The 2015 OB sailing competition was a particularly important one, marking Mr Skevington’s 30th year at the helm of school sailing and remembering Douglas Perrin
The 2015 Old Bloxhamist sailing competition took place at Boddington Reservoir on Saturday 20th June and this year’s event was a particularly special one, marking Mr Skevington’s 30th year in charge of sailing and to remember Douglas Perrin, a former teacher at Bloxham who was an avid sailor and sadly passed away last year.
Many thanks to Mr Skevington for his report below:
Bloxham’s OBs were welcomed on Saturday 20th June, as has become traditional, and to celebrate thirty years with myself at the helm. There were two OB teams taking part, an OB team and an “old” OB team. On the day, we welcomed Alex Peck (c), Pete King, Henry Barwell, Ollie Godwin, Nick Vaughan, James Carver and Oliver Pelendrides.
A new format, a triangular match with two boats per team, was used. Wet and flat conditions met us and thunder and lightning delayed the start. Eventually underway, the fleet made its way gingerly around the short course. The first race saw Old Bloxhamist partnerships finishing first’(Peck and King) and third (Barwell and Godwin). The School IV finished second‘(Cook and Skipwort) and fourth (Gardiner and Gardiner) and the Old Old Bloxhamists were fifth (Vaughan and Parker) and sixth‘(Carver and Pelendrides).
Time and conditions only allowed one more race, made more complicated by a wind change which saw the course be modified. A tightly fought battle ensued with final positions Old Bloxhamists second‘(Barwell and Godwin), third‘(Peck and King), Old Old Bloxhamists first‘(Vaughan and Parker) and fifth (Carver and Pelendrides) and School IV fourth (Skipworth and Skipworth), DNF (Gardiner and Gardiner).
Final results were:
Old Bloxhamists (first and first) – two‘points ‘ first place
Old Old Bloxhamists (third and second) – five‘points ‘ joint second place
School IV (second and third) – five‘points – joint second place
I was delighted to present Alex Peck with the newly commission Douglas Perrin OB Trophy. During the event we remembered Douglas, who helped to run sailing during his time at Bloxham, and who sadly died last summer in a tragic sailing accident.’
To see an album of photos taken at the OB competition and this year’s House event, please click here. Many thanks to Steve Parker for providing the images.