only three yachts got to the start line for the first of the three Crouch Yacht Club races for the Hydd Gwynn Trophy on Sunday, but racing was still competitive.

Mike Harrison's Jiminy Cricket, which enjoyed considerable success last summer, took the opening honours from Crazy Horse (Frank Curtis) and Xcavator, Rupert and Lizzie Brown's newly acquired X37.2.

The Royal Burnham Yacht Club will again be holding their Whitsun Regatta over the bank holiday weekend of May 27, 28 and 29.

The Dragons will race for the Nada Trophy, won last year by Chris Slater and Ron Goodman.

Two of the RBYC's finest cups will be raced for by the cruiser classes, the Burnham Bowl and the Whiplash Trophy, won in 1999 by Stuart Galloway and Dick Pitcher, respectively.

And the coveted Conceours d'Elegance will be awarded for the regatta's most beautiful yacht.

Judy Payne-James, vice-commodore, sailing, of the RBYC, said: ''The Whitsun Regatta is fast becoming one of them most important racing events for the club as it has a unique position of appealing both to serious racers and to families, who want to enjoy the racing competitively.

''It has all the successful ingredients and atmosphere of a 'mini Burnham Week, both on and off the water''.

Further details can be obtained from Lorraine Bayliss at the RBYC, The Quay, Burnham Crouch, SM0 8AU. Tel 01621 782044. Fax: 01621 784779

Andy and James Denniss, in their 420, lead Maldon Yacht Club's Saturday Scratch series after four of the 11 races.

They have two victories and are just ahead of Mike Hedgecock (Laser), who won the opening race and was runner-up in the last two events.

Hedgecock, however, has dominated the early programme, winning both the Brass Monkey and Fitting Out events.

The Denniss's were runners-up in the Brass Monkey race, the opening event of the new season,and Bob Rowbotham and Dawn Stevens, who are showing an improvement in form in their Snipe, took second place in the Fitting Out race.

Maldon's first race in the Sunday Scratch series was held on Sunday, with victory going to the father -and-daughter partnership of Alan and Janet Hoy in their Snipe.

Results

RBYC/RCYC Sunday Dragons: 1 Flame Again (D Horner), 2 Tarikona (H Howard), 3 Smaug (N Cole). Maldon YC Saturday Scratch - Race 4: 1 A & J Denniss (420), 2 M Hedgecock m (Laser), 3 I Wright (Laser). Sunday Scratch - Race 1: 1 A & J Hoy (Snipe), 2 I & K Varney (Snipe), 3 M Hedgecock (Laser). Fitting Out Trophy: 1 M Hedgecock (Laser), 2 R Rowbotham & D Stevens, 3 A & J Denniss (420). Brass Monkey Trophy: 1 M Hedgecock (Laser), 2 A & J Denniss (420), 3 B & R Foulds.

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