WALTON and Frinton Yacht Club held one of the most prestigious dinghy races in their calendar.

Perfect conditions of eight to 12 knots of breeze, with warm sunshine, tempted an excellent entry of 22 dinghies.

And by the end of the race, the breeze had picked up to a challenging 20 knots, giving competitors a sparkling sail.

The boats were spilt into two fleets and the slower boats started ten minutes before the faster ones in fleet one.

Race officer Chris Brooke set a downwind start, which meant the fleets stayed bunched together until they got out of the river and turned right to sail round the back of the Naze.

Abi Chapman, in her Laser 4.7, got a good start and led the fleet two boats out of the river and into the more challenging waters of the estuary and the sea.

When fleet one set off in chase of the slower boats, it was Martin Jenkins, in his Phantom, closely followed by Simon Hipkin in one of the three new Hadrons, who got away first.

Ed Evans, in his RS 300, soon slipped through to the front and it was Evans and Jenkins who rounded the turning point together to start working their way through the slower boats.

By the time Evans' RS 300 and Jenkins' Phantom rounded the Outfall mark to head up the seaward leg to the pier they had got through all the other boats, put a comfortable distance between the rest of their own fleet and were having a good battle for the honours.

The long beat to the pier was a hard leg and the sailors all worked really hard to keep their boats moving in the choppy waves.

As the two leaders got to the finishing area by the pier, it looked like they were going to have a close finish for the honours and so it turned out.

After an hour of racing, the RS crossed the line just 36 seconds ahead of the Phantom.

The RS has to give the Phantom time on handicap, which meant Jenkins won by just ten seconds from Evans.

John Sewell sailed another excellent race in his Solo and, despite a quick capsize at the Outfall turning mark, he sailed very consistently to take third place overall.

Abi Chapman was fourth overall and first boat in the slow fleet and fifth spot went to Hipkin.

Results: 1st Martin Jenkins, Phantom; 2nd Ed Evans, RS300; 3rd John Sewell, Solo; 4th Abi Chapman, Laser 4.7; 5th Simon Hipkin, Hadron.

The club's open dinghy week begins on Wednesday, August 3.