Cadet Nationals at Pwllheli Sailing Club - midweek report
by David Elliott 27 Aug 2009 09:41 BST
22-28 August 2009
Racing at the Zhik Cadet National Championships 2009 © Phil Shepherd
With six of the ten scheduled races completed, Sophie Dingwall & Christopher Sycamore from Fishers Green sailing 5000 and Christopher Brewer & Ole Alcock from Parkstone sailing 8997 are equal on 10 points, with the former leading after winning yesterday’s final race.
Having lost the first day to the weather, three races were sailed on both Monday and Tuesday, using a triangle-sausage-sausage course. Light winds saw the fleet take a considerable time to reach the course and the start was further delayed as the wind shifted further and further to the right. Race 1 produced the first bullet for Chris and Ole. They had established a useful lead at the first windward and pulled away from the fleet to win by a healthy margin. Ben Binmore & Phoebe Jones from Royal Torbay in 8840 held second place throughout with Belgians Tom Alleman & Jens Vancraenenbroeck third in 9739. Fourth place was taken by Sophie & Chris, with Alex Frost & Will McMahon from South Cerney fifth in 8402 and Belgians Charlotte Lauwers & Romy Hambrouck sixth in 8518.
Sophie and Chris led from the first windward mark to win Race 2 in a strengthening wind. Second place went to Arthur Henderson & Matt Currell from Salcombe/Parkstone in 8561, with Chris & Ole third and brothers Oliver & William Palierakis from Fishers Green fourth in 9005. Fifth place was taken by Will Kennedy & Rhos Hawes from Fishers Green/South Cerney in 8539, with Jessica Quinlan & Alex Warrington from Royal Corinthian sixth in 8407.
Monday’s final race produced a second bullet for Sophie & Chris. The wind had strengthened to F5 producing challenging conditions at the end of a tiring day. Arthur & Matt in 8561 had established a 20 second lead by the end of the triangle over Sophie & Chris, with Chris & Ole third, Max & Francesca Ingall from Fishers Green in 8855 fourth, Louise Latham & Aaron Chadwick from Fishers Green in 9635 fifth and Emily & Katie Kinver from Exe in 8511 sixth. Arthur & Matt held off the challenge of Sophie & Chris until the final run when the Fishers Green pairing took the lead and then held on to take the gun. Chris and Ole were third.
After three races, Sophie & Chris were first with 6 points, with Chris & Ole 1 point behind and Arthur & Matt third on 14 points.
Rough weather overnight saw crews arrive to choppy seas. The Race Committee decided to hold the Silver Fleet onshore and it was 47 Gold Fleet boats that headed out to the course for Race 4. Chris & Ole in 8997 dominated throughout, leading from the first windward. Second place went to Charlotte & Romy in 8518, with Theo Bull & Robert Griffiths from Stone third in 8522 and Caroline Croft & Katie Hinde from Frensham Pond fourth in 7274. Fifth place was taken by Alex & Will in 8402, with Abigail Croft & Matthew Shorrock from Frensham Pond sixth in 8363.
The sea state had improved sufficiently for the Silver Fleet to launch in time for Race 5, which started under a Black Flag. Maddie Harris & Eve Bottalico from Waldringfield in 8415 led at the windward from Caroline & Katie, Chris & Ole, Louise & Aaron in 9635, Mary Henderson & Alice Alcock from Salcombe/Parkstone in 7630 and Sophie & Chris in 5000.
By the completion of the triangle, Caroline & Katie had taken the lead, with Sophie & Chris second and Chris & Ole third, and this trio steadily pulled away from the rest of the fleet. On the final run, Chris & Ole first passed Sophie & Chris and then closed rapidly on Caroline & Katie. Through the final leeward gate, Caroline & Katie took the inside line, but Chris & Ole found a strong wave. Less than half a boat length separated them at the finish with Caroline & Katie first and Chris & Ole second. Completion of the fifth race saw a discard kick in.
Tuesday’s final race saw Belgians Tom & Jens in 9739 lead at the windward from Sophie & Chris, Arthur & Matt, Max & Francesca Ingall from Fishers Green in 8855, Sarah Dallimore & Sasha Musto from Royal Burnham/Royal Corinthian in 8553 and Amy Yeoman & Naomi Flack from Parkstone in 9161. By the second windward, Sophie & Chris were leading from Arthur & Matt in second, Tom & Jens in third and Will Kennedy & Rhos Hawes in 8539 fourth. Sophie & Chris took the gun for their third victory of the championships, with Will & Rhos second and Arthur & Matt third.
Wednesday’s racing was cancelled due to high winds.
Provisional results