N12 Burton Week at Weymouth & Portland Sailing Academy

Breezy for the first two days at National 12 Burton Week © Tom Gruitt / www.fotoboat.com

Breezy for the first two days at National 12 Burton Week © Tom Gruitt / www.fotoboat.com

With a wide variety of conditions over the four days it was the Dead Cat Bounce design that dominated, winning every single race. However, Dead Cat Bounce designer, Jo Richards, crewed by Sophie Mackley, last years convincing champions, were edged into second place on tie break by the 2008 winners Graham Camm and Zoe Ballantyne. Camm and Ballantyne were also winners of the Sir William Burton Cup race which completed a remarkable turnaround in fortunes after their winged rudder had fallen to pieces during the first race.

Racing had been delayed on Saturday due to strong winds and although these had eased by the time that the fleet launched, they quickly returned. It was a tale of adversity for many as Jon Ibbotson and Charlotte Stewart led the fleet home in style ahead of Richards and Mackley. There were only 26 finishers, most of whom had been swimming on at least one occasion, and the second race was postponed to another day.

After an evening of boat building and in particular rudder tinkering, Sunday dawned lighter and the fleet headed out for three races in Weymouth Bay in champagne conditions. Camm and Ballantyne picked up the first race, Tom Stewart and Nicky Bass the second, and Richards and Mackley the last as the fleet tired. After four races Richards and Mackley held a one point lead over Ibbotson and Stewart.

The Sir William Burton Cup is a 12 mile triangular course and is the iconic race on the National 12 calendar. Scheduled for Monday, the fleet woke to light breezes with dread of the marathon to come. After a long delay the race started at 3pm. Keri and Theo Harris were the early leaders but gave way to Stewart and Bass downwind. On the second beat Camm and Ballantyne pulled out a joker as the leaders got to far to the right hand side of the course and acquired a lead that they comfortably extended to the finish. Stewart and Bass were second, ahead of Steve and Jo Sallis.

Going into the final day with two races to be sailed, two points separated the three leading boats of Richards/Mackley, Stewart/Bass and Ibbotson/Stewart with Camm and Ballantyne slightly adrift in fourth. Light zephyrs quickly built into a decent breeze. Round the first mark of the first race Ibbotson and Stewart held the advantage but this was cruelly removed by a rudder failure that put them out of contention. Kevin Iles and Jane Wade won the race with Camm and Ballantyne improving their scores with a second. With Stewart and Bass in fifth, two places ahead of Richards and Mackley these two went into the final race level on points with Camm and Ballantyne closer but still four points behind.

In the final race Camm and Ballantyne were never headed and sailed to a clear win. Stewart and Bass never recovered from a poor start whilst Richards and Mackley were in the leading group. However, on the final lap Richards and Mackley slipped a place to 5th which left them level on points with Camm and Ballantyne and ruing a capsize earlier in the week which had provided them with a discard and a first place for Camm and Ballantyne.

Elsewhere in the fleet the competition for best of the rest in non Dead Cat Bounce designs was won by John Meadowcroft and Rosie White in their Paradigm 2, who edged out Richard Williams and Lindsey Iles in their Final Chapter. Steve Norbury and Andy Hill in their Feeling Foolish would have certainly featured without also suffering from gear failure on two occasions. The Corrigan Cup for helms under 21 was won by Matt Reid and Eleanor Assinder, whilst Jo Richards took home the prizes for helm over 40 and 55. The Admirals Cup for older boats was won by Steve Broom and Emily Fardell, and the Vintage boats prize was won by Brian Kitching and Christine Marshall.

Overall it was a thoroughly enjoyable and hard fought Championships. The Class is grateful to the sponsorship received from Gill, P&B, Fuller’s Brewery, Aardspars, Fotoboat and Designs 42.

Overall Results:
If you were in the top ten then fill the National 12 Nationals Gear Guide here

Much more information and full results on the event website.