This year's Cantley Regatta, run in hot sunshine again, during this exceptionally hot and dry summer, began with a new venture in the form of a Ladies' Race.  Five took to the water for a relatively short race down and up Cantley Reach, but including a tricky tack against the tide past the factory.  Di Branscombe, being an experienced helm, made the best of this and pulled out a lead which she held throughout the race, although Katherine Matthews, helming Anne, was close behind at the finish.  These came first and third, respectively, with Georgina Rhead, on May, splitting them on handicap to take second place.  Lisa Burton gallantly agreed to race Alice Rose and Sabina Priest got a special prize for both helming and taking the mainsheet on Grayling; the only lady to do so.

The first race of the regatta proper (the Ladies' Race not being included in the overall result) set off mid-afternoon, again tacking past the factory to begin with, although on the now ebbing tide, this was an easier task than it had been in the morning.  Having done a loop up and down by the factory, the yachts then sailed to the top of Cantley Reach, before returning to repeat.  Paul Howes' Melinda, being easily the fastest boat in the fleet of eleven, finished well ahead of Grayling, the second yacht in, but had not done enough to hold off May on handicap, who took first place from her by just 21 seconds on corrected time.

Sunday dawned with a lighter breeze and Adrian Lincoln, the OOD for the weekend, decided to run a similar course to the Ladies' Race, including the tack against the tide past the factory.  This again suited Melinda, who came in over eleven minutes before Kevin Priest on Grayling; these two boats taking first and second places.  Things were tighter mid-fleet, but Golden Moon found there was not enough breeze for them and came home nearly forty-five minutes on elapsed time behind the winner.

Things were different in the afternoon, though, as a fresh sea breeze had kicked in to strengthen the south easterly and with a straight reaching course up and down Cantley Reach, boats such as Pippinjack, who need a bit of tacking to do well, could not compete with Duncan who steered Golden Moon to a popular victory.  Anna and May found the gybes at each end of the course too much for them and both Dove and Evergreen decided they were sailed out, so just six yachts completed this last race.

Paul could only manage fifth, but with his first and second places in the bag, had already done enough to take home the Sparklet Trophy for overall winner.  With Terry Secker absent, the raffola was efficiently run by Will Armour and Jan Nudd, before the yachts dispersed after another successful and enjoyable weekend.