Solo Nigel Pusinelli Trophy at the WPNSA - Overall

Following a raucous night at the Cove Tavern, well there was much shouting from the Salcombe contingent (their hearing is not what it used to be), the fleet awoke to skies greyer than the average Solo sailors thatch. The forecast was promising some breeze in the late afternoon but with a time limit of no race starting after 3pm, optimism for a good blow was low.

The 47 helms tallied and set off for the race arena, rigs on full power and heads into win mode.

Race 4

The wind was from the west at around 8-10 knots, light rain covering the course and providing the perfect reason for cameramen to stay home. The line was set square and the fleet spread evenly along it's length, clean start, albeit under a black flag. The left once again paid with Craig Williamson rounding first from Shane McCarthy second, Ian Hopwood and Fergus Barnham. Grand Master John Webster had got his act together to round fifth from Mark Lee. Pete Mitchell was in the top ten with Tim Law who had jetted in from the States, such is the allure of the National Solo. The fleet completed the two reaching legs with no particular dramas and headed back up to the top mark. Williamson continued to assert and with a 37 to try and discard he needed to. Barnham was finding his way around the aramid of control systems and the intricacies of the Solo to get him up to second which he held to the finish following the windward-leeward lap. Pete Mitchell and Tim Law made late gains on the downwind to finish third and fourth with Nick Bonner fifth.

Andrew Boyce on day 2 of the Nigel Pusinelli Trophy - photo © Will Loy

Event leader Mike Sims would record a fifteenth and this opened the door for Jack Hopkins whose sixth moved him closer overall.

Race 5

Nick Bonner was over early but this did not stop him from continuing to race. With the black flag in place there was no point in doing turns or going back! Barnham, Iain McGregor and Hopkins were the most left of the fleet with Sims electing to tack back towards the middle of the course.

Andrew Wilde timed his port approach perfectly to round ahead of Dave Mitchell and the luckless Bonner. Pete Mitchell and Mark Lee completed the top five. Barnham, Law and Hopkins were next around with Sims in the teens. PRO Brian Drake had reverted to the windward-leeward course, now favoured by (the majority) when the breeze is below 6-7knots and this presented plenty of tactical options. The twin leeward marks also reduced the shouting that a single leeward mark seems to attract!

Wilde extended over the next lap and with Barnham a solid second it looked a done deal... until Wilde elected to do a third lap and headed off into the cloud base, taking Barnham with him.

David Greening on day 2 of the Nigel Pusinelli Trophy - photo © Will Loy

Dave Mitchell was the first to spot the finish in place and also the ability to count to two so took the win from Barnham who was quickest to react to the mistake. Sims collected third which just about sewed the Championship up from Law and Hopkins.

Wilde was unlucky, the generous blue flag that would normally fly proudly from the incredibly stable platform of the committee boat was stuck to its post, sodden by the now incessant rainfall. He salvaged a fourteenth which he could probably sell in the bar but would do nothing to raise his mood.

Race 6

So, going into the final race of the Championship to was Mike Sims who was in control. Needing only to finish in the top six if Hopkins won the race, he made sure of a clean start and just kept an eye on his closest rival.

Ian Hopwood, the street fighter who never knows when to stay down, made the first beat his bitch and rounded first from Tim Law and Pete Mitchell, who was looking at damage control after counting 22-20 on day 1. Dave Mitchell and Iain Magregor filled the top five.

Craig Williamson on day 2 of the Nigel Pusinelli Trophy - photo © Will Loy

Hopwood held the lead at the bottom of the leeward mark and Mitchell was up to second and on the hunt. Law continued to sail a solid race, his two fourths in races 4-5 backing up his credentials as a top performer. The second beat was held in possibly the strongest winds of the weekend, or maybe the sailors were just getting tired. Still, 11-12 knots with a fully battened mainsail is hard work when you cannot pull the cunningham on hard. Unbelievably, Hopwood who had in recent years shed his nickname of the capsize king reverted to type and ditched it following a gybing duel with Mitchell. So, Pete Mitchell took his second bullet of the weekend from Tim Law, Chris Brown, Dave Mitchell and the hapless Hopwood (who did well to recover).

Overall, Mike Sims deservedly took the title of Nigel Pusinelli Champion 2016 with an impressive 1-1-4-15-3-6 from newcomer Jack Hopkins 2-5-6-6-5-11 and Pete Mitchell 22-20-1-3-6-1.

Tim Law was fourth and first Veteran with 4-18-17-4-4-2 and Dave Mitchell fifth, his bullet in race 5 helping his scorecard.

John Webster recovered well from his Saturday performance to finish first Grandmaster in 21st, one ahead of our lady competitor who was Vanda Jowett.

Mike thanked WPNSA for the professional race management and also the competitors who have travelled hundreds of miles to attend this event.

Noble Marine sponsor the National Solo Class and continue to provide first class protection for our beloved Solos.

The Nigel Pusinelli Trophy forms part of the North Sails Super Series and thanks for their continued support.

Next stop, Pwllheli and the Superspars 60th Anniversary National Championship.

Overall Results: