49er National Ranker at Weymouth & Portland Sailing Academy

The RYA national ranking series got underway at the Weymouth and Portland Sailing Academy this weekend. A small but competitive fleet with a surprisingly high standard gathered for what proved to be some of the best racing seen in the UK for quite some time.

Some could be forgiven for thinking that Paul Brotherton was starting a 49er come back having competed at the sail for gold last year. Winning the Inland championships and having been practising in the run up to this event. However he repeatedly claims he is doing it for fun - who isn’t? It says a lot for the allure of high performance skiff racing that the teams have been out on the water getting some practise in specifically for this event.

The sailing academy was a busy place with the rest of the Olympic classes as well as 420 selection trials and the junior classes all out training. It is testament to the academy that they handle this many boats and people quite effortlessly. Whilst the new site layout with all the boats rigging and launching in front of the academy building creates a real event atmosphere.

Saturday's racing was lacking for nothing. With Northerly winds varying in strength between 12 and 20 knots there were some exciting downwind legs and plenty of place changes throughout the fleet. Brotherton sailing with Stuart Bithell proved their class in these conditions to post a consistent score line with a string of second places, closely followed by John Pink and Rick Peacock with a string of thirds. Dylan Fletcher and Alan Sign took another race win, but Simon Hiscocks and Jonny Clegg took the other two races to equal Paul and Stu’s points.

So it was all to play for going into Sundays final two races. Light breezes soon turned into a decent 10 knot sea breeze yet it was Paul and Stu who sailed away into the lead in the first race to effectively wrap up the series. Pinky and Rick finally found the form that has seen them medal at the last three International events to take the last race and the runners up spot. Dylan and Alan continued there consistent series to nail third place but only just ahead of the quickly improving Chris Rashley and Matt Gotrel.

James Peters & Dicken Maclean and Max Richardson & Ed Fitzgerald, just out of an inspiring few seasons in the 29er, were certainly treated to a quality display of sailing from Paul and Stu but they all found their feet by the end with solid final races. Both these teams managing to stay in front of Laser Radial champion Ben Paton and Adam Hilton who in turn managed to hold off Phil Sharp and Nick Murray, who perhaps still find the races a bit shorter than he is used too.

First non-squad, non-29er legends were Daniel Hare and Jamie Hare in 10th place, runners-up in this division were Peter Lawrence and Miles Blavermann.

The 49er program moves on to Rutland next weekend (21-22 March) with the rest of the 9er fleet. All the 9er events will be raced with the old rigs and this will continue throughout the year. The next ranking event at Hayling in May will be in the new carbon rig. With the Nationals at Hayling in August and a 9er open the preceding weekend the old rigs will be encouraged to attend and special prizes will be awarded for first teams in the old rigs.

Overall Results: