Splash Worlds at Pwllheli Sailing Club - Days 1 & 2

Racing during the Splash worlds at Pwllheli © Gareth Roberts

Racing during the Splash worlds at Pwllheli © Gareth Roberts

Racing during the Splash worlds at Pwllheli © Gareth Roberts

Crews from all over the world started arriving at Pwllheli on Saturday 8th August, the majority of them from the Netherlands. Measuring the boats started and continued into Sunday when a practise race was organised for both Splash and Flash fleets. The Splash sailors are all under 18 whilst those over 18 continue into the Flash class, which is the same boat with a larger sail.

Weather conditions, on both days was a mix of light clouds and sun, with wind strengths of between Force 2 to 3. About half the fleet went out on Sunday to get an experience of sailing in Cardigan Bay. One race was held for each fleet, the race officers setting a long race to give everybody a chance to experience the conditions in the bay.

The opening ceremony on Sunday night was attended by the Mayor of Pwllheli, Ifan Hughes, and Councillor Sion Roberts with the Club Commodore Dave Hulse also giving a welcoming speech. The President of the International Splash Class Luuk Feikens opened the event with over 400 competitors and families attending in the large marquee at Pwllheli Club.

Day 1

The first races in the championship were held on Monday 10th, conditions were misty in the Bay of Cardigan, so racing was deferred until about 11.30 when the fleets were launched. A course was laid and the Splash Yellow fleet and Flash fleet successfully had a race, but the wind dropped and became changeable so the Blue fleet had to wait until after midday before the wind direction stabilised enough for racing to continue.

Results for the early races were affected by large numbers of sailors being across the line at the start, and being disqualified. As a result a Welsh sailor, Bleddyn Mon, a young up and coming sailor from Anglesey provisionally has won the first race in the Yellow fleet.

After some time, a new course was laid and all fleets completed two races, the last boats coming ashore about six o’clock.

Day 2

Tuesday dawned clear and bright with hardly any cloud and a breeze of between force 2 and 4, ideal for sailing for the younger and lighter Splash sailors. After briefing, sailors launched from Abererch beach and sailed about 2 kilometres out into the bay where an Olympic course had been laid. The race officer soon got proceedings underway and the three fleets were set off, with very few of the start line incidents which were prevalent on the first day. The New Zealand youngsters, all ten of them, were sailing well in both the yellow and blue fleets, with Declan Burn and Michael Cato standing out, with consistent good starts and finishing in both fleets. The young Welsh sailor, Bleddyn Mon and the Netherlander Mathieu de By were some of the few sailors to get amongst the New Zealand contingent.

The oldest sailor in the Flash fleet, a sprightly fifty-seven year old Wolfgang Daum was clearly enjoying himself in the conditions, which were not too taxing.

Three races were completed in good order by about 4pm, just as the breeze started to drop, everybody having had a good day's sailing in near ideal conditions.

Results after Day 2:

Splash Fleet (after five races with one discard)
1st GBR 2243 Bleddyn Mon 6pts
2nd NZL 2592 Declan Burn 8pts
3rd NZL 2585 Michael Caate 8pts
4th NZL 2593 James Little 13pts
5th NED 2507 Mathieu de By 13pts

Flash Fleet (after five Races with one discard)
1st NED 2428 Bob Heineke 5pts
2nd NED 2367 Ruud Westerbeek 5pts
3rd NED 2485 Igor van Zalinge 15pts
4th NED 2288 Frank Cornelissen 17pts
5th NED 1951 Jeroen van Greuningen 19pts