie Lea sailed clear below to take the lead by the end of the leg, followed by Cockerill.

At the finish, Jamie Lea had held his impressive lead to take the race, ahead of Cockerill 2^nd, Carveth 3^rd, Andy Davis 4^th and Dan Vincent a close 5^th.

Jamie Lea was therefore named the Champion of Champions finishing the week in style after taking the 2006 National Champion title also.