Albacore Internationals at South Caernarvonshire Yacht Club

Albacore Internationals at South Caernarvonshire Yacht Club - Overall

by Mike Banner 23 Aug 2013 07:06 BST 3-9 August 2013

Albacore Internationals at Abersoch © Andy Green / www.fotoboat.com

American's Cup domination of Albacore Internationals

The 2013 Albacore Internationals took place at South Caernarvonshire Yacht Club (SCYC) in Abersoch during the first week of August with an impressive 50 boats including four from North America who made a cup winning impact. The event also incorporated the UK Nationals and received generous support from Noble Marine Insurance, URENCO and local brewery Purple Moose. The weather and wind remained kind throughout the week and whilst the fleet raced together there were gold and silver fleet prizes.

UK Nationals (Races 1-6, one discard)

At the briefing, principal race officer Chris Hoppins welcomed the fleet to SCYC as the event flag hung onto the flag pole in a gusty Force 4. By the time the boats had reached the race area they had already enjoyed a spray filled reach through some quite big waves. Following a number of recalls for Race 1 the black flag came out and the race was underway. Nev Herbert and Mark Fowler noticed the left shift and port tacked the fleet to take an early lead that they never surrendered though chased by second-place George Carter and Tony Zakrajsek. The wind and waves were now joined by some heavy rain which made spotting the windward mark quite difficult. The conditions claimed around 15 retirements including a cracked centre board, a ripped main and a number of cuts and bruises. With this in mind the PRO decided to postpone the second race until the following day and the fleet screamed back to shore to enjoy the SCYC commodore's reception.

For Race 2 the rain was still present but the wind had dropped with a postponement allowing the fleet some shopping and coffee time. With three races to fit in the Albacores were thankful that the wind had built to another F4 by the time racing started however the windward mark looked (and was!) a long slog in the short chop that had been kicked up the NW breeze. This was a much tighter affair with Rob Lynne and Steve Graham holding off a North American challenge from George closely followed by the UK wife and husband team of Judy and Paul Armstrong. Unfortunately Rob damaged his knee during a gybing duel and had to retire form the next two races for treatment.

For Race 3 the PRO introduced the classic Olympic course and this saw current International Champion Barney Harris with David Byron take the gun with Neville second and Michael McNamara crewed by Flip Foulds in third. Some of the reaches were spectacularly wet!

In the final race of the day with all the sailors getting tired the sun came out and there was again some close tactical racing. Neville took his second bullet followed by Barney and Michael. The fleet sailed back to shore under blue skies ready for a beer on the deck of SCYC where the class AGM was held outdoors for the first time in memory!

Day 3 and Race 5 saw lighter winds but similar names at the front as Barney won again with Rob second and Michael third but Nev suffered a black flag. Race 6 was the final one to count towards the UK Nationals and Rob took his second bullet with George second again and Barney slipping to third just ahead of Nev.

The winner of the UK Nationals was the American crew of Barney Harris with David Byron with George/Tony second, Nev/Mark third and Judy/Paul forth. A North American boat also took the Silver fleet prize with Paul Clifford and Mia Brandt topping this fleet. West Kirby SC won the 3-boat little ships team trophy.

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

Pos	Sail No	Fleet	Helm	Crew	Club	R1	R2	R3	R4	R5	R6	Pts
1	8200	Gold	Barney Harris	David Byron	Potomac River SC	3	4	1	2	1	3	10
2	8185	Gold	George Carter	Tony Zakrajsek	Mooredale SC	2	2	51	3	5	2	14
3	8192	Gold	Nev Herbert	Mark Fowler	Tewkesbury SC	1	7	2	1	51	4	15
4	8189	Gold	Judy Armstrong	Paul Armstrong		5	3	4	6	4	5	21
5	8188/6493	Gold	Mike McNamara	Flip Faulds		51	6	3	4	3	6	22
6	8198	Gold	James Stanley	Julie Stewart	OHCC	8	5	5	5	6	8	29
7	8073	Gold	Steven Brown	Frank Guthrie	Mid Yell BC	6	13	6	10	9	11	42
8	8074	Gold	Mike Hartley	Mark Hinton	West Kirby SC	7	11	26	8	8	9	43
9	8152	Gold	Phil Smith	Tom Williams	Winsford Flash SC/Bala SC	9	8	7	9	27	17	50
10	8069	Silver	Paul Clifford	Mia Brandt	Westwood SC	10	12	11	12	7	10	50
11	8128	Gold	Jeremy Rook	Peter Morton	Lyme Regis SC	12	15	16	11	10	7	55
12	8211	Gold	Rob Lyne	Steve Graham		4	1	51	51	2	1	59
13	8133	Gold	Mike Banner	Alistair Gott	Winsford Flash SC	15	14	9	14	15	29	67
14	8187	Gold	John Carlin	Mike Hughes	West Kirby SC	13	18	10	21	12	19	72
15	8158	Gold	Matthew Metcalf‑Smith	P Metcalf‑Smith		51	16	14	23	11	15	79
16	8155	Gold	Matthew Thompson	Eleanor Thompson	Tewkesbury SC	16	22	17	17	24	13	85
17	7915	Silver	Henry Hughes	Glen Hughes	West Kirby SC	11	20	12	13	32	30	86
18	731/6649	Gold	Crispin Wilson	Conner Ciantar	Lyme Regis SC	51	10	8	7	51	12	88
19	6703	Gold	Crawford Reid	Graeme Russell	Strathclyde Loch SC	30	9	15	18	51	16	88
20	6918	Gold	Johnnie Dellow	Loz Brothwell		25	19	18	24	13	14	88
21	6812	Silver	Tim Coleman	Jo Sankey	Dabchicks SC	19	17	22	16	17	25	91
22	7992	Silver	Patricia Walker	Karl Lloyd	Paignton SC	14	21	23	51	14	23	95
23	7987	Gold	Howard Witt	David Young	Maidenhead SC	17	41	13	25	22	22	99
24	1781	Gold	R Dean	Lorna Katon	Rock SC	23	26	19	15	51	20	103
25	8182	Silver	Thomas Teubner	Ruth Haeckl	West Kirby SC	51	29	24	22	20	27	122
26	7910		Graham Hughson	John Wilson	Mid Yell BC	22	23	21	19	38	42	123
27	8004	Silver	Angus Macneil	Jeff Dobson	Mid Yell BC	20	31	29	32	23	21	124
28	6917	Silver	John Howard	Lynda Bennett	Tewkesbury SC	18	35	25	31	21	44	130
29	8065	Silver	Eric Haselden	Michael Scott	Rudyard Lake SC	27	25	32	28	25	26	131
30	6959	Gold	Richard Smith	George Smith		51	39	20	20	31	24	134
31	7928	Silver	Gordon Scott	Brian Inglis		31	24	38	27	19	39	139
32	6829	Silver	David Thomson	Ellis Johnson	Mid Yell BC	21	32	27	26	41	46	147
33	7504	Gold	Paul Gimson	Amy Sanderson	Rudyard Lake SC	26	37	31	33	26	38	153
34	7155	Silver	Graham Sharland	Josh Sharland	Lyme Regis SC	24	30	35	38	33	34	156
35	7753	Gold	Clive Gimson	Peter Pollard	Rudyard Lake SC	28	34	33	36	28	48	159
36	7993		Jessie Lawrence	Peter Lawrence	Tewkesbury SC	35	28	30	30	37	40	160
37	8066	Silver	John Saddington	Dennis Manning	Rollesby Broad	51	40	40	37	16	31	164
38	7525	Silver	Andy Pearce	Ian Simpson	Hawley Lake SC	51	36	34	29	29	41	169
39	5881	Gold	Steve Bailey	Kirsten Sheppard	Nottingham SC	29	44	37	35	30	43	174
40	6937	Gold	Barry Wicks	Hannah Duncan	Maidenhead SC	51	27	28	34	51	37	177
41	6477	Silver	Andy Bayliss	Vicky Woods		51	33	39	51	35	28	186
42	8000	Gold	Trevor Smith	Ann Smith	Maidenhead SC	51	51	51	51	18	18	189
43	8154	Silver	Tim Wadsworth	Rachel Wadsworth	Lyme Regis SC	51	38	43	40	36	32	189
44	8078	Silver	Roger Poat	Phillip Sheppard	Nottingham SC	33	43	42	39	43	36	193
45	6949	Silver	Hazel Smith	Andrew Smith	Tewkesbury SC	32	42	36	41	44	49	195
46	8191	Silver	Kevin Boyce	Diane Boyce	Ullswater SC	51	51	41	42	42	33	209
47	6492	Silver	Dave Allen	Rosie Lyne		34	45	51	51	39	45	214
48	8157	Gold	Paul Sleeman	Jacqui Sleeman		51	51	51	51	34	35	222
49	8080		Martin Anderson	Dawn Walton	Blithfield SC	51	51	51	51	40	47	240
50	7176		Derek Gibbon			51	51	51	51	51	51	255

Internationals (UK Nationals races plus Races 7-10, two discards)

For the remaining four races Barney Harris with David Byron scored a perfect four bullets to retain their International Albacore crown in impressive style closely followed in second overall and in all but one of these races by George Carter and Tony Zakrajsek. In third, again for most of these races and overall was Nev Herbert and Mark Fowler, the first UK boat. Despite being what appeared to be mistakenly black flagged in one race Michael McNamara and Flip Foulds took fourth overall and first wooden boat which included the first ever award of the Ken and Mary Ayrton Memorial Rose Bowl. Close behind was another North American team of James Stanley and Julie Stewart.

In the silver fleet Paul Clifford and Mia Brandt held onto the top spot with Tim Coleman/Jo Sankey second and Patricia Walker/ Karl Lloyd third. Jerry Rook/Peter Morton and Crispin Wilson/Conner Ciantar won the inaugural Buddy Cup for the top pair from a UK club – Lyme Regis.

Spare a thought for Judy and Paul Armstrong who were in contention only to have to return home due to a family bereavement. Also, Rob Lynne and Steve Graham had a mast failure on the last day that pushed them away from a potential top five spot. Special mention must also go to Dennis Manning who despite being blind finished a creditable 40th with his helm John Saddington and also to the boys from Shetland who made the long journey south to North Wales!

On the final day the fleet enjoyed true champagne conditions with sunshine wind and waves giving some breathtaking reaches that matched the breathtaking mountain backdrop to the sailing area. At the prize giving the soon-to-be Mrs Kay Banner presented the prizes supplemented with Purple Moose beer and there were thanks all round especially to the main sponsors URENCO and Noble Marine Insurance plus the excellent race, rescue and office team at SCYC.

So the question remains: who can break the North American domination of the Albacore Internationals? – the answer will be revealed in just under two years when the fleet reconvene in Sarasota, Florida for the next instalment. Next year's UK Nationals returns to the South Coast and a long weekend format at Parkstone SC.

Overall Results:

Pos	Sail No	Fleet	Helm	Crew	Club	R1	R2	R3	R4	R5	R6	R7	R8	R9	R10	Pts
1	8200	Gold	Barney Harris	David Byron	Potomac River SC	3	4	1	2	1	3	1	1	1	1	11
2	8185	Gold	George Carter	Tony Zakrajsek	Mooredale SC	2	2	51	3	5	2	3	2	2	2	18
3	8192	Gold	Nev Herbert	Mark Fowler	Tewkesbury SC	1	7	2	1	51	4	4	3	3	3	21
4	8188/6493	Gold	Mike McNamara	Flip Faulds		51	6	3	4	3	6	51	5	4	5	36
5	8198	Gold	James Stanley	Julie Stewart	OHCC	8	5	5	5	6	8	2	9	5	4	40
6	8074	Gold	Mike Hartley	Mark Hinton	West Kirby SC	7	11	26	8	8	9	5	6	6	51	60
7	731/6649	Gold	Crispin Wilson	Conner Ciantar	Lyme Regis SC	51	10	8	7	51	12	6	7	8	6	64
8	8073	Gold	Steven Brown	Frank Guthrie	Mid Yell BC	6	13	6	10	9	11	17	11	7	8	68
9	8128	Gold	Jeremy Rook	Peter Morton	Lyme Regis SC	12	15	16	11	10	7	12	12	11	10	85
10	8069	Silver	Paul Clifford	Mia Brandt	Westwood SC	10	12	11	12	7	10	51	13	20	18	93
11	8152	Gold	Phil Smith	Tom Williams	Winsford Flash SC/Bala SC	9	8	7	9	27	17	23	8	17	19	94
12	6703	Gold	Crawford Reid	Graeme Russell	Strathclyde Loch SC	30	9	15	18	51	16	13	10	12	7	100
13	8158	Gold	Matthew Metcalf‑Smith	P Metcalf‑Smith		51	16	14	23	11	15	19	15	10	9	109
14	8187	Gold	John Carlin	Mike Hughes	West Kirby SC	13	18	10	21	12	19	15	17	9	16	110
15	8211	Gold	Rob Lyne	Steve Graham		4	1	51	51	2	1	7	4	51	51	121
16	8133	Gold	Mike Banner	Alistair Gott	Winsford Flash SC	15	14	9	14	15	29	32	30	13	14	123
17	8155	Gold	Matthew Thompson	Eleanor Thompson	Tewkesbury SC	16	22	17	17	24	13	8	16	16	51	125
18	6812	Silver	Tim Coleman	Jo Sankey	Dabchicks SC	19	17	22	16	17	25	9	18	19	12	127
19	8189	Gold	Judy Armstrong	Paul Armstrong		5	3	4	6	4	5	51	51	51	51	129
20	7992	Silver	Patricia Walker	Karl Lloyd	Paignton SC	14	21	23	51	14	23	11	51	14	11	131
21	7915	Silver	Henry Hughes	Glen Hughes	West Kirby SC	11	20	12	13	32	30	26	19	18	17	136
22	7987	Gold	Howard Witt	David Young	Maidenhead SC	17	41	13	25	22	22	21	20	24	15	154
23	6918	Gold	Johnnie Dellow	Loz Brothwell		25	19	18	24	13	14	27	22	29	20	155
24	6959	Gold	Richard Smith	George Smith		51	39	20	20	31	24	20	14	15	13	157
25	1781	Gold	R Dean	Lorna Katon	Rock SC	23	26	19	15	51	20	31	25	25	51	184
26	8182	Silver	Thomas Teubner	Ruth Haeckl	West Kirby SC	51	29	24	22	20	27	30	21	39	22	195
27	8065	Silver	Eric Haselden	Michael Scott	Rudyard Lake SC	27	25	32	28	25	26	14	27	31	51	203
28	7910		Graham Hughson	John Wilson	Mid Yell BC	22	23	21	19	38	42	40	39	22	21	205
29	8004	Silver	Angus Macneil	Jeff Dobson	Mid Yell BC	20	31	29	32	23	21	25	29	42	28	206
30	7928	Silver	Gordon Scott	Brian Inglis		31	24	38	27	19	39	18	40	27	24	208
31	7504	Gold	Paul Gimson	Amy Sanderson	Rudyard Lake SC	26	37	31	33	26	38	24	24	23	27	214
32	7525	Silver	Andy Pearce	Ian Simpson	Hawley Lake SC	51	36	34	29	29	41	16	28	30	26	228
33	6477	Silver	Andy Bayliss	Vicky Woods		51	33	39	51	35	28	10	23	36	25	229
34	6917	Silver	John Howard	Lynda Bennett	Tewkesbury SC	18	35	25	31	21	44	37	37	26	51	230
35	5881	Gold	Steve Bailey	Kirsten Sheppard	Nottingham SC	29	44	37	35	30	43	28	26	32	23	240
36	6829	Silver	David Thomson	Ellis Johnson	Mid Yell BC	21	32	27	26	40	46	42	46	33	29	250
37	7993		Jessie Lawrence	Peter Lawrence	Tewkesbury SC	35	28	30	30	37	40	36	33	21	51	250
38	7753	Gold	Clive Gimson	Peter Pollard	Rudyard Lake SC	28	34	33	36	28	48	33	44	28	51	264
39	7155	Silver	Graham Sharland	Josh Sharland	Lyme Regis SC	24	30	35	38	33	34	41	38	51	51	273
40	8066	Silver	John Saddington	Dennis Manning	Rollesby Broad	51	40	40	37	16	31	44	35	35	51	278
41	6937	Gold	Barry Wicks	Hannah Duncan	Maidenhead SC	51	27	28	34	51	37	35	32	38	51	282
42	8000	Gold	Trevor Smith	Ann Smith	Maidenhead SC	51	51	51	51	18	18	22	31	51	51	293
43	8191	Silver	Kevin Boyce	Diane Boyce	Ullswater SC	51	51	41	42	41	33	38	43	41	30	309
44	8154	Silver	Tim Wadsworth	Rachel Wadsworth	Lyme Regis SC	51	38	43	40	36	32	39	34	51	51	313
45	8078	Silver	Roger Poat	Phillip Sheppard	Nottingham SC	33	43	42	39	42	36	43	45	37	51	315
46	6492	Silver	Dave Allan	Rosie Lyne		34	45	51	51	51	45	29	42	43	31	320
47	6949	Silver	Hazel Smith	Andrew Smith	Tewkesbury SC	32	42	36	41	43	49	51	47	34	51	324
48	8157	Gold	Paul Sleeman	Jacqui Sleeman		51	51	51	51	34	35	34	41	51	51	348
49	8080		Martin Anderson	Dawn Walton	Blithfield SC	51	51	51	51	39	47	51	36	40	51	366
50	7176		Derek Gibbon			51	51	51	51	51	51	51	48	51	51	405