Six sailors from Wimbleball Sailing Club took the top four positions in the K1 Inland National Championships at Carsington Lake in Derbyshire.

The championship was to be decided with the five best results from six races over two days.

Wind on the first day was a force-three and the courses went up and down wind to test the sailors’ abilities.

Race one saw drama when the leading two boats miscounted the number of laps and ended up at the back of the fleet.

Paul Birbeck and Ben Hawkes from Wimbleball benefited from this mistake, finishing first and second.

Paul went on to win the second race of the day with Simon Hawkes, also from Wimbleball, second.

In race three Simon took the win with Ben second. At the end of the first day, Ben was first of the Wimbleball sailors, Paul second and Dave, who had recorded two fifths and a fourth, third overall.

The second day’s racing started in much stronger winds. However, Simon and Paul maintained their positions with Simon winning all three races and Paul coming second in all three.

Dave improved in races four and five coming in third with Ben finishing third in the last race.

The final results for the Wimbleball sailors were: The Inland National Champion Cup was awarded to Simon Hawkes with Paul Birbeck second, Ben Hawkes third, and Dave Stockton – who also gained an additional award of 1st Master for the over 60s – fourth.

Chris Dyer and Nick Ryles, also from Wimbleball, finished ninth and 12th respectively.