2001 National Championships, 26-28 May at Weston SC

Photos by Jan Grieg-Gran?

The Nationals of 2001 will be remembered as a fantastic event run extremely well by Weston SC. The weather was good and it was one of the first nationals where sailing was possible on all three days, even though it took a while arriving on Saturday. It soon became clear, that numbers for the event were up, partly due to the RYA Youth Squads (National and Regional) which brought many new sailors to the championship.

Jan Grieg-Gran

Saturday was very hot and sunny. The gradient wind died at about 11am as the sea breeze started to make its presence known. This appeared largely to have settled to a southerly force one by the time of the start of the first race at 1pm. The fleet got away to a clean start despite crowding at the pin end, and those who went to the left-hand side of the course seemed to be in a good position. They were looking even better as the wind started to back to the left and spinnakers started appearing. Then no sooner had the spinnakers started filling the wind veered to the right. Alex Kaiser and Jack Vaughan from Royal Cork YC arrived at the windward mark first with Dave and Jake Gebhard from Derwent Reservoir close behind. This set the pattern for the weekend as these two were to be engaged in constant battle at the front of the fleet.

On the second leg to the wing mark, the wind continued to track to a more westerly direction, turning the second leg into a run, and the third leg into a very close reach. Kaiser dropped his spinnaker to head high after the gybe mark, but Gebhard held his to come out from underneath Kaiser into the lead. With there now being no sensible windward leg and no chance of relaying the course, the race was shortened to a single lap with Gebhard and Kaiser maintaining their positions ahead of Tom Cload and Danielle Hollett of Plym YC who finished third.

The wind then settled to an on-shore southwesterly force 3. After a short break ashore, race two was held up by two general recalls as the fleet bunched at the pin end. Relaying the line and the introduction of the black flag had the desired effect of producing some restraint in the fleet who got away cleanly at the third attempt. Indeed, the black flag was to remain in effect for the rest of the weekend. This time Gebhard arrived at the windward mark with a clear lead over Kaiser. Kaiser slowly reeled Gebhard in over the course of the 3-lap race, but was unable to break through Gebhard's close cover to the finish and had to settle for second. Robert Grieg-Gran and Jonathan Telford started a good run of form with a third place.

Race three was run back-to-back with the second, with Gebhard and Kaiser again leading the way. Kaiser managed to surf over the top of Gebhard down the second reach to take the lead, but he had relinquished it back to Gebhard by the top mark. Gebhard appeared to be having some trouble hosting his spinnaker at the start of the run. This turned out to be due to his having slipped on the floor of his new boat, which had only been launched that day, and been deposited on his backside. He held on to complete a very successful opening day with Kaiser again second. Matt Burge and Josh Rumbol from Poole YC had a good race to finish third which they celebrated with a capsize on the finish line.

Sunday was overcast and much cooler than Saturday, but the wind remained from the southwest force 2-3. At the start of race four, Fireball supremo Vince Horey, crewed by son Thomas, got away at the pin end and lead for two laps, pursued by Gebhard and Kaiser. Both of these got through Horey on the third windward leg in a light patch and they finished in that order.

The wind increased to force 4 for race five, and some boats were caught out still launching from the beach as the starting sequence began. This included Gebhard, who could only make it to the committee boat-end of the line, and was constrained to going right up the first windward leg. Most of the leaders came from the left hand side of the course, with Grieg-Gran leading from start to finish despite the close attentions of Kaiser. Tim Gray and Simon Foskett from Staunton Harold finished third, while Gebhard could only recover to seventh.

Race six was run immediately after race five, and unfortunately saw two boats fall foul of the black flag. These were Cload, and Stuart Bithell crewed by John Toogood, both of whom up-to-then were enjoying a good run of results. It especially was expensive for Bithell, as he would now have to count a poor result from the first race. Horey again got away at the pin end, and this time held his lead to the finish. Grieg-Gran was second to complete a very successful day, with Burge again third. Gebhard finished fourth, but seemed more concerned about staying on front of Kaiser, who could manage only eighth place. The star turn in this race was Carly Burge and Tom Edge who did a rather over-zealous roll tack not twenty yards from the finish and capsized, but managed to right the boat in a matter of seconds and just make it to the finish line without losing a place.

On Sunday evening the competitors were given a very entertaining presentation by Ian Walker, an ex-Mirror national champion, Olympic silver medallist and sailing manager for Britain's America's Cup campaign.

Monday started overcast with the threat of a low pressure bringing blustery winds. However, the high pressure over the south coast continued to hold on, and the day brightened in the middle of the afternoon with the regatta ending in glorious sunshine. The wind remained from the southwest force 2-3.

In race seven, Horey made it a hat trick of pin-end starts, and again lead from start to finish. Gebhard picked up several places to finish second ahead of Cload, with Kaiser also picking up places to finish fourth.

Race eight was run back-to-back with race seven, and Horey again went for the pin end, but was one of three boats to fall foul of the black flag and be sent home to pack up early. This was to prove very expensive for him, as he now had to count a retirement from race three due to gear failure. Gebhard put in a virtuoso performance, arriving at the windward mark with a healthy lead and pulling away to finish nearly a whole leg ahead of the second boat and take the Mirror National championships in style. After a mediocre first leg, Kaiser pulled through to finish second and second overall, and also first youth boat. Craig and Mitchell Bond of Brightlingsea finished the race third.

Matt McCarthy - Sailing Secretary of Weston SC

Congratulations to Dave and Jake Gedhard, but Alex Kaiser and Jack Vaughan should receive a special mention. They were the only Irish boat in the fleet, and to finish second overall saw some huge improvement to their 27th place at the Europeans in Brightlingsea. Rob Grieg-Gran and Jonny Telford finished third followed by Tom Cload and Danielle Hollett. Niki and Christian Birrell from Winsford Flash completed a successful weekend to take the junior prize, with Rachel Wigmore and Selena Knight from Itchenor taking the ladies prize with a very creditable top-ten finish.

It was also nice to see 'old boy' Max Capener sailing with Joshua Tear, in Hakuna Matata, as Howard was not sailing having just undergone an operation on his hip. Max finished fifth with his results improving throughout the weekend.

Stuart Bithell and John Toogood in boat 70000, also surprised a few people with a fantastic 13th place, the 5th Youth Squad boat home.

Off the water activities, included a bouncy castle, which was very popular. Cricket, football and rounders were also possible in the large field that visitors camped in. Every day before the sailing, Peter Aitken - the National Coach - would give a competitors briefing commenting on what he had seen the day before and how sailors could improve their results. An oceanographer also shared his local knowledge of the tides with the sailors.

Another highlight of the weekend was a talk by Olympic Silver medalist, and ex-mirror sailor, Ian Walker.

Results

 RRS 2001 - 2004 Appendix A, low point system, 8 races sailed, 1 discard.

Sponsers

Thank you for providing some great prizes.

Class Association Prizes

Photos by Jan Grieg-Gran?

Jan Grieg-Gran