Turning Silver into Gold

Paul and Sarah Buckley, sailing Electra 709, won the Silver Award at the National Squib 2007 Championships. The first weekend in May 2008 saw them turn this into Gold as they won the 8 race Squib Gold Cup at Burnham.

Paul and Sarah, continuing the Squib Fleet’s fine tradition of prize-winning husband and wife teams, achieved three firsts, a second and a third against crews who had been 5, 12 and even 15 places ahead of them at the Nationals. Impressive improvement!

Like the reigning National Squib Champions, Paul and Sarah confounded accepted wisdom by using a boat with a so-called unfashionable number, thus causing more than one class guru to scratch his head.

Paul and Sarah Buckley in Electra, 709

In second place, with only one first place but impressive consistency, were Nigel and Jack Grogan in Navy Lark, 105. Third was past National Champion and winner of 2007 South Coast Championships Peter Marchant sailing Tears for Fears, 801, with Paul Austin a crew. All three boats were using Hyde sails.