Volvo GJW Direct Topper 5.3 and 4.2 Nationals at Pwllheli - Day 4
by Chris Woodard 10 Aug 2017 14:38 BST
5-11 August 2017
It was another tough day for the 225 young sailors competing in the Volvo GJW Direct Topper 5.3 and 4.2 National Championships at Pwllheli. Day 4 saw the start of the Championship Series for the 5.3s, with the overall standings from the first seven races determining the rankings for the Gold, Silver and Bronze fleets, and the 4.2s continuing their single 22 race series.
The wind was again pretty feisty, and although it was up and down over the day, it spent much of the time at a steady 20-22 knots, with gusts over 25 knots, and ironically the strongest wind was seen over the 4.2 course, closer inshore. These conditions tested boats and sailors to their limits, with multiple breakages and bruises, including at least two broken booms, two shredded sails, a broken mast, and the day's first-aider was kept busy back at base with a steady trickle of minor injuries to attend to.
In the 5.3 Gold fleet Sam Cooper was on devastating form, winning all three races to take a commanding overall lead, and the previous overnight leader Andrew Homer was similarly consistent, albeit with three sixths, which was enough to secure a clear second overall at this stage. Almost everyone else posted a more mixed bag of results, indicative of the high standard and close racing in this fleet.
In the Silver fleet Kamran Ewbank scored two seconds and a tenth to lead overnight, with the individual race victories going to Nathan Gribbin, Harriet Kirk and Ethan Neale. The Bronze fleet sailed with the Silver, and at times their front runners led the combined fleet, with Alexander Baird scoring two fists and a second to lead overnight.
In the 4.2 fleet many of these younger, lighter and less experienced sailors inevitably found these conditions very challenging, and there was generally a lack of consistency, but Giles Baker's 1, 4, 4, 3 score line was enough to extend his overall lead, with the other race victories going to Cameron Sword, James Smaggersdale and Miles Deverill.
Results can be found at www.itca-gbr.co.uk/results