The Bollinger Oxford Magnum is one of the most highly esteemed events amongst team racers. Thus once again this year Oxford University Yacht Club attracted the finest of club, university and school racers to compete for the title.
The first day of the event started slowly, with the 120 competitors waiting for the breeze. After a postponement of an hour and a half the races were able to get underway. Using four different flights of Fireflies, the races surged forwards as the competitors were tested on their finest light wind sailing.
The second day of the event greeted the competitors with opposite conditions. Strong winds and driving rain caused the fleets switched to cut-down sails and thus the style of racing was forced to switch from the cautious to the quick.
Midway through the final day the teams were reduced to the quarterfinalists, now only 8 of the original 20 remaining. Of those that did not qualify, Oxford Schools did well to finish above many University 1st teams. Exeter and Cambridge then showed themselves as the top two University teams but both were knocked out as the racing moved into the semi finals.
With only club teams left, the competition was fierce and the quality of racing high. West Kirby, West Kirby Hawks, Royal Thames ‘Renegades’ and BUSA battled it out and it was West Kirby and ‘Renegades’ that proved themselves to move forwards into the final.
With increasingly vile weather and decreasing light, the two teams delivered the best team racing of the event. The competition was close, the results never certain until the very moment that the boats crossed the finish line. However, it was West Kirby who finally prevailed and holds the title for another year. With the West Kirby Hawks defeating BUSA in the playoffs for 3rd place the final competition results ran as below.
Overall Results:
1st West Kirby
2nd Royal Thames ‘Renegades’
3rd West Kirby Hawks
Many thanks go to the sponsors of the event, Bollinger Champagne; to Oxford Sailing Club for providing the facilities; to the umpires, the helpers and to Oxford University Yacht Club for ensuring the smooth running of the competition; and to Oxford Schools, Sevenoaks School and Bristol University for lending their fleets of Fireflies to the event.