Flying Fifteen Nationals Overall
by Judy Walker 7 Sep 2003 12:38 BST

Action from the Flying Fifteen Nationals © Judy Walker
Racing sponsored by Yachts & Yachting and MDL
The Championship has already been won by defending Champions Steve Goacher and Phil Evans but there was still all to play for second place with Simon Kneller/David Lucas only 0.7 pts ahead of Alan Bax & Andy Weatherspoon and only twelve points separating the next seven.
A cloudy, grey start but with the slight 6 knot wind from the north west
for the first time this week. The highlight soon proved to be the school
of dolphins who came to see if they could beat the fleet on the start
line. A slight postponement allowed the crews to race them up and down
the line!! I suspect the dolphins got the line bias right!!
A clean start saw Goacher, Bax and Kneller at the pin end; half the
fleet including the locals tacked off to the cliffs on the right hand
side where they picked up what there was of the breeze a tactic that
paid off when 3144, Nick Oliver crewed by new wife Lucy, rounded the
windward mark in 6th place.
Alan Bax had tacked early enough not to get headed down by the shore and
was first to the windward mark followed by 3625, Mike Kilbee, and 3792
Brian McKee from Northern Ireland. By the second mark Goacher had got
past Mike Kilbee and was in third place and then moved just behind Bax
by the third mark.
Martin Payne tacked on Simon Kneller at the final windward mark and had
to do his 720 which effectively ruled out his challenge for 5th place.
The two front boats then had a close duel to the finish with Alan Bax
just holding off Steve Goacher to take his first win of the week and to
secure second place overall. Another close battle was for third place
between Brian McKee and Mike Kilbee with Brian McKee 3792 holding off
the challenge over the last beat as the wind died away to almost
nothing.
Simon Kneller pulled up to 5th place, enough to finish in 3rd overall.
Nick Oliver won the Silver Fleet race choosing the right side for the
first beat and also for the final run.
In the Classics David Hill having won the event in emphatic style
winning every race chose to go on crane duty rather than sailing thus
allowing another race winner for the week. George Rock Evans and Mike
Jones went round the final windward mark together with Jones just ahead
but the lightweight team on Sandbagger 2562 proved more patient on an
ever slowing run and drew ahead for a clear victory. David Flint 2587
was becalmed in the middle of the penultimate beat so wisely retired.
Overall Results:
Open Fleet:
Pos | Fleet | Boat Name | Sail No | Helm | Crew | Club | R1 | R2 | R3 | R4 | R5 | R6 | R7 | R8 | R9 | Pts |
---|
1 | Open | | GBR 3721 | Steve Goacher | Phil Evans | Royal Windermere | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5.7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
2 | Open | | GBR 3786 | Alan Bax | Andy Weatherspoon | Hayling Island | 3 | 5.7 | 14 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 5.7 | 5.7 | 0 | 23.4 |
3 | Open | Ana Karenina | GBR 3699 | Simon Kneller | David Lucas | Grafham Water | 8 | 3 | 5.7 | 13 | 0 | 13 | 3 | 3 | 10 | 32.7 |
4 | Open | Simply Spiffing | IRL 3792 | Brian McKee | Ian Smyth | Strangford Lough | 22 | 19 | 13 | 14 | 10 | 5.7 | 11.7 | 8 | 5.7 | 68.1 |
5 | Open | Yachts and Yachting | GBR 3778 | Martin Payne | John Heyes | Royal Torbay | 16 | 11.7 | 8 | 8 | 13 | 18 | 10 | 15 | 11.7 | 77.4 |
6 | Open | Tempus Ffugit | GBR 3625 | Michael Kilbee | Tony Cox | Parkstone | 15 | 16 | 22 | 5.7 | 15 | 8 | 17 | 18 | 8 | 84.7 |
7 | Open | Clapped Out Toy Boy | GBR 3635 | Ian Cleaver | Chris Owen | Royal Highland | 10 | 13 | 16 | 16 | 8 | 17 | RAF | 10 | 14 | 87 |
8 | Open | Freebird | GBR 3790 | David Chubb | Adrian Simpson | Northampton | 14 | 15 | 10 | 10 | 11.7 | 15 | 18 | 14 | 16 | 89.7 |
9 | Open | Cygnet | GBR 3429 | Colin Fletcher | Huw Fletcher | Llangorse | 13 | 10 | 17 | 11.7 | 17 | 10 | OCS | 19 | 13 | 91.7 |
10 | Open | | GBR 3599 | Jeremy Arnold | Mike Pearce | Notts County | 19 | 20 | 3 | 15 | 20 | 11.7 | 14 | 11.7 | 18 | 92.4 |
11 | Open | Toys Out Of The Pram | GBR 3689 | Grayson Eacott | Gary Lane | Hayling Island | 11.7 | 14 | 11.7 | 21 | 14 | 22 | 8 | 17 | 19 | 95.4 |
12 | Open | Fat Boys Go Faster | GBR 3583 | Simon Dangerfield | John Washington | Chew Valley Lake | 5.7 | 8 | DNF | 19 | 18 | 19 | 16 | 16 | DNF | 101.7 |
13 | Open | Nuttenuff | GBR 3695 | Tony Lee | Chris Hough | Derwent Reservoir | 20 | 17 | 18 | 17 | 16 | 16 | 13 | 13 | DNF | 110 |
14 | Silver | Her Outdoors | GBR 2797 | Bill Butcher | Martin Scobie | Royal Torbay | 17 | 23 | 15 | 18 | 22 | 14 | 20 | 21 | 17 | 122 |
15 | Open | Beeffeater | GBR 3768 | John Wardrop | Neil Cunliffe | Bewl Valley | 21 | 18 | 21 | 23 | 19 | 23 | 15 | 22 | 21 | 137 |
16 | Silver | Miffy | GBR 3040 | Rob Llewellyn | Seamus McDermott | Royal Torbay | 24 | 22 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 21 | 19 | 20 | 20 | 140 |
17 | Silver | True Colours | GBR 3144 | Nick Oliver | Lucy Oliver | Royal Torbay | 23 | 21 | 23 | 22 | 23 | 20 | 22 | DNC | 15 | 146 |
18 | Silver | Forrader | GBR 3033 | Paddy Bettesworth | Tim Edwards | Royal Torbay | 18 | 24 | 20 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 21 | 23 | DNC | 154 |
Classic Fleet:
Pos | Boat Name | Sail No | Helm | Crew | Club | R1 | R2 | R3 | R4 | R5 | R6 | R7 | R8 | R9 | Pts |
---|
1 | Nevados | IRL 671 | David Hill | Maff Smith | Carrickfergus | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | DNC | 0 |
2 | Sandbagger | GBR 2562 | George Rock-Evans | Martine McPherson | Royal Torbay | 3 | 8 | 3 | 3 | 10 | 3 | 5.7 | 5.7 | 0 | 23.4 |
3 | Hangover | GBR 2645 | Mike Jones | David Travis | Llangorse | 10 | 3 | 5.7 | 5.7 | 5.7 | 10 | 8 | 3 | 3 | 34.1 |
4 | Slartibartfast | GBR 2587 | David Flint | David Hemmingway | Llangorse | 5.7 | 5.7 | 10 | 8 | 3 | 5.7 | 3 | 8 | DNF | 39.1 |
5 | Grey Goose | GBR 55 | Jeremy Soulsby | Katherine Soulsby | Llangorse | 8 | 10 | 8 | 10 | 8 | 8 | 10 | 10 | DNC | 62 |