Dave Onyons, sailing Ned Kelly, in his Robber IIIe, did just enough to clinch this year's BJRC (Blackwater Joint Racing Committee) championship when the final two races were held.

Though Onyons finished just behind his nearest rival, the reigning champion Brian Copsey (Freedom) in the Krohn Cup, his second place - one ahead of Freedom in the final race, the Blackwater Cup, gave him victory overall on countback after the two yachts had finished equal on 19 points.

Carolanti (Rolland and Co), of Stone Sailing Club, was third.

With Randy Robber (Tommy Mills), the Krohn Cup winner, fourth overall and Grace & Danger (Ian Lindsay) fourth, Maldon Little Ship Club provided four of the first five yachts overall, thus continuing their dominance of the BJRC series over the years.

The final race was a disaster for the Blackwater Sailing Club yachts, as Razorback (Berney family) and Growler (Brian Southgate), were both disqualified for rounding a wrong mark.

The mistake cost Razorback victory, which went to Carolanti, with Ned Kelly second and Freedom third.

The final race of the season, the BJRC team race, is on September 24.

Marconi Sailing Club are hoping that writer and broadcaster Paul Heiney will have recovered from a dislocated shoulder in time start their annual East Coast Piers Race on Sunday.

If he does, Heiney will complete a family double, for his wife, fellow broadcaster and journalist, Libby Purvis, started the race three years ago.

The pair, who live in Suffolk, are keen sailors themselves and several years ago took time off work to do a circumnavigation of the British Isles, the adventures of which were later recounted in a book, written by Libby.

Charles Anderson, one of the piers race organisers, said: ''We're keeping our fingers crossed that Paul will be fit enough to carry out the start duties.''

This year's race takes on even more importance following the decision this year not to stage the Texel Catamaran Race, nor the Round the Isle of Wight Race, which leaves the East Coast event as the only one left in Europe for long-distance sailors, as well as being the only long-distance tidal race.

This is the 13th year of the race, during which time it has raised nearly £50,000 for various charities.

Last year it grossed over £6,000 for the local sailing charity, the Cirdan Trust, from Maldon.

More than 100 craft, some from Holland, are expected the take part in the 50-mile race, which starts around 9am and follows a course that passes Osea, Walton and Clacton piers.

The main winners last year, Will Sunnocks and Ron Gutteridge, who have taken line honours for four successive years, and Tim Reid and Trevor Hewitt, whose overall victory on corrected time last year was their second win in four years, are expected to be in the line-up once again, as is the Dutch pairing of John de Vriers and Jeffrey Luitjens, from Holland, who won the event in 1998.

Maldon Yacht Club called off their annual triangular even, the Millennium Trophy, when Blackwater Sailing Club were unable to raise a team for the five-boat event.

The event will be re-run on July 30 in conjunction with the Coronation Cup, but, with Osea SC now disbanded, there must be some doubt about the event continuing in its present form.

Stone Sailing Club's Open meeting for Phantoms and Lasers was affected by the unseasonal weather, with only one race held on Saturday because of the strong winds.

Conditions moderated on Sunday, however, and four races were organised.

In the Phantoms section, Allan Burrell sailed a consistent series to win the meeting.

Only one point separated the next three boats, with Alan Husk second, Dan Dixon third and Neil Fulcher fourth.

It was an even more even affair in the Laser fleet, with only one point splitting the first four boats, David Evans's two wins giving him a narrow victory overall, with Richard Patrick second, Graham Tubbenham third and Mark Barnes fourth.

Ron Lawrie, of Harlow (Blackwater) Sailing Club, was the highest local finisher in the club's Solo Open meeting on Sunday. He finished fourth, one place ahead of his son, Rob.

The meeting was won by Steve Ede, from Ardleigh Sailing Club.

Phillip and Iain Marshall, of Maldon Yacht Club, won the Broadstairs Snipe Open meeting at the weekend, after winning three of the four races sailed.

Results

BJRC Krohn Cup: 1 Randy Robber (T Mills, MLSC), 2 Akela (P & S Collins, BSC), 3 Nimbus (D Bailey, BSC). Blackwater Cup: 1 Carolanti (Rolland & Co, SSC), Ned Kelly (D Onyons, MLSC), 3 Freedom (B Copsey, MLSC). Overall: 1 Ned Kelly 19 points, 2 Freedom 19 points, 3 Carolanti 28 points.

MaldonYC Scratch race: 1 I Wright (Laser), 2 T Crook (Laser), 3 M Crook (Laser). Sunday Points series, Race 6: I Wright (Laser), 2 T Crook (Laser), 3 M Crook (Laser). Cadet Series, Race 5: 1 J Hoy (Snipe), 2 J Denniss (420), 3 G Hoy (Snipe), 4 J Hall (Laser Radial)

Crouch YC Puxley Trophy (Burnham to Levington): 1 Polaris (M Willett), 2 Xixia (R & F Waterhouse), 3 Vreny (K Layzell & K Gooch ). Grayling Bowl: 1 Polaris, Ace of Hearts (I Hart), 3 Vreny.

Snipe Open Meeting (Broadstairs): 1 P & R Marshall, Maldon YC), 2 R Lambert and I and & S Prone (Budworth SC).

Harlow (Blackwater) SC Solo Open: 1 S Ede (Ardleigh SC), 2 G Garner (Littleton SC), 3 G Clarke (King George SC), 4 Ron Lawrie (HBSC), 5 Rob Lawrie (HBSC).

Stone SC Phantom Open: 1 A Burrell, 2 A Husk, 3 D Dixon, 4 N Fulcher. Laser Open: 1 D Evans, 2 R Patrick, 3 G Tubbenham, 4 M Barnes.

RCYC Marco Polo - Etchells: 1 No 95, 2 No 108, 3 No 110. Dragons: 1 No 641, 2 No 597, 3 No 550. Squibs: 1 No 811, 2 No 5, 3 No 246.

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