Flying Fifteen Bulwark Trophy at Hayling Island Sailing Club

by Greg Wells 6 Apr 2016 06:45 BST 2-3 April 2016

Over the weekend of 2nd/3rd April, 23 Flying Fifteens competed for the Bulwark Trophy, HISC's annual open meeting, which was held unusually early this season so competitors could get a taste of Hayling Bay on similar tides to those they will get at the UK Nationals being held at the end of June.

On Saturday, the race team led by Shin Kagitomi tucked the CB and course close into the Hayling Beach and conducted 3 excellent 45 minute, 2 lap windward/leeward races in a 8-10knot SE which progressively backed to the east as the afternoon progressed and thus required slick course changes. Unusually for the fifteens only 1 general recall was required all day and this despite a weak current pushing boats over the line. In race 1, Jeremy Davy and Martin Huett, last year's Worlds runners up took an early lead and won comfortably. Behind them Greg Wells and Richard Rigg were 2nd with Dave Tabb and Chewey from Parkstone slipping past Simon Kneller and Dave Lucas to take the 3rd spot. Last years winners Mark and Ben Longstaff were 5th.

In Race 2, Kneller/Lucas banged the left hand side and picked up more pressure and a good wind shift to take a good lead they held to the finish. Tabb/Chewey sailed an impressive catch up race to take 2nd with Miles O'dell and Andrew Streeter coming in 3rd. This was Miles' first time back in a Fifteen for many years and he clearly has not lost his touch. In Race 3, class veteran Alan Bax and Mark Darling made a great start, hit the left side, led at the windward mark went onto a comfortable win followed by Wells/Rigg and Davy/Huett.

At the end of day one it was all very tight with 5 boats separated by just 3 points.

Day 2 saw similar conditions with a start line in the same location, 3 more excellent races but with the weak current in the opposite direction.

Race 4 saw Kneller/Lucas taking a commanding lead from the left side of the course but this time they were ground down and eventually passed by Hamish McKay and Andrew Lawson who became the 4th different winner in 4 races. Kneller/Lucas held onto 2nd which was significant as all the other top contenders were having a shocker. In 3rd place were the father and son team of Chris and Tom Waples.

In Race 5, Matt Alvarado and Henry Craven-Smith worked the paying left side to lead but they were closely followed by Bax/Darling who had nicely worked the wind shifts in the middle of the course. Bax/Darling showing good downwind pace and went onto win from Ian Cadwallader and Dave Sweet who were at last showing their usual form. Davey/Huett recovered well to gain 3rd spot.

Going into the last race Kneller/Lucas were in a strong position but could still be caught by Tabb/Chewey or Davy/Huett. By now the wind had piped up and after an excellent race in stonking conditions. Caddy/Sweet continued their new found form and just pipped Mark Wood and his nephew Rob Henderson on the finish line. The Waples duo had also shaken off their winter blues to come in 3rd and along with Caddy/Sweet were the best scoring boats of the day. Kneller/Davy finished 8th and with their nearest rivals failing to do well this was good enough to give them the open meeting and with it the prestigious Bulwark trophy. Davy/Huett were runners up with Wells/Rigg taking the final podium position.

This Open Meeting epitomized Flying Fifteen sailing:

• Amazingly close racing with just a few minutes between the first and last finishers.
• High scoring nip and tuck regatta with lots of different boats winning races and top 3 finishes.
• Father and son teams, lady helms and crews, young and old, light and heavy teams all having their moments.

• Brand new boats and 20 year old boats all performing on equal terms. Jeremy Davys boat is 17 years old and one of the quickest out there.

• Great social gathering on saturday after sailing.

Roll on the next big FF UK "major" events on the calendar which are the inlands Grafham(16/17 April), The Southerns at Weymouth (7/8 May), The Northerns at Derwent (21/22 May), Scottish Nationals at Solway (4/5 June) and then the UK Nationals at Hayling (Thursday 30th June to Sunday 3rd July).

These are all going to see exceptionally close adrenaline filled racing followed by a good social gathering which frankly is what it is all about!

Come and join the fun.

P.S. This year, HISC are offering no joining fee to anyone joining the club with a Flying Fifteen, contact the club for more details, www.hisc.co.uk

Overall Results:

Pos	Sail No	Helm	Crew	Club	R1	R2	R3	R4	R5	R6	Pts
1st	4024	Simon Kneller	Dave Lucas	GWSC	4	1	4	2	‑8	8	19
2nd	3760	Jeremy Davy	Martin Huett	Draycote	1	9	3	‑14	3	6	22
3rd	4030	Greg Wells	Richard Rigg	HISC	2	4	2	11	‑12	4	23
4th	4019	David Tabb	Chewey Sherrell	Parkstone	3	2	5	7	7	‑11	24
5th	4047	Alan Bax	Mark Darling	HISC	6	‑15	1	13	1	5	26
6th	4014	Ian Cadwallader	Dave Sweet	Chew Valley Lake	8	‑12	6	9	2	1	26
7th	4039	Mark Longstaff	Ben Longstaff	Grafham Water	5	8	‑10	5	4	10	32
8th	3927	Mark Wood	Rob Henderson	HISC	‑19	6	9	6	11	2	34
9th	4016	Hamish Mackay	Andrew Lawson	HISC	‑12	11	8	1	10	7	37
10th	3994	Chris Waples	Tom Waples	HISC	17	‑18	12	3	6	3	41
11th	3953	Robert Hogben	Glyn Morgan	Bewl Sailing Association	9	14	7	4	‑17	9	43
12th	3954	John Hanson	Helen Seldon	Datchet	14	7	‑15	10	13	12	56
13th	3957	Peter Bannister	Jonathan Clarke	HISC	‑21	5	19	18	9	14	65
14th	4002	Matt Alvarado	H Craven‑Smith	HISC	22	13	13	12	5	(DNF)	65
15th	4044	Simon Patterson	Simon Thompson	Draycote Water SC	13	‑16	11	15	16	13	68
16th	3590	David Nicholls	Sarah Smith	HISC	7	10	‑20	20	19	15	71
17th	4041	Bill Chard	Josh Peater	Chew Valley	18	19	16	8	15	‑21	76
18th	3974	Geoff Bayliss	James Grant	HISC	10	20	18	16	‑21	16	80
19th	3736	Sue Bannister	David Hitchcock	HISC	11	‑22	17	17	20	19	84
20th	3902	Richard Hope	Mike Stewson	Draycote Water SC	(DNC)	17	14	19	18	17	85
21st	3824	Miles Odell	Andrew Streeter	HISC	15	3	(DNF)	DNC	DNC	DNC	90
22nd	3901	Mike Kilbee	Tony Cox	Parkstone YC	16	‑21	21	21	14	20	92
23rd	3904	Mervyn Wright	Gabrielle Boase	Datchet Water SC	20	23	22	22	(DNF)	18	105