It was a right royal occasion for Maldon Yacht Club on Sunday when they combined both the Coronation Cup and the Millennium Cup - and won them both.

With Iain and Richard Marshall, Barry Foulds and John Leader and Mike Hedgecock filling the first three places in the Coronation Cup, it meant that Maldon had a great head start in the team event against Blackwater Sailing Club in the Millennium Cup.

Maldon also packed well in the middle to score a memorable victory over Blackwater, who have dominated the competition in recent years.

The contest was postponed from a fortnight earlier because Blackwater were unable to raise a team because so many of their members were at Open meetings.

Until this year the Millennium Cup has always been a triangular event between Maldon, Blackwater and Osea Sailing Club, who have now disbanded.

Despite doubts about the Cup's future, 35 boats were involved in the competition on Sunday and it is hoped the event will continue.

Nineteen crews turned up for Sunday's Merlin Rocket Open meeting at Harlow (Blackwater) Sailing Club, but after a promising beginning, the wind died and on three boats managed to finish.

The event is part of the Merlin Rocket silver Tiller series, which runs throughout the summer, and all the honours this time went to visiting boats.

Alan Warren and Leon Dempsey, from Shoreham, won the went, with Paul Davies and Marjorie Scott, from Shustoke, second. Will Rainey and Liese Ward, from Cookham Reach, were the only other finishers, in third spot.

Harlow have completed their eight-race summer points series, with victory overall going to Dave Griffiths, in a Contender, in the fast handicap section.

Barry Knights (Phantom) won the medium handicap fleet and Ron Laurie, in a Solo, won the slow handicap event, which was dominated by the single-handed dinghy.

Stone Sailing Club's 50th anniversary regatta last year proved so successful that they are to continue the format.

The three-day open handicap event, which last year attracted more than 80 entries, will again be held over the August Bank Holiday weekend - but from this year onwards will be known as the Essex Dinghy Championships.

Stone Week finishes this weekend and the club hold a Try Sailing open day on Saturday.

There is a variety of racing on Sunday before the start of Cadet Week, which runs from Monday until Friday.

The Old Gaffers are currently on their two-week North Sea Classic Cruise to Holland, which ends on Sunday.

After a fortnight's rest, they congregate for Mersea Week, which runs from August 13-19.

The Medway host Saturday's EAORA (East Anglian Offshore Racing Association) Jane's Cup, from Burnham to Gillingham, followed by the Thames Estuary Shield, from the Medway to Ramsgate, ready for Woolwich Ramsgate Week, which begins on August 12.

Several Burnham boats will again be supporting the event as a warm-up for Burnham Week, which begins on August 26.

Meanwhile, Ian Langston's Harmony took third place overall at recent Ford Cork Week and Philip Tolhurst's Warlord VI had a second place, behind double winner Wolf (Glynn Williams) on the second day of Skandia Life Cowes Week.

And another former Burnham yachtsman, Stuart Jardine, scored a victory on Sunday to add to his fourth place on Saturday in the X-One Design class, the event in which he dominated the previous year.

Results: Harlow (Blackwater) SC Merlin Rocket Open: 1 A Warren and L Dempsey (Shoreham), 2 P Davies and M Scott (Shustoke), 3 W Rainey and L Ward (Cookham Reach).

Summer Points series: Fast Handicap: 1 D Griffith (Contender), 2 M Batt (Swift Catamaran), 3 P Church (505). Medium Handicap: 1 B Knights (Phantom), 2 M Tarling (Laser), 3 Rob Laurie (Europe). Slow Handicap: 1 Ron Laurie (Solo), 2 J Rutherford (Solo), 3 P Harris (Solo).

Maldon YC Coronation Cup: 1 I and R Marshall (MYC), 2 B Foulds and J Leader (MYC), 3 M Hedgecock (MYC).

Millennium Cup: Maldon YC beat Blackwater SC.

RBYC/RBYC Saturday Etchells: Dangerous Moonlight (C Simmons). Dragons: Smaug (N Cole). Squibs: Flame Again (D Horner). RBOD: Aerial (A Tooth).

Sunday Etchells: Her Outdoors (R Melville). Dragons: Water Rat (I Ratnage). Squibs: Magic Roundabout (B Meadows).

Converted for the new archive on 19 November 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.