EAORA End of Season Prizegiving and 2024 AGM
by Paul Wood 22 Nov 08:28 NZDT
9 November 2024
EAORA End of Season Prizegiving and AGM © Jason Payne
The West Mersea Yacht Club hosted the EAORA 75th year celebration party & AGM on the 9th November 2024. A good turn out for the AGM which is encouraging for the 2025 season. The programme was signed off by all those present.
2025 events:
| 10th May | Ralph Herring Trophy | Mersea to Burnham | RBYC |
| 11th May | Pattinson Cup | Burnham to Mersea | WMYC |
| 30th May | North Sea Race | Harwich to Scheveningen | RORC |
| 26th June | East Coast Race | Harwich to Ostend | RORC & HPYC |
| 28th June | Cannonball | Ostend to Ramsgate | EAORA & MYC |
| 29th June | Walker Challenge Cup | Ramsgate to Harwich | EAORA & MYC |
| 19th July | Sunk Race | Mersea to Ramsgate | WMYC |
| 20th July | Round the Goodwins | Ramsgate | RTeYC |
| 16th August | Janes Cup | Burnham to Medway | MYC |
| 17th August | Thames Estuary Shield | Medway to Burnham | RCYC |
| 30th August | Houghton Cup | Burnham to Burnham | RBYC |
| 12th Sept | Buckley Goblets | West Mersea to Ostend | WMYC |
Following the AGM it was a good atmosphere upstairs in the club house where just under 80 people enjoyed a three course meal, live music and complimentary Port from EAORA.
I hosted the evening, as the new Chairman, having been in the chair twice before it was brilliant to see so many stalwart supporters, past Chairmans, committee members, previous winners and newbies to East Anglain.
Peter Clements who was chairman in 1990 was disappointed not to be there, his wife's health took a turn, and he was at Hospital in the afternoon, so including myself we had five past chairmans attending. Stephen Gosling from 1999 to 2011, Judy Payne James from 2007 to 2011 and Tony Mereweather from 2012 to 2017, the outgoing chair was Claire Scott from 2020 to 2024.
Claire achieved so much during the last few years, which included a mini regatta based in Harwich/Dovercourt Bay, when we were all still under Covid restrictions and for also arranging a week's racing in Southern Holland during 2021 and 2023. I complemented Claire for her achievements especially as Brexit had changed all the rules for going abroad. But with Claire's hard work the systems are in place for a possible return in 2026.
Most of the skippers and crews that had raced this year were there. I managed to point out a few and explained about their achievements to date. Also attending was Jill Hill, the EAORA secretary from 1973 to 1982.
We all toasted absent friends, as this year we had sadly lost three previous EAORA supporters Mike Wallis, long term committee member and Robbie Stewart & David Lenz.
Richard Matthews gave an uplifting speech about his sixty-four years of racing East Anglian, he has won overall seven times.
His first Buckley Goblets was at the age of 11 he recalled the years racing against yacht designers Alan Buchanan & Kim Holman and enjoying the racing against the Prime Minister Edward Heath on Morning Cloud. He spoke about racing the Hustler 25.5 called UFO which was a major winner in its day, this boat played a big part in the history of race boat designs, and with this boat and others it wasn't long before his business of Oyster Yachts was a major player amongst boat building in the UK.
He is delighted to still see UFO out racing at Mersea all these years later. Richard also recalled the days of Pram dinghies on the coach roof as part of the safety kit and how much he has enjoyed the comradery amongst competitors on the East Coast racing EAORA.
Richard Mathews, the owner of Fox's marina has always been very generous with the sponsorship of the Youth Programme. He provides Polo shirts and Jackets for the winners, this years prize-giving was a little bit different as present on the evening was Judy Payne James, former EAORA chairman who launched the Youth programme seventeen years ago, Judy is very pleased that it is still going strong and delighted that Richard Matthews and Foxes are very generous with their ongoing sponsorship.
The prize-giving followed with a vast array of silverware being awarded to Paul Scott with Spirit, the overall winner for 2024 winning the Blackwater Cup dating back to the 1950's.
www.eaora.org.uk
Paul Scott with Spirit won:
1st Overall Blackwater Cup
1st in Class two Barnard Cup
Charlie Mills Cup
Libya Cup
David Geaves Trophy
Red Dragon Trophy
Season winners:
Martinque. Mark Lyons: Winning 2nd Overall & 1st in Class 3
Arcadia of Harwich Mark & Penny Gillett: 3rd Overall, 1st in Class 1
Richard Matthews: Star Trophy
Cathy Brown. Brave: Navigators Cup
Andy & Pelham. Magic Moments: Two handed Cup
Mike & Jason Wheeler. Golden Fleece: Colonels Trophy
Flying Fish. Stephen Henry & X Ray Andrew Baker for the MYC: Nore Command
Spirit. Paul Scott & Magic Moments. Andy & Pelham Etherington: Interclub Trophy HPYC
Penny Gillett. Arcadia of Harwich: Silver Jewellery Box:
Jon McColl. Shockwave. Mocra Trophy
Competitors and winners of the Youth Programme Sponsored by Fox's Marina:
Jay Lyons: Martinque
Chris Lynch: Spirit
Izzy taylor Jones: Sunstone (most miles raced)
Zac Gascoigne: Sweet Caroline (most promising cadet)
Chris lynch: Spirit
Andrew Oliver: Flying Fish (Awarded Payne James Cup)