Chernikeeff / RYA Match Racing - Derwent Qualifier
by Liz King 21 Jun 2000 08:25 BST
Photos ©: Liz King Photography
The Chernikeeff/RYA National Match Racing Championships visited Derwent Reservoir Sailing Club over the weekend of 17th/18th June.
Conditions throughout the weekend were challenging, both for the competitors and the race officials. A brisk SE wind on Saturday morning slowly veered through 180 degrees as the day progressed, strengthening with every hour, until the final races of the first day had to contend with 30 knots of swirling Westerlies.
Racing was tight and competitive, with the crews taking each race to the wire, but the races of the first day showed up any flaws in match racing technique and the most experienced crews came out top.
By the end of the first day's eight boat "round robin" the all girl team skippered by Lizzie Edwards from the Royal Corinthian YC were just a nose in front, followed closely by Hywel Roberts from Queen Mary Sailing Club. Racing started early on the second day in similar conditions as before. The wind swirled in from the South over the hills, gusting to about 20 knots.
Again the tactics of Lizzie Edwards and Hywel Roberts paid dividends, but this time, at the end of the second round robin, the places were reversed. This left the top two boats tying for first place, with third position being held by Jessie Cuthbert (Weston SC) and fourth by Kevin Anderson (Derwent Res SC). The judges decided to give the top two boats their own best of three final series and the two lower boats had a sudden death play-off for third and fourth.
The races in the final series were tactical battles of will between the heavier team of Hywel Roberts and the lighter all girl team of Lizzie Edwards.
At the beginning of each duel Edwards had the lead at the start, only to lose it on the way to the windward mark. Chased and harried by Roberts all the way up the course, every time Edwards was forced to tack she lost ground, until inch by inch the boats closed up. In the strong, gusting conditions a little weight advantage made a lot of difference. On the downwind legs the teams followed each other, gybe for gybe, with nothing to split the boats. Eventually, after two nail biting races, Roberts took the series, and the overall competition.
Jessie Cuthbert won the sudden death play off to retain her third position, leaving Kevin Anderson and his team from Derwent Reservoir SC fourth. "We have plenty of work to do on our starts before the finals at the London Docklands," said Hywel Roberts after the final race on Sunday. "We might improve a bit on our bow work too."
Photos: ©: Liz King Photography
Results:
1. Team 8 Hywel Roberts Queen Mary SC
2. Team 3 Lizzie Edwards Royal Corinthian YC
3. Team 1 Jessie Cuthbert Weston SC
4. Team 2 Kevin Anderson Derwent Reservoir SC
5. Team 7 Jo Wright Hamble River SC
6. Team 5 Gavin Pape Oxford USC
7. Team 4 Chris Taylor West Lancs SC
8. Team 6 Georgie Corlett Southampton USC
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