The picturesque village of Seaview on the Isle of Wight is the venue for one of the most eagerly awaited annual sporting events in British Defence : the Combat Arms Seaview Regatta . Up to 24 crews from across the Infantry and Cavalry battle it out in the 24-foot Mermaid keelboats , with a range of trophies up for grabs . There is keen competition from the front to the back of the fleet , and there is a healthy mix of experience , with plenty of novices amongst the more experienced racers . This year Headquarters Allied Rapid Reaction Corps ( HQ ARRC ) entered a team into this prestigious event .
The HQ ARRC crew of Maj David Hoey QDG , Capt Andrew Pring SCOTS DG and Capt Charlie Hunt MERCIAN headed down to Portsmouth to catch the ferry to the Isle of Wight in bright late summer sunshine on 11th September .
After the introductory briefs we were straight out on the water and enjoying a good breeze . We were met with immediate success as we won the first race ! Alas , this was a practice race and did not count … but our strong start continued with a couple of wins and top three finishes throughout the rest of the day .
The Tuesday and Wednesday brought stronger winds and more testing conditions and despite a late rally we were not able to hold onto our lead . But a finishing position of 5th out of 20 was a fair reflection and we were pleased with our performance . It was a good learning experience and more importantly
a lot of fun . Many thanks to the Royal Armoured Corps Yacht Club , the Infantry Sailing Association and Sea View Yacht Club for organising the event , and the Enhanced Commanding Officers ’ Public Fund for supporting our entry .
the imjin WINTER 2023
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