Harken 29er Grand Prix Series Round 5 at Pwllheli Sailing Club

by James Grummett 11 Sep 2014 12:18 BST 6-7 September 2014

Harken 29er Grand Prix at Pwllheli prize winners © Clive Grummett

Saturday morning got off to a damp, drizzly start as a fleet of 49 boats left the beach and headed for the racecourse. A quick first start got underway, catching out many of the sailors who had set off for a practice beat. Much to their relief the Race Officer postponed with a minute to go with half the fleet to windward of the start line. Shortly after, we began the regatta with a clean, competitive start in 10 to 12 knots of breeze. With shifty and gusty conditions it was all to play for on the first beat. A pack of five boats broke away from the fleet after more pressure on the left gave them an advantage for the windward mark rounding. With similar conditions for the second lap, Dan Venables and Paddy Keech took 1st, swiftly followed by Rowan Edwards and Daniel Blight, with Hugh Ward and Andy Kilburn taking 3rd.

The conditions remained excellent all day with winds building slightly as the day went on. There was competitive racing throughout the fleet with overall positions changing regularly from race to race. The day ended with James Grummett and Daniel Budden in 1st place on count back to Andy and Hugh, closely followed by Ed Connellan and Matt Rhodes.

Sunday's forecast promised similar winds to Saturday, but as the boats reached the racecourse the wind dropped. The first race began in around 8 knots with Phoebe Connellan and Sophie Otter taking an early lead at the top mark. However on the first downwind leg the wind disappeared and shifted dramatically. Despite this Phoebe and Sophie held second with Rowan and Dan just getting ahead at the gate. The race finished with Rowan and Dan in 1st, Phoebe and Sophie in 2nd and Hugh and Andy in 3rd. The wind picked up slightly for races two and three but remained shifty.

Fantastic consistent results from Dan and Paddy gave them the Grand Prix win, with local sailors Rowan and Dan in second closely followed by James and Dan. Mimi El-Khazindar and Emma Loveridge took 1st Ladies, Rob and Emily Lloyd 1st mixed crew and Huw Edwards and Josh Dawson 1st Juniors.

All in all a great weekend of sailing with good conditions which suited both the newer and more experienced boats in the fleet. It was great to visit Pwllheli and see the progress being made on the new building that will be hosting both our 2015 National and World championships, and we look forward to returning soon.

Overall Results:

Pos	SailNumber	Helm	Crew	R1	R2	R3	R4	R5	R6	R7	Pts
1st	2305	Dan VENABLES	Paddy KEECH	1	(OCS)	4	5	8	5	1	24
2nd	2223	Rowan EDWARDS	Daniel BLIGHT	2	9	15	6	1	4	‑21	37
3rd	25	James GRUMMETT	Daniel BUDDEN	7	5	1	1	22	‑31	4	40
4th	22	Ed CONNELLAN	Matthew RHODES	4	1	12	3	16	13	‑20	49
5th	11	Mimi EL‑KHAZINDAR	Emma LOVERIDGE	6	12	10	4	11	‑15	6	49
6th	2242	Andrew KILBURN	Hugh WARD	3	20	2	2	3	‑25	22	52
7th	2113	Crispin BEAUMONT	Tom DARLING	15	7	14	‑19	4	2	16	58
8th	2046	Gus DIXON	Lawrence LOGAN	9	6	13	13	‑30	20	14	75
9th	2230	Huw EDWARDS	Josh DAWSON	‑29	4	16	18	10	29	3	80
10th	1754	Ollie ALDRIDGE	Nathaniel GORDON	8	27	8	7	13	17	‑33	80
11th	1194	Rob LLOYD	Emily LLOYD	11	(DSQ)	22	8	15	3	26	85
12th	2234	James EALES	Henry COLLINGS	20	15	3	21	‑36	24	7	90
13th	1113	Courtney BILBROUGH	Hatty WARD	‑24	3	17	22	19	11	18	90
14th	2222	Alex JOESBURY	Tom JOESBURY	21	2	18	33	‑35	7	12	93
15th	2304	Nick ROBINS	Samuel GRADE	5	21	5	10	21	(DSQ)	31	93
16th	2224	Matt CURRELL	Emma HATTERSLEY	18	17	6	14	‑28	28	11	94
17th	1972	Joshua BELBEN	Murray HAMPSHIRE	14	22	7	9	20	‑32	24	96
18th	2023	Hamish TAYLOR	Rory ROSE	‑41	10	24	32	18	8	5	97
19th	2235	Phoebe CONNELLAN	Sophie OTTER	16	‑25	23	25	2	19	17	102
20th	2173	Lindsay JOHNSTONE	Fraser KITSON JONES	25	11	25	17	12	12	‑32	102
21st	2217	Lauren MILES	Charlie DARLING	‑31	19	21	16	26	6	15	103
22nd	373	Arthur BROWN	Dan PATTEN	37	13	35	‑39	6	14	2	107
23rd	2172	Lewis MARR	Aaron MURRAY	17	8	11	11	24	36	‑44	107
24th	2325	Anna PRESCOTT	Eve TOWNSEND	10	24	20	26	17	‑27	13	110
25th	1221	Tom JOHNSON	Flynn DAVIES	28	18	19	12	7	‑34	27	111
26th	2040	Jane FURNESS	Molly BROWN	19	16	28	23	‑29	1	28	115
27th	2225	Elliott WELLS	Jake Todd	12	30	‑34	15	27	21	10	115
28th	1867	Jamie SMITH	Jamie JOBSON	13	(RET)	9	31	25	30	9	117
29th	2120	Rebecca LEWIS	Will WARD	27	14	‑40	40	9	10	25	125
30th	1779	Hannah BRISTOW	Emily COVELL	22	28	30	20	32	‑35	8	140
31st	1122	Emma PHILLIPS	Katie ROLLINSON	36	29	29	‑42	5	23	19	141
32nd	1895	Stirling TAYLOR	Chay TAYLOR	23	26	26	27	‑37	16	29	147
33rd	2099	Henry SALMON	David BRAND	26	23	27	28	23	22	‑30	149
34th	2045	Katie MUNRO	Beth HURST	33	32	39	24	14	18	‑43	160
35th	1508	Luke ROBERTSON	Izzie BERKLEY	30	31	‑37	35	33	9	23	161
36th	543	Bobby HEWITT	Harvey MARTIN	32	33	31	30	31	26	‑35	183
37th	1200	James THOMAS	Jack NUNN	35	39	32	34	‑42	40	37	217
38th	342	Chelsea JACKSON	Ryan Jones	40	34	38	29	‑45	39	40	220
39th	900	Hannah STOWE	Zak MORTON	34	36	36	36	‑41	41	39	222
40th	470	Edward NORBURY	Charlie HUTCHINGS	43	35	33	37	‑44	43	36	227
41st	2229	Georgie MCKENZIE	Lucy MEARNS	42	(DNC)	41	DNC	34	33	34	234
42nd	325	Hannah ROBERTS	James GUINAN	39	37	‑43	41	39	37	41	234
43rd	771	Rosie WILLIAMSON	Josh BECK	44	40	‑45	43	40	42	38	247
44th	1196	Carys RANDERIA	Caitlin Jones	47	(DNC)	42	DNC	38	38	42	257
45th	1233	Phoebe WOOD	Ella CUDMORE	38	41	44	38	(DNC)	DNC	DNC	261
46th	402	Charlotte WATSON	Chloe BUTTERWORTH	‑48	42	46	44	43	46	46	267
47th	937	William RHODES	Hannah RHODES	46	43	(DNC)	DNC	46	45	DNC	280
48th	2219	Fiona MACKAY	Heather SWORD	45	38	(DNC)	DNC	DNC	DNC	DNC	283
49th	938	Will PIPER	Iwan ROBERTS	(DNC)	DNC	DNC	DNC	47	44	45	286