Finn National Championships at Christchurch Sailing Club

by John Heyes 20 Jun 2007 14:08 BST 15-17 June 2007

Good winds for the Finn nationals at Christchurch © David Blyth / www.fotoboat.com

Sponsored by Yachts & Yachting

41 Finns from all over the UK plus two from France gathered at Christchurch SC to contest the 2007 National title. The event attracted a whole range of sailors and illustrates the beauty of a sport where ‘mature’ club sailors and juniors can line up against top Skandia Team GBR sailors and multiple world champions.

Held in Christchurch Bay, Friday’s first race started in a healthy 14 knots and Nick Craig, fresh from his ‘Top Brit’ result at the Finn Europeans the week before hit the far right of the course to gain the tidal push out of the harbour, The gambit worked and he managed to hold off the rapidly advancing Giles Scott for the first two laps of the triangle/sausage course, followed by fellow squad member Andrew Mills. Scott was faster downwind and past Nick Craig on the run, before closely covering Mills up the final beat, This allowed Craig to work out to the favoured right-hand side and round the windward mark ahead of the two squad sailors and then managed to hold them off to the downwind finish to record a great win. Fourth was Allen Burrell, who pulled up well from 8th and 5th John Tremlett from Mengeham Rye.

Just as the fleet were getting the hang of the right hand side ‘Gulf Stream’ effect of the harbour, the tide tuned for race two and saw the leaders pile in from the left with a good shift and favourable tide. The breeze was now at 18 plus knots and with big rollers developing the reaches were real screamers with long surfs to the downwind finish. Giles Scott, 2005 ISAF Youth World Champion in the Laser dominated the race to take a commanding lead ahead of Mills in second, Craig in third and squad veteran John Greenwood in 4th.

Saturday’s forecast was for even more breeze and Christchurch Bay served up one of the most exhilarating days racing the fleet will remember for a long time. It clearly did not phase the lanky Giles, who won all three races of the day, the final one in 25 knots and big waves that saw many experienced Finn sailors take an un-expected swim! Scott’s’ speed and boat handling was noticeable better than the rest of the field and some of the leads he pulled out were just impertaint, allowing him to not bother pumping downwind.

John Tremlett from Mengeham Rye showed a liking for the stronger conditions scoring a 3, 5, and 4 for the day whilst Nick Craig and Andrew Mills battled for the second place slot all day. For the rest of the fleet the downwind sailing was the best part of the day and immensely challenging in the big waves that would just pick you up and roll the boat from under you on the reach. There were several collisions at the leeward mark as boats suddenly surfed into last minute overlaps and a few freak collisions as people sailed into capsized boats. Dave Potter from West Kirby managed a good result to finish 11th only to turn turtle right on the rather narrow finish line! Of the 27 sailors that finished the race, everyone had a grin from ear to ear, even though they needed lifting out of the boat at the end of a long and bruising day.

Sunday’s final two races brought some relief from the wind and waves, with the breeze occasionally dropping below 12 knots in the first race, which meant the pumping flag was on and off throughout the race. Ex Solo Champion and Finn Grand Master Tony Lock showed the youngsters how to start with a memorable port tack start that saw him cross the fleet who were still all piling up at the Committee Boat end. Tony rounded the mark with the leading bunch and finished a strong 9th.As the sun came out, more of the Masters’ sailors showed their form with Allen Burrell chalking up two 5ths, Marc Allain De Beavais ( FRA) two 6th’s and the rapidly improving Martin Hughes and 8th and 4th.

Needless to say Giles Scott won race 6 and with two discards was able to take an early shower before the final race to leave a perfect score line of 5 firsts. His departure left Nick Craig and Andrew Mills to battle for the runner-up trophy, with Craig’s victory in the final race sealing it from Mills, both on 10 points. Later Nick admitted Mills had superior speed and fitness but explained he was able to steal the win on his tidal strategy, picking up the benefit of the tide change that favoured the left hand side.

At the prize giving all agreed that 2007 Finn National champion Giles Scott is certainly a talent in the Finn and one to perhaps challenge for gold in 2012. First Master was John Greenwood, second Allen Burrell and third Marc Allain De Beavais. First Grand master went to Richard Hart who held off the challenge from local helm Tony Lock.

British Finn Association chairman Andy Denison closed the prize giving by acknowledging the event's main sponsor Yachts and Yachting for their contributions and support of the event, one which will certainly remain in the memory for its competitors for a long time.

Overall Results: (Click here to fill in Gear Guide information)

Pos	Sail No	Helm	Club	R1	R2	R3	R4	R5	R6	R7	Pts
1	41	Giles Scott	Grafham	-2	1	1	1	1	1	-42	5
2	628	Nick Craig	Frensham Pond	1	-3	2	-4	3	3	1	10
3	634	Andrew Mills	Queen Mary SC	-3	2	-4	2	2	2	2	10
4	642	John Tremlett	Mengeham Rythe SC	-5	-5	3	5	4	4	3	19
5	6	John Greenwood	Budworth SC	7	4	6	3	5	-42	-42	25
6	2	Allen Burrell	Thorpe Bay SC	4	-6	5	6	-10	5	5	25
7	99	Allain du Beauvais Hail		9	9	7	-12	-17	6	6	37
8	567	Martin Hughes	Warsash SC	8	-16	-42	11	7	8	4	38
9	651	Neil Robinson	Mengeham RytheSC	6	-29	12	13	6	-20	8	45
10	635	Simon Percival	Christchurch	-24	10	10	7	9	-16	9	45
11	13	John De Leeuw	Dalgety Bay/Port Edgar	-21	-28	14	15	8	7	7	51
12	660	David Potter	West Kirby	15	7	-29	-17	11	10	10	53
13	602	Ashley Taylor	Christchurch	-22	15	8	-42	12	12	12	59
14	572	Mark MacDonald	Mengeham Rythe SC	-42	-42	11	10	13.5	18	14	66.5
15	65	Sander Kooij	Thorpe SC	11	14	23	-42	-42	13	11	72
16	20	Andy Denison	Christchurch	14	21	-42	8	16	14	-28	73
17	631	Richard Hart	Mengeham Rythe SC	13	18	9	14	-20	19	-21	73
18	611	Tony Lock	Christchurch SC	20	8	21	-27	-42	9	19	77
19	33	Graham Page	Mengeham Rythe SC	12	11	18	-33	-42	21	18	80
20	595	Ed Thornburn	Newhaven and Seaford	16	-20	-25	19	13.5	15	17	80.5
21	77	Howard Sellers	Warsash SC	-26	13	17	23	-42	17	15	85
22	610	John Heyes	Thorpe Bay YC	10	-27	15	26	19	-27	16	86
23	629	Ray New	Christchurch SC	18	12	28	9	22	-42	-42	89
24	562	Jerry Andrews	Stour SC	-25	-30	13	16	15	22	25	91
25	656	Graeme MacDonald	Mengeham Rythe SC	-31	22	16	20	21	-30	20	99
26	24	Rory Barnes	Christchurch SC	-27	-24	22	24	18	23	13	100
27	11	Cliff English	South Shields SC	-34	17	19	18	24	-25	22	100
28	636	Merrick Gill	Christchurch SC	-42	-42	20	29	26	11	23	109
29	644	Julian Smith	Mengeham Rythe SC	29	19	27	-42	-42	26	24	125
30	575	Alistair Campbell	Hamble	28	-33	-32	21	23	24	29	125
31	54	Keith Fedi	Thorpe Bay YC	17	23	24	28	-42	-42	42	134
32	100	Matthew Walker	Mengeham Rythe SC	30	-32	30	25	-42	28	27	140
33	12	Daniel Belton	Mengeham Rythe SC	23	-42	-33	30	27	31	30	141
34	48	Anthony Walker	Mengeham Rythe SC	33	26	26	-42	-42	34	26	145
35	620	Laurence Peters	Christchurch	32	31	35	22	-42	29	-42	149
36	42	Adrian Buswell	Mengeham Rythe SC	35	-36	34	-42	25	32	32	158
37	88	D. Zucconi	St. Trinity	19	25	31	-42	-42	42	42	159
38	8	Rory Stone	GWSC	-38	34	38	31	-42	33	31	167
39	64	Craig Kirkpatrick-Whitby	Warsash SC	37	35	37	32	-42	-42	42	183
40	654	Mike Constantine	Christchurch SC	36	-42	36	-42	42	42	42	198
41	14	Steve Sampson	Mengeham Rythe SC	-42	-42	39	42	42	42	42	207