K1 National Championships at Cardiff Bay Yacht Club

K1 National Championships at Cardiff Bay © Beverly Johns / LPB Aerial Imagery

Cardiff Bay Yacht Club hosted the 2015 National Championships for the K1 dinghy over a three day period between September 25 and 27. With a forecast high pressure zone moving in for the weekend it promised to be a sunny but light wind event. Trapezoidal shaped courses were set within the bay which is surrounded by high rise buildings to the west and a low level groyne to the east. The surrounding topography was to make for some challenging racing conditions with those able to pick the wind shifts coming out best.

Two races were held on Friday afternoon in a light westerly breeze and race 1 got away cleanly from a port biased line. Mike Commander led off the pin end and tacked off almost immediately to lead the fleet up to the first mark followed by Jeff Vander-Borght and Toby Sherwin. Commander increased his lead substantially on lap 2 helped not a little by the chasing pack deciding to create a course of their own and sail from Mark 1 to 3. By the time they had realised their error and had to beat back to Mark 2 Commander was well away and never challenged.

Race 2 was still port biased but this time Commander and Sherwin mistimed things and had to gybe round and cross the line last. The fleet was led and won by Jonathan Johns.

Saturday saw four races scheduled with the wind having changed 180 degrees to come from the east. Still a light wind made even more challenging by the large number of high powered sports boats determined to show off their capabilities by doing high speed doughnuts in and around the K1 race track. Waves were coming at the sailors from all sorts of directions. Starboard biased lines meant for some challenging bunches at the committee boat end of the start line leading to much shouting for turns and even some being forced up the wrong side of the committee boat only to restart behind the rest of the fleet.

Matt French mastered the conditions best of all and took a commanding lead in the championships by taking three bullets during the day. Gordon Harris's superb lead in race 6 was eroded on the penultimate leg as mark 4 had been set further downwind than hitherto and was not easy to see. Setting off on a port fetch he led the fleet far too high allowing the chasing tail-enders to play catch up and upset the finishing order. Throughout the day several sailors were again caught out by the course and chose to sail toward the wrong windward mark. A number of competitors learnt to count laps and remember the course...

Sunday dawned with another bright sunny day but the wind had increased substantially to a pleasant F3-4 from the east. Fortunately the high speed pleasure ribs did not come out to play too early. Port biased lines were once again order for the day. French was almost untouchable going into the last day with just 8 points. Second and third placed boats, Keith Willis and Jonathan Johns were tied on 16 points with Commander just 4 points behind. Race 7 got away cleanly with Vander-Borght showing the fleet a clean pair of heels. He was chased by Willis, Johns and Commander.

On lap 2 Commander moved through to third but Willis put a heavy cover down on each and every tack. A poor last tack at the windward mark by Commander saw Johns move through to third and that's how it stayed downwind and again upwind with Johns taking Commander way out to the right on the last beat to windward. French played it safe and came home fifth giving him an unassailable lead.

With race 8 again getting away cleanly it was still all to play for for third place between Commander and Johns. Following a clear start, Commander tacked off on to port dipping the transoms of Willis and Johns to head out to the favoured right side. By the windward mark French had established a lead of a few boat lengths over Commander with Vander Borght some lengths further back. Willis and Johns were further down the fleet. With the race being shortened to just one lap that was how it stayed with French taking his fifth bullet, Commander second, Vander Borght third, Willis fifth and Johns eighth.

This gave the championship to Matt French from Olton Mere SC, Keith Willis from Lymington Town SC took second, and Mike Commander from Teign Corinthian YC taking third and first Master. Gordon Harris of Waldringfield SC took the Grand Master title and Mike Deane of South Windermere SC the Traveller's Series title.

Results (top 3):

1. Matt French, Olton Mere SC, 13 points
2. Keith Willis, Lymington Town SC, 23 points
3. Mike Commander, Teign Corinthian YC, 26 points