12 sq.M Sharpie Nationals at Brancaster Staithe Sailing Club
by James Case 16 Jun 2009 09:47 BST
12-14 June 2009
Brancaster Staithe SC proved to be a perfect venue for 33 Sharpies, including two Dutch teams, for the Nationals from 12th – 14th June. Race officer Malcolm Collins & his team did a fantastic job, setting flawless courses in tricky and changeable conditions.
Friday’s early start offered a fickle SW – 1, making the beats unpredictable, with big shifts to be found, & light patches to be avoided. Reigning European champions Tom Weller & Jeroen van Veen showed top form, despite this being their first Sharpie outing of the season to win race1, from two BSSC teams, Paddy Spink & John Ellison, with Kemp brothers Bruce & James, posting a well earned third.
Race 2 saw event organiser Cliff Nye & son James lead by example, rounding the windward mark first with the fleet in their wake. The second beat proved to be critical, with Nye losing the breeze on the right side of the course. James Case & Jimmy Goodley gratefully accepted the lead & held on to win, with Martin & Ollie Read, running past to take 2nd, relegating the Nye’s to 3rd.
Saturday’s 2 races, in glorious sunshine, saw the racing get underway in a swinging W-SW 1-2 with huge direction & strength changes. Race 3 started with the Reads “buried mid fleet”, until they recalled the classic Brancaster bay tactic of tacking for the beach, looking for the inshore bend. It dutifully arrived, and they hastened into the lead, rewarding the father & son team with their first ever nationals race win, after over 30 years competing in the class. Weller was 2nd, and Richard Major, normally seen on the Laser radial circuit, posting a creditable 3rd guesting in crew, Bob Curtis' boat. A noteworthy 5th place finish by Charlie Borthwick & Tim Ashby beat their average result by 20 places!
Race 4 results all changed on the final 2 legs. Weller whittled down Case’s race long lead at the final wing mark, the pair then arrived at the leeward mark together as the wind momentarily died, both slipping wide of the mark on the tide. Gibbs brothers Chris & Tim took their chance & hardened up with wind in their sails, albeit with Tim holding the starboard jib sheet in his hand due to a fairlead failure! Weller salvaged the win by less than a length, with Case 3rd. Wily Sharpie stalwart Richard Cracknell, also sniffed out the breeze on the short final beat to jump up to 4th.
Overall, Brits Gibbs, Case & Read, were within a point prior to Sunday’s races.
The later start time allowed a relatively steady N 2-3 sea breeze to arrive. The dominant Dutch team duly confirmed their series win by taking race 5, with Gibbs 2nd, & Spink 3rd.
The victorious Dutch relaxed, & team Gibbs finally got a race win, with Spink 2nd, & Read 3rd.
Weller & Van Veen deservedly won the Spring Rice trophy as Series winners; with the Gibbs brothers confirming a peerless 6 th consecutive title of British champions.
Overall Results:
Series winners
Tom Weller & Jeroen Van Veen, 9pts
British Championship Results
1st Chris & Tim Gibbs (Wells SC) 13pts
2nd James Case & Jimmy Goodley (WSC) 18pts
3rd Martin & Ollie Read (WSC) 21pts
4th Paddy Spink & John Ellison (BSSC) 21pts
5th Richard Major & Bob Curtis (WSC) 25pts
6th Richard Cracknell & Gemma Nye (WSC) 38pts
7th Jerry Clark & Jonathan Charles (OSSC) 45pts
8th Kiki Spink & Bob Bradshaw (BSSC) 47pts
9th Cliff & James Nye (BSSC) 48pts
10th Brian Lambert & Tim Adams (BSSC) 63pts