Albacore Nationals at Llandudno Sailing Club - Overall

Albacores on the run under blue skies at Llandudno for the National Championships © Charlie McNamara

Close racing in the Albacore fleet at the National Championships © Charlie McNamara

Tom Gillard and Andrew Elliot are Albacore National Champions 2011 © Charlie McNamara

The 2011 Albacore National Championships were held at Llandudno SC under sunny skies and light winds. Thirty five boats berthed on the impressive promenade ready for battle in this three day event with the equally impressive new raised deck area at the sailing club hosting the après sail socials.

In race 1 2010 National Champion Barney Harris and David Byron from the USA won a close fought race from Tom Gillard and Andrew Elliot and laid down the challenge that perhaps they could not be beaten. Competition throughout the fleet was tight with one mistake often costing at least five places in the light winds. However Race 2 saw a reversal of fortunes at the front with Tom and Andrew winning with Barney and David in an unheard of 10th place. Phil Smith and Steve Graham in ‘Albaholic’ scored a great second with Neville Herbert and Mark Fowler close on their transom and Johnnie Dellow and Jason Phillips forth.

No rest for the officers and members of the National Albacore Association with the AGM held after sailing but fortunately at the same time as the bar was open!

On day two the race team did well to get three races in as the winds remained light with the offshore wind turbines hardly moving. In Race 3 Tom and Andrew scored another first whilst Michael McNamara and Flip Foulds started to make inroads with a second, Rob Lynne and Peter Gray third and John and Paul Gimson forth.

For Race 4 Barney and David came back strongly with a first with Jean and Derek Simmonds climbing up to forth whilst in Race 5 Tom and Andrew returned to the top with Norman Halstead and Sue Morris posting a forth. Following a long hot day on the water there was a tasty BBQ and lots of beer for everyone on the deck.

The final day dawned with winds even lighter and the race officer wasted no time in getting Race 6 underway – a wise decision as Race 7 was eventually binned when the wind died to nothing. In the only race Tom and Andrew sealed the champs with another master class of light wind sailing even when the wind filled in from the west. Judy and Paul Armstrong scored their best result with a third closely followed by Jerry Rook and Simon Heusen.

The prize giving was a glitzy affair with the vast array of silverware that the Albacore class has built up in over 50 years of racing.

Overall a well run event by a hardworking and friendly Llandudno club team in impressive surroundings. We will be back!

Overall Results: