Osprey Inland Championships: Blithfield delivers a weekend of spectacular sailing. Blithfield Sailing Club | 10–11 October 2026

Osprey Inland Championships: Blithfield delivers a weekend of spectacular sailing

Blithfield Sailing Club | 10–11 October 2026

Words: Peter Slater | Photography: Alastair Reid and Paul Silver

The Osprey Inland Championships at Blithfield Sailing Club delivered a weekend of spectacular sailing, with blazing sunshine, powerful westerly winds, sudden squalls and exhilarating high-speed action providing a fitting finale to the class’s 2026 season.

The fleet gathered on Friday for a training session led by Hartley Boats sailmaker Steve Graham, with Terry Curtis assisting. With the wind blowing at around 30 knots, an on-water session was out of the question. Instead, Steve delivered an entertaining five-hour shoreside masterclass covering all things Osprey, sail trim and racing tactics.

Saturday dawned bright and sunny, but the conditions were more reminiscent of the Mistral than a typical inland championship. The previous evening’s bottomless club curry was not to blame; local wisdom had already established that competitors should “add on five knots to the forecast at Blithfield”.

Terry Curtis’s assessment that it was “a bit marginal” understated the feelings of many competitors. Of the 17 entries, seven teams sensibly elected to remain ashore, leaving the remainder to enjoy — and occasionally endure — some classic, spectacular Osprey sailing on the exposed waters of the reservoir.

For those who ventured out, it was a day of blistering speeds, sheets of spray and frequent capsizes as the fleet battled the gusts. Terry Curtis and Peter Greig immediately demonstrated their heavy-weather prowess, but a less successful course choice saw them surrender the early lead to Charlie Chandler and Ollie Hopkins, who took the first race in style. Kev Francis and Jonathon Osgood finished second.

A couple more teams were tempted onto the water for race two, despite capsizes becoming a regular feature of the racing. This time, Terry and Peter got their tactics right to take the win, followed by class newcomers Chris Martin and John Tailby in their distinctive IKEA boat. Charlie and Ollie kept the pressure on with third place, retaining the overall lead going into the lunch break.

The final race of the day began after the traditional lunchtime lull, which encouraged a few more teams to take to the water. Any optimism was short-lived: as soon as the sails were hoisted, gusts of around 25 knots returned. The race team remained unflappable as the fleet battled through the conditions, with capsizes again providing a spectacular backdrop. Charlie and Ollie secured another race win to lead overnight, with Terry and Peter second and Roger and Jamie Blake producing a strong finish to take third.

The Osprey Open has been running at Blithfield for 40 years, and its enduring success owes much to the hard work of Barbara Gibbons and her team. Saturday evening’s traditional hog roast and real ale provided a welcome opportunity for competitors to swap stories from the day and enjoy the renowned hospitality of the club.

Sunday brought a dramatic change of pace. With light winds forecast — and not a windsurfer in sight to suggest otherwise — the fleet returned to the water for a very different test of skill. Race officer Roger Woodhead made excellent use of the conditions, setting two good races at the causeway end of the reservoir.

In race four, Terry and Peter took another win. Sam Bunn and Rob Burdekin, representing the home fleet, sailed a masterful comeback to secure second, holding off Martin and Peter Firth in third. Charlie and Ollie, meanwhile, could manage only 12th in the fickle breeze, setting up a tense final race with the championship still very much in the balance.

In the deciding race, Chris and John in the IKEA boat sailed superbly to establish a commanding lead and take the win by a comfortable margin. Terry and Peter kept a watchful eye on Charlie and Ollie, who produced a much stronger performance in the lighter conditions to finish third.

That proved enough to settle the championship in Terry Curtis and Peter Greig’s favour, crowning them Osprey Inland Champions. Charlie Chandler and Ollie Hopkins were worthy runners-up after a weekend that tested competitors across the full spectrum of inland sailing conditions.

From Saturday’s exhilarating, spray-filled heavy-weather racing to Sunday’s tactical light-air finale, Blithfield provided a memorable conclusion to the Osprey season. With spectacular action on the water, excellent race management and a warm welcome ashore, the championship once again demonstrated the enduring appeal of this great class.

The event concluded with the presentation of generous prizes sponsored by Hartley Boats.

https://youtu.be/z-yBEp_UgoY - Link to the weekend's video