Zhik 29er Nationals at Restronguet Sailing Club - Overall

Zhik 29er Nationals at Restronguet © Bill Tucker

Zhik 29er Nationals at Restronguet © Bill Tucker

A terrifically tense but very well sailed final day gave us worthy new national champions in Matt Venables and Will Alloway.

Cornish weather hit the fleet in all its splendour and speed of changeability. When the committee first went out to check conditions it was horizontal rain and a swell running straight into Carrick Roads ensuring that the bay was out of the question. Gusts ripping through in excess of 40kts gave a delayed start. By the end of racing it was sunny and 7-10kts. This guaranteed we had a champion who had to perform in conditions from 4kts for one race to 25 in another and everything else in between.

The thing to be absolutely clear about is that this is a championship that was won and not one that was lost. Matt & Will won through consistency throughout the range and the series without a single race win. Brilliant regatta building. You also had to feel for Ian Payne and Chris Berry who had stitched their own great series together. Anyone would have been proud of their mature series and sporting approach. Third place was won by Tom Methven and Rob Lloyd. Top adult entry was 4th Ben Batten and Finbar Anderson.

The U16 championship went to Owen Bowerman and Morgan Peach (5th overall) who were Transition Squad last winter. The hugely popular home team Jack Hawkins and Chris Thomas got over their mid series disappointment to remind us of their diamond quality to recover to 6th overall. A very merited performance gave top Irish boat, Sean and Tadgh Donnelley, the best Overseas Trophy in 7th. Ollie Cooper and James Poyner beasted the big wind to take that race win and rounded out the top 10 overall.

The Ladies Championship Title went down to the wire and had the scoring computer steaming. With excellent scores in R9 and 10 Ruth Allan and Alice Masterman took the lead from Vikki Payne and Steffi Orton. In the final race Vikki and Steffi took of around the course like a scalded cat but Ruth and Alice still needed drop below 15th. But incredibly they came exactly 15th so it was a tie break. So the title was Ruth and Alice's courtesy of a pair of threes winning it over three fours. Gillies Munro & Daniel Harris led the big wind race until they over cooked the layline to the finish by a very small margin. Still a 2nd and an 8th gave them the Scottish bragging rights over Rory and Neil Hunter who nailed a final day including a 3rd and a 10th. Scottish 29ering is looking in great shape!

Silver Fleet winners were Rob Morris and Tess Allan despite sharing a penultimate race BFD with fellow contenders Cameron and Fraser Kitson Jones who took second. Myles Jackson and Gareth Viney could thank their penultimate race bullet for the tie break third place overall from Danielle Rowe and Rachel Tilley's final race 2nd place.

Such is the competition in the fleet that at no point and no stage did anyone get close to dominating. A huge number of sailors got some great results. And we know that there are a lot of great sailors coming out of their Junior classes who didn't make these championships. The next years racing will be mouth watering. Good luck to you all! Remember –final day is dressing up day and some carried it off with aplomb despite the conditions!

And our hosts Restronguet SC were absolutely brilliant. Convivial atmosphere, great racing, a variety of conditions, terrific socials, and home grown stars Jack Hawkins and Chris Thomas who after 5 years and 125,000 miles finally got a home regatta! So whilst there are far too many great folks to thank individually at RSC the final thank you is to James and Jo Hawkins whose contribution to the class and this event in particular has been nothing less than immense – and remember, it's them who actually drove every one of those miles! They are such lovely people to deal with!

It couldn't be done without the sponsors. So it's lovely to Zhik on board for the next few years yet. And the local sponsors magnificently led by Hawkins Motors, University of Falmouth, Cafe Mylor, Westcountry Watersports, Roseland Sail & Paddle and Tesco and of course our class sponsors Ovington Boats and Noble Marine Insurers.

Overall Results:

Gold Fleet

Silver Fleet