Cadet Nationals at Pwllheli Sailing Club - Day 3

For the third day running, competitors at the Cadet National Championships at Pwllheli enjoyed a day of brilliant sunshine. But unlike previous days, the racing was held in a gentle but fluctuating breeze blowing from the East, which made for very tricky conditions.

Four boats stood out as making the most of the 5-6 knot breeze. In the day’s three races, Michal and Agata Tomaszewski in POL 9354 scored 1, 2, 3; Tom Kinver and Jamie Proffitt in Cyclone scored a 1, 3, 3; Charlie Matthews and Chris Sycamore in Grim Reaper scored 1 and 2; and Alex Young and Alex Philpott in Di Maggio scored 1 and 3.

Michal and Agata continued their good form of earlier in the week, and showed impressive boatspeed in the light airs, just as they had in the stronger breezes of the first two days of the championship.

Tom and Jamie have also surged up the rankings with another consistent set of results, following on from their bullet of yesterday. Charlie and Chris are putting together a very consistent series of top 10 results. And the two Alexs have done their prospects no harm at all with their tenacious performances today, particularly as in their winning race, they fought hard and managed to retrieve their earlier lead on the final short beat to the finish.

The Easterly sea breeze proved to be a race officer’s nightmare. As well as flicking right and left in phases, it tracked right throughout the day, and during the third heats, the course had to be re-laid following a 50 degree right-hand shift.

The day began well for Charlie and Chris, who won Race 7a ahead of Josh Pistol and Jack Wilson in Pintail. In Race 7b, Chris Videlo and Maddie Harris in Mostly Harmless came in second behind Michal and Agata. Amy Seabright and Hannah Muskett in Lady in Red convincingly won Race 8a ahead of Aussies Elliot Noye and Ellie Chesterman in Drop Bears, whilst in Race 8b, Katrina and Christopher Brewer in Executrix finished just behind Alex and Alex.

Cyclone and Grim Reaper dominated Race 9a, whilst in Race 9b, Spaniards Tomas Moya and Tian Feliu in Storm Return were clear winners ahead of Michal and Agata.

The third day of the 60th Anniversary championship produced the most challenging conditions of the regatta so far, and some well known competitors found it hard going. But those who mastered the conditions deservedly leapt up the rankings, setting the scene for an absolutely fascinating finale to the championship on Wednesday.

Michal and Agata Tomaszewski in POL 9354 have a commanding 20 point lead and look uncatchable. However, for the other podium poditions, there is everything to play. Josh Pistol and Jack Wilson in Pintail are just two points ahead of Lukasz Kawinski and Damian Frank in POL 9065, with Katrina and Christopher Brewer in Executrix just a sinle point behind them. It couldn’t be tighter at the top!