Solo Nigel Pusinelli Trophy at the Weymouth & Portland Sailing Academy

This weekend saw the running of the Nigel Pusinelli Trophy at the Weymouth and Portland Sailing Academy, the home of the 2012 Olympic sailing events where we saw Ben Ainslie win his last Gold Medal with a terrific final race in the Finns, now it was our turn again to make use of this wonderful facility.

The weather forecast for the weekend was not the best with very light winds, this put off a few competitors from travelling, however a turnout of 35 saw the dreaded red & white pennant hoisted as we waited for the sea breeze to kick in. At the earlier briefing Chris Brown brought up the possibility of running 4 races in anticipation of the possibility of no racing on Sunday due to lack of wind. It was pointed out that the NOR showed 3races per day, however, a vote was taken and with no objectors the possibility of 4 races was voted in hands down.

The delay was greeted with more water drinking and boat inspections as the blather of Paddy Burns was heard around the boat park. Sun cream was rubbed in as the full force of the sun was felt bay all. Clear blue skies and beautiful surroundings, all we needed was a drop of breeze.

After an hour's wait the small wind generator swung round and started turning, the fleet were released from the beach and sailed out into the harbour, where we were told the best wind would be expected. As we sauntered out the breeze was very light and the Race Team waited for half an hour before lowering the AP and getting into the sequence. With the Pin end buoy having nothing showing in the background a transit was all but impossible to see. Needless to say though, the adrenaline was flowing and a General Recall was sounded. The wind was building to, well maybe, force 2. After a small wait we were back into the sequence and this time we were off. Hmmm, when l say off we didn't exactly shoot off the line like a man in a hurry after a bad curry the night before! Apart from Jim Scott from Carsington, whoops Black Flag Jim. With a very light wind the main parts of the fleet split into the inevitable left and right with a few opting for middle of the road. It looked as though the right was favoured but at the windward marked the fleets met, those who took the middle of the fairway lost out. One of these was hotshot Salcombe sailor Tim Law, having a wedding to go to Tim took the option to keep going and sail back to shore to take up the champagne on offer, meanwhile we were enjoying champagne sailing. With the light wind continuing through the race it was the young pretender Pete Mitchell who took the bullet from hotshot Charlie Cumbley and Michael Simms in third.

Race two and off we went without the benefit of the black flag, Jim having learnt his lesson in the first race managed to stay behind the line this time. Again the fleet split with the majority heading for the left, about a fifth of the fleet had gone right, which looked quite good at one point. The wind shifts were not large and with the light winds the tacking angles were increased, boat speed rather than putting in a lot of tacks seemed to be the order of the day. The wind having increased the fleet was now a little tighter in formation and some congestion was to be had at the windward mark. However, a quite well behaved fleet managed to round without any incidents and very little shouting. With the long reaches, no planning conditions but a small chop beginning to build the gains were slow in coming. The hotshots were slowly pulling ahead and the fleet spreading out a little there was plenty of room to sail fairly unhindered. Round the wing mark and some well behaved sailors drew praise from the race team at the end of the day. This race was taken by Charlie with Pete in second and Michael Chasing in third.

As I crossed the line to finish l was called to the Committee boat, feeling guilty over l knew not what, l made my way across, do you want the fourth race today? Phew. An executive decision was easily made, Yes. So into race three.

Sequence running and again with the Sailors realising that it was anybody's chance for glory as hiking muscles were not to be overstretched this day. Up to the line, Simon Jones showing his expertise in close boat handling squeezed into a space about half the width of his boat! With the fleet all pushing it was inevitable that a general recall would happen. So, black flag and all behaving nervously like a Virgin on her wedding night there was plenty of room for the incautious. But no, clean start and race three was more or less a rerun of the previous one with Charlie, Pete and Michael finishing in the same order. Andy Tunnicliffe coming in with his second fourth place to go with fifth in race two.

Time was getting on, with the races taking 45 mins to one hour we were getting well past Four O'clock. Now you only have to look at the ages of some of the sailors, myself included, to see that at this time they would be in the middle of an afternoon nap.

Race Four - With the advent of the final race the wind dropped a little and all thoughts were for it not to go off completely. No-one wanted to restart and a nice clean start was on the cards again. The lack of transit seemed to keep the fleet back. Charlie and Pete led the majority of the fleet off to the left. (Charlie later told us why he headed left each time, due to increased pressure off the Bill apparently). Some again went right with the odd few trying for the shifts up the middle. With the wind becoming lighter sail setting was taking place with some going tight some releasing, what works best, probably an individual choice, going slow probably trying to point to high. This time Pete was the victor, with Charlie second and Michael again third. Graham Cranford-Smith now getting into the groove was fourth with Chris Goldhawk fifth.

With the end of the race came the end of the day, having finished at the windward mark it was only a short beat back to base. This area is part of the Jurassic Coast which was home to the Triassic, Jurassic and Cretaceous era. To me this would equate to the Veteran, Grand Master and Septimus sections of Solo sailors. And talking of old fossils Chris Goldhawk, now Chris has a declared age showing of 49! Not true. He is in fact now 50 and had senility not kicked in when doing the entry (IT WAS AMERICAN DATES) he would have been leading the Vets section and fifth overall.

It was a very tired bunch of sailors who clambered ashore, rinsing off their boats and heading for a nice cooling shower. Red faces and particularly noses were the order of the day. It was gone six O'clock by the time we were all changed, a cold beer was very welcome and slid down well. Talking to quite a few of the sailors they were happy to have done the fourth race, although they were very tired. Perhaps this should be an option in next years NOR, something for the committee to consider, maybe even for all the two day events.

Day two, with some sore heads (do you not think that at the age of some of these guys that they would know better?) and after a small delay the expected breeze kicked in, approximately 90 degrees from the day before, coming from the Eastern side of the Bill.

Released from the beach and off we sailed to the far side of the harbour to find a decent breeze, force 3 with a few wavelets breaking gently creating a sparkling seascape to complement the wonderful area.

Race Five - After the restful Saturday night the muscles had freed up and excitement had built and the General Recall sounded. Back to the waiting, but not for long, sequence in operation and this time we were away. Charlie, Pete and followers mainly off to the left again, not so many to the right and at the mark not a lot to call in the difference. With the increase in wind from the day before the Fleet was much more bunched and a bit more congestion at the windward mark and yours truly, having been in a decent position completely fluffed it up coming in late on port with boats above and below and getting squeezed out, a 720 to keep clear and get back to round clear without impeding anyone cost quite a few places and with the quality of the fleet gaining places was a hard ask. Looking ahead to the front of the fleet Charlie was taking up his usual spot at the front, Pete however was back in the bunch, it was going to be tough to catch Charlie and it was not to happen. Chris Brown was well up in the field with Chris Goldhawk showing his true form close behind. The race finished with Charlie first, Chris B second and Chris G third, fourth went to Ian Hopwood who had suffered the day before with his expanding girth, being able to sit on the side deck made all the difference.

Race Six - With the steady breeze the fleet continued on its best behaviour and we were away first time, unfortunately the wind dropped as the race progressed and at one stage was very light, it did pick up as the race continued and maintained a fairly steady direction. Some big losses in position took place in the light wind, particularly Bob Taylor who went from Fourth down to finish in twentieth at the end. Charlie needed to keep Pete from winning the last race to stop him from having a chance to win if Charlie had finished worse than Sixth. This meant that the top spot was a bit more open and Michael Simms took advantage with Andy Tunnicliffe Second, Charlie third and Pete fourth with Graham putting in a good Fith.

Overall Results:

1st Charlie Cumbley (Teign Corinthian)
2nd Pete Mitchell (Hayling Island)
3rd Michael Simms (Carsington)
4th Andy Tunicliffe (Royal Windemere)
5th Chris Goldhawk (Chew Valley)

Veteran
1st Graham Cranford Smith (Salcombe/Chew Valley)
2nd Mark Lee (Weymouth SC)
3rd Nigel Davies (Draycote Water)

Grand Master
1st John Webster (Carsington)
2nd John Dixon (West Kirby)
3rd Mike Wilkie (Littleton)

Finally, many thanks to Sally and the Race Team at WPNSA. The weather you arranged was superb and the efforts of the whole team were second to none. The facilities are excellent and l, for one, look forward to future Solo Events at Portland.