Albacore National Championships at Royal Torbay Yacht Club

by Mike Banner 30 Jul 2012 22:43 BST 21-23 July 2012

Albacore nationals in Torquay © Mike Rice / www.fotoboat.com

The sun comes out to play

The sun came out to play at Royal Torbay at a fiercely contested Albacore National Championships held from 21st to 23 July. This famous Yacht Club hosted the 1948 Olympic sailing regatta so it was fitting that the start of this event coincided with the RYA Push the Boat Out day to show support for the current British Olympic Sailing Team. Each of the 42 boats were decorated in the traditional red white and blue for the sail out to the start of the first race and some even stuck with their colours throughout the event which was sailed in light to moderate winds.

Unlike many days this year the sky stayed blue and the sails white but it was the red hulled boat of Michael McNamara and his crew Flip Foulds that took the lead after day 1. This was despite not winning either of the races with Nev Herbert reunited with crew Steve Penfold storming to the front in Race 1 and the current Lord Birkett Champions Judy and Paul Armstrong taking Race 2. Behind these the competition was tight throughout the fleet especially with the introduction this year of a silver and gold fleet.

Day 2 dawned with a bit more wind and after a short delay to allow the sea mist to clear the fleet got stuck into three races. Race 3 was won by rising star John Gimson and Edd Clayson with John Gorringe and Nicky Bass close on their heels whilst Race 4 went to Jerry Rook and Peter Morton with Nev blaming his crew for the shackle that opened and dropped the jib as they started to port tack the fleet and ending in their discard result. In Race 5 there was no stopping Nev and he won again closely followed by Gimson.

On the final day there were three or four boats in with a shout of winning the event but it was Nev who scored two race wins in the strongest winds of the weekend with rising star John Gimson and Edd Clayson finishing second in each. This mirrored the overall event with Nev managing to take the title with John on equal points losing out on countback. Despite leading the event for most of the weekend and a discard of only 4th Michael McNamara had to settle for third with Judy 4th and Jerry 5th.

At the prize giving the association commended the RYC for an excellent event both on and off the water and winner Nev thanked everyone for a great event and reminded everyone that next years event will be part of the bi-annual internationals at SCYC (Abersoch) from 3rd – 9th Aug.

Winners of the inaugural silver fleet were Richard and George Smith.

Overall Results:
If you finished in the top ten at the Albacore nationals then fill in your Gear Guide information here

Pos	Sail No	Boat Name	Helm	Crew	Club	R1	R2	R3	R4	R5	R6	R7	Pts
1	8155	GRAN TURISMO	Nev HERBERT	Steve PENFOLD	Lymington Town SC	1	7	5	43	1	1	1	16
2	7504	BIJINGO	John GIMSON	Edd CLAYSON	RYA	6	11	1	3	2	2	2	16
3	6493	SHOWDOWN FOR JADOR	Michael MCNAMARA	Felicity FOULDS	SB YC	3	2	3	2	4	4	3	17
4	7518	RECKLESS RAT	Judy ARMSTRONG	Paul ARMSTRONG	Scaung Dam SC	5	1	4	4	8	7	5	26
5	8128	RUNNING ON EMPTY	Jeremy ROOK	Peter MORTON	Lyme Regis SC	11	4	7	1	3	5	7	27
6	7985	THE WIZARD	Jon GORRINGE	Nicky BASS	Parkstone YC	4	8	2	5	7	6	4	28
7	1781	TRIGERS BROOM	Robert LYNE	Steve GRAHAM		13	9	6	7	6	9	6	43
8	6403	MONARCH	Norman HALSTEAD	Ruth HOLMES	South Cerney SC	10	5	10	8	11	3	11	47
9	7143	AGAINST ALL	Nigel POTTER	Mathew POTTER	Notts County	2	12	8	9	14	15	43	60
10	8129	TE WERO GAL	Philip TINDALL	Tom TINDALL	Maidenhead SC	18	6	9	6	9	27	15	63
11	8152	ALBAHOLIC	Phil SMITH	Tom WILLIAMS	WF SC	16	19	12	22	5	10	14	76
12	6439	SUPERSONIC	Jean SIMMONS	Derek SIMMONS	South Cerney SC	8	20	13	11	23	12	13	77
13	8133	AVATAR	Mike BANNER	Alistair SIM		20	10	19	24	10	19	8	86
14	6959	AEOLIAN	Richard SMITH	George SMITH	Benfleet SC	32	33	11	10	13	8	23	97
15	8000	OZILY EMIVER	Trevor SMITH	Ann SMITH	Parkstone SC	7	13	20	15	27	23	20	98
16	6918	DAEDALUS	Johnnie DELLOW	Jason PHILLIPS	Weston Southampton SC	28	3	28	26	22	16	12	107
17	8130	SHADY NOOK	Mark CALVERT	John HERBERT	Parkstone YC	14	14	14	29	24	22	21	109
18	731	ACHILLES	Chrispin READ WILSON	Conner CIANTAR	Swanage SC	26	37	33	14	12	17	10	112
19	7425	GUNSHIP DIPLOMAT	Matthew THOMPSON	Ellie THOMPSON	TC SC	21	29	16	17	26	18	18	116
20	8158	IT WASN'T ME	Matthew METCALFE-SMITH	Paul METCALF-SMITH		25	26	26	19	15	13	19	117
21	7992	WHITE SPRIRIT	Trish WALKER	Karl LLOYD	Paignton SC	24	25	22	25	20	11	16	118
22	8076		Steve THOMAS	Paul BOWMER	Rudyard Lake	33	28	17	16	21	28	9	119
23	7987	ANOTHER MADMAN	Howard WITT	David YOUNG	Maidenhead SC	29	21	31	13	16	14	26	119
24	8131	PAPPAJO	Colin WALTERS	David WITCOMB	Lyme Regis SC	27	27	15	12	18	21	27	120
25	8182	LAKE SAFARI	Thomas TEUBNER	Ruth HAECKL	West Kirby SC	17	18	18	21	34	38	22	130
26	6937	DOUBLE TROUBLE	Barry WICKS	Hannah DUNCAN	Maidenhead SC	35	24	21	18	30	25	17	135
27	7921	SHINER	Fred WHITEHEAD	Graham RILEY	Paignton SC	15	30	23	23	29	24	43	144
28	8151	MAYBE ANGELS	Martin HAYWARD	Chris SOMNER	Maidenhead SC	9	31	32	28	28	26	24	146
29	6811	ALICE TINKER	Steve ASHFORD	Ollie WRIGHT	Paignton SC	23	22	27	31	17	36	29	149
30	8066		John SADDINGTON	Dennis MANNING	Rollesby Broad SC	19	15	25	35	25	37	31	150
31	7525	BLUE JAY	Andy PEARCE	Ian SIMPSON	Hawley Lake SC	22	17	24	36	33	34	28	158
32	7508	BLAEC	Dave WHITTLE	Hannah RADBOURNE	South Cerney SC	12	16	36	32	31	32	36	159
33	7906	ADRENALIN	Jonathon WEEKS	Joshua O'BRIEN	Dittisham SC	34	35	29	20	35	20	25	163
34	7988	CURVACEOUS	Victoria MCCABE	Magnus MCCABE	Parkstone YC	30	23	35	27	32	29	33	174
35	1924	BUMBLE TOO	Paul SLEEMAN	Jacqui SLEEMAN	IBC/LSC	37	34	30	30	36	30	30	190
36	7155		Graham SHARLAND	Joshua SHARLAND	Lyme Regis SC	36	36	34	34	19	33	43	192
37	8154	PROGRESS	Tim WADSWORTH	Rachel WADSWORTH	Lyme Regis SC	31	40	39	33	37	31	32	203
38	5881	ARIEL	Steve BAILEY	Keith WOODWORTH	Nottingham SC	38	32	40	38	38	35	35	216
39	7986	DANCING DUDE	Robin BROOKS	Michael BROOKS	Maidenhead SC	42	38	38	37	40	39	34	226
40	8078	PYSGODYN GLAS	Roger POAT	Phillip SHEPPARD	The Nottingham	39	39	37	39	39	40	37	230
41	6513	HUMBUG	Alec RENSHAW	Jes LANE	Paignton SC	41	41	43	43	43	41	43	252
42	7176	KATZIE WEIGHTZIE	Derek GIBBON	Katie GIBBON	RYA	40	42	43	43	43	43	43	254