B14 National Championships at Paignton Sailing Club - Day 1
by Alan Davis 12 Jul 2014 09:49 BST
10-13 July 2014
Competitors at the 2014 B14 Nationals arrived at the beach to the forecast 15-20 knots blowing from a direction famously described by Jim Saltonstall as 'oribble'.
With some, frankly, excellent work by the Race Committee the shifty conditions produced three great races with the teams who worked out the wind extending some big leads over the fleet.
Race 1 was run in conditions that favoured the convergence zone on the left side of the beat, which caused some to rely on the left corner later in the day with the opposite result! Mark Watts and Chris Bishop (Ullman Sails) led the fleet around lap 1 from current European Champions Ben McGrane and Olivier Vidal (P&B South) and a tight group of boats including Scott Gray and Charlie Cobourn in 'the Grey Boat', Peter Knight and Jane Reeves (Demelza) and Alan Davis and Toby Barsley-Dale (Troublegum).
Scott and Charlie took the lead downwind and rounded the leeward gate in the lead, but were then overhauled by P&B South on lap 2. P&B South sailed the perfect beat and sailed away to win race 1 with defending champions, Mike Bees and Ferret second and World Champions Tim Harrison and Jonny Ratcliffe (Anthill Mob) third.
Race 2 was run in slightly more breeze, but contained as many snakes as ladders. The second beat proved critical with four boats getting the jump on the fleet - P&B South extended their lead to record their second win, followed by Ullman Sails, Troublegum and Chris Lewns and Tom Pygall (Whitstable Marine). The remained of the fleet were led home by Bees and Ferret.
Race 3 was the best of the day's wind. P&B South showed they were human with a couple of minor strategic mistakes and a kite problem, but they quickly recovered to take fourth. Bees and Ferret took the win from Ullman Sails with Anthill Mob in close attendance. The World Champions in Anthill Mob collected more points on day one than they had in the whole of the 2013 Worlds...
Photos of the event available from www.lincom.co.uk thanks to Steve Cayley.