10 Rater Class National Championship at West Kirby Sailing Club

10 Rater Class National Championship at West Kirby © Simon Clarke

10 Rater Class National Championship at West Kirby © Simon Clarke

10 Rater Class National Championship at West Kirby © Simon Clarke

Racing his new Trance design, Brad Gibson has taken out this years MYA 10 Rater class championship held on the West Kirby Marine lake 12-13th September

Day 1

18 skippers were on the water in one fleet for the 10am start time where PRO Rob Walsh had laid a generous length windward leeward gate course, giving the fastest of radio yachts every opportunity to show their paces. With conditions settling from the NW at 14-17 knots, it was long time class champion Graham Bantock who stepped forward with his Diamond design taking the first 4 races from Gibson in clinical fashion with local David Potter (Dave Creed Defector design)and Derek Priestly in the leading group.

As the day went on there were a few who succumbed to the conditions and despite one boat being badly damaged in a collision and requiring retrieval, 14 races were completed by the 17.30 finish time. Bantock, after so starting strongly had an indifferent afternoon by his standards with valuable points dropped through a number of incidents, whereby in comparison, Gibson was a model of consistency.

After a number of protests for redress were completed it was Gibson holding a slim overnight points lead from Bantock and the steady Hugh McAdoo (Diamond) in 3rd. Of other skippers to shine throughout the day, special mention goes to Martin Roberts racing a 25 year old Creed Bentley design that through gritty perseverance and the odd pit side re-build was scoring some low number podium finishes late in the day. Derek Priestly sailing a new Dave Hollom Crepello design also had some good moments showing plenty of promise.

Day 2

Under glorious autumn sunshine and a gusting SE wind at 8-12knots, skippers were treated to magical flat water conditions on day 2. The largest A rigs were chosen for the 9.30 start of racing by all, only to find a sudden increase in wind by the time the countdown had begun.

From the outset it was Gibson taking up where he had left off the previous evening with a string of 5 wins to clearly lay down his claim for this years title being pushed hard by Bantock, Potter, McAdoo and Roberts.

The courses were some of the largest seen in radio yachting with skippers walking the seawall beside their yachts for perfect vision in the close racing. Throughout the day rigs were changed between A & B with very few incidents on the water and no requirement of protest hearings.

Racing came to a halt at 16.30 and after 22 races and 3 discards, it was Brad Gibson of Birkenhead who came out on top with a score of 24 points. Second was Graham Bantock of Chelmsford on 47.8 points and David Potter also of Birkenhead in 3rd on 65.2 points.

Skippers roundly thanked the West Kirby Sailing Club and Birkenhead Radio Sailing and Power Club for their hosting and running of what was a fantastic advertisement of the best radio yacht racing has to offer by way of seriously fast boats sailed at the highest level.

2016 sees the first World Championships since 1998 set down for Limone, Lake Garda in Italy and is sure to be one to remember if this event was any indication.

Event pictures by Simon Clarke can be found here and full results can be found here.

For all information regarding Radio Sailing please go to the MYA website at www.mya-uk.co.uk