It also clashes with the SGP ...

I believe they have 26 entries so I am sure the champion "amateurs" will enjoy the proceedings ...

Rick

Goody did it last year so it must be possible for some Olympic contenders to go? In any case although his presence was much trumpeted and I'm sure much appreciated he didn't actually win!

Is a clash with SGP that important? Each class at the SGP only sends one rep EDIT(to the Endeavour) anyway and I'd have thought the opportunity to do the Endeavour  - (a possibly only chance) would be more attractive than the SGP - which will probably run every year plus there's talk of having other events during the year and in any case the Fireballs will dominate!.

As the boat used for the Endeavour is a heavy, detuned version of the RS400, or a bigger version of the RS200, etc it's arguably those class champions that stand the best chance (or of course champions of other classes that sail these types regularly - like most of the recent winners). It also seems to help to be used to sitting out hard (ask the Cherub guys).

It is compusory for Skandia Team GBR members to do the Autumn Qualifiers this year (it is in their contract).

Last year Goody had already qualified for the Worlds so could afford to miss an event.

The only person allowed to go to the Endeavour is the UK National Champion (who is I believe in nearly every case a Skandia Team GRB member!!!)

That doesn't appear to be the case.  Another popular sailing news website has  a list of confirmed entries, not all of which are the 2006 national champions of the classes they represent.

Mike

So who's going to win;

Here is my forecast.

1st Craig
2nd Lea
3rd Gilbert

But of course I hope Trotter wins

[/QUOTE]

Another popular sailing news website has  a list of confirmed entries, not all of which are the 2006 national champions of the classes they represent.

Mike

[/QUOTE]

Any chance of posting the list of entries?

If your national champion is not available, the Endeavour entry form states that you may nominate your World or European champion instead - not sure if that covers the dubiouis entries referred to

How many boats entered the 12ft Skiff Nationals ?

I see the Cherubs had 19 - is that correct?

Rick

PS - I guess there is some rule otherwise there would be a 100+ boat fleet at the event looking at this ...

http://www.yachtsandyachting.com/classes/?s=44 - http://www.yachtsandyachting.com/classes/?s=44

Overnigh positions ...

1st Craig
2nd Lea
3rd Gilbert

I should have had a wager ...

Edit: Results are on-line

http://www.royalcorinthian.co.uk/result.php?race=2006-12-1-0 - http://www.royalcorinthian.co.uk/result.php?race=2006-12-1-0

Absolutely spot on after day one!!!

asym....non asym??? thoughts?

Having no asymmetric in their 'normal' boats didn't seem to badly affect the performance of the Mirror, Solo, Firefly, or Lark. Probably more significant in terms of performance in this type of boat is ability to hike. Despite not being used to hiking at all, the MPS, RS700, Vortex and RS600 reps all finished in the top half and beat some significant 'hiking boats'.

I have spoken to Ian Trotter who says the event was excellent in all respects and the racing very tough.

The tide was very strong and many places could be won or lost in races.

He said the fleet was very close and most people had their moments; more details of his report here.

http://www.mustoskiff.com/ - http://www.mustoskiff.com/

Rick

PS - he also said his legs were in bits ...

Bit picky that Jim but yes perhaps I should have said used to hiking 'anything like as much'.  For example, the leading rep of this type was the Musto Skiff. Excepting the odd half hour now and then, Ian Trotter hasn't sailed a hiking boat for years. His crew, Graham Vials helmed a 470 some time ago, then had a period substantially out of sailing and now foils on a Moth - hardly a real hiking boat and certainly less so than any of the proper hiking classes they comfortably beat.

You earlier 'picked' up on my comment that the RS400 sailors would arguably have an advantage - saying they would definately have the advantage - presumably because they are familiar with this style of sailing.

So on the assumption that your view as to what classes are likely to have an advantage doesn't stop at RS 400 / 200,  who would you say was next best placed in terms of familiarity with this style of sailing?

I'm guessing you're not likely to suggest the single handed trapeze boat sailors.

Move venue? Not at all - this is real world sailing. If there are enough races, the cream will rise to the top despite 'processional races'. Indeed, the results are pretty consistent indicating that the venue had little effect.

Moving to a 'perfect venue' with open water, and perfect windward leeward/ sausages/triangles whatever (a limited test of ability in my view), would be akin to how they'd sanitised (=ruined) Grand Prix motorsport in the last 30 years - can you easily tell one circuit from another at a glance these days?

I guess you might argue that for the ultimate test they should sail a series of regattas at a variety of 'real world venues', river, sea, lake, using the most interesting courses available at the respective venues. Locals know the best ways to get the most out of their water, and it's rarely standard courses they sail...

I think the venue is part of the event and it's got many years tradition behind it and conditions that are probably unusual to most entries this combined with using the Xenon makes the playing field as level as it is ever going to be ...

The results were pretty mixed up .. so I guess it was pretty open.

As for why there is no rep from some classes e.g. Fireball only those sailors can say why they didn't show ...

Rick

Of course the event is held in Burnham because that is where Endeavour was based, at the RCYC. Moving the event  would be like sailing Cowes Week somewhere else. Or the Wilson Trophy on a Moidland reservoir.

Moving long established events elsewhere can cause all sorts of problems. Look what happend when it was proposed to sail the Admirals Cup in Dublin Bay. Never happened...the RORC couldn't let their baby fly the nest. But the venue would have been superb, with a Round Irleand as a spectacular long race (almost same distance as the Fastnet)... maybe the RORC were worried that nobody would want to go back to Cowes.

Gordon

Hi everyone,

It is an interesting point as to who attends the event. From memory, in the pre-race information and NOR on the RCYC Burnham website, I thought that the crews were 'invited' to attend.   How they would do this I do not know, for example in the Y & Y current National Championship Attendance Table, there are 127 classes (albeit this includes some keel boats and cats, etc.). So how is it worked out as to who is to be invited to attend the event. 

Nobody would expect every national champion to attend and some sailors may have won more than one championship, in which case I thought that the person who came second may attend.  Looking at the championship table, I notice that  some classes had less than ten boats at their championship and the Laser 5000 class, for example, only had three boats.

The last two events have been held in Xenons which were supplied by Topper.  In recent previous years, the Endeavour was sailed in RS 400's and, before that,  Enterprises (I don't know what other classes were used in the earlier years of the event). Crews had to provide their own boats which was sometimes difficult as it usually meant borrowing or hiring a boat. I know of someone who did not attend several times because he could not source a competitive boat.  I don't know how many boats Topper were prepared to supply for the events over the last two years but I don't suppose that they could be expected to provide say 50 or 100 boats as I suspect that they would not be available and there would be a massive logistics problem in getting the boats to the event.

So this brings us back to the point of just who is 'invited', 'selected' or is 'eligible' to attend the event?

Ian  (Yorkshire Dales S.C.)

Hi everyone,

Having traced a copy of the NOR, I noticed that the entry was restricted to 30 boats (obviously what Topper were able to provide).  I also noticed that the entry fees were £75, boat insurance £33, deposit on boat in case of damage £100 (returnable if boat returned in order). The crew's travelling expenses, accomodation, meals and subsistence must also be added.

Adding all of this up, it makes it a pretty expensive event to attend which may be another reason why some of our champions did not attend. Even so, it must be great to be good enough to take part in such a prestigious event, despite the cost.

As Alan Gillard (winner in 1986 with Graham Machon) wrote about the event in the current edition of Y & Y, "There is not another dinghy racing event on the calendar quite like this one, which if you are good enough to win, is well worth having on your sailing CV". 

Going back to the 30 boat limit, the mind boggles at the possible selection process of which classes were to take part if say 60+ of our champions wanted to participate.

Ian   (Yorkshire Dales S.C.)

In defence of those that did not attend. I was lucky enough to be invited to the Endeavour by two classes this year.

How it works is; The RCYC conatct the Class secrateries who can then invite their National Champions. If they are unavailable they can be substituted with either a European or World Champion.

Some of our Classes do not have a World or European Champion as they are National Classes so there is no substitue, therfore the slot can be filled by another class if that class can not field a competitor.

I have previously attended three times in both the RS400's and last year in the Zenon, it is a fantastic event and will hope to attend again in the future should I be lucky enough to be invited.

I was unable to attend due to the very recent birth of my Daughter.