British Finn National Championship at Christchurch Sailing Club - Overall

by Simon Percival 7 Aug 2016 20:11 BST 5-7 August 2016

The forecast for Sunday was for a big breeze so some of the competitors decided to sit this one out whilst the rest headed into Christchurch Bay under grey skies and a light breeze.

The championship was all to play for amongst the top three, but is was Pete McCoy who led out from the start in the middle of the course, at all times the breeze was steadily building towards what had been forecast. At the top mark Peter managed to pull away from Ben Cornish, with Hector Simpson rounding in third. The breeze by now had built sufficiently for the race committee to switch on the pumping flag, perfect for the young fit Finn sailors in the fleet less so for the rest! Peter extended his lead to the finish followed by Ben and Hector, who by now had all but secured the championship.

The breeze and the sea state really built for the last race which once again gave way to some superb Finn sailing, just what the boat was built for! After a couple of false starts the fleet got away, once again Pete led to the windward mark having discovered his hiking legs, schooling the rest of the fleet to the finish. Ben followed in second with Henry Wetherell taking third place.

The whole fleet then made their way back through the entrance of Christchurch Harbour under the watchful eyes of a coastguard helicopter which was entertaining the masses on shore as part of the annual RNLI Fun Day. Although not so fun for Jerry Andrews whom the chopper managed to dunk in as a result of its down draught!

At the prize giving Ray New who organised the event on behalf of Christchurch Sailing Club, thanked some of the sponsors for providing the major prizes, Norths Sails, WB Sails and Sountouched Sailing and wished those travelling from far and wide a safe journey home.

Ben Cornish was duly crowned British Finn National Champion for the second year running and gave his thanks to the race committee, organising team, 'trolley dollies' and bar staff for providing and exceptional event. Although the major star of the show was the weather, pretty much perfect all the way through.

Overall Results:
If you finished in the top ten at the Finn nationals then enter your Gear Guide information here

Pos	Helm	Category	Nat	Sail No	R1	R2	R3	R4	R5	R6	R7	Pts
1	Ben Cornish		GBR	91	1	1	2	3	1	2	2	9
2	Peter McCoy		GBR	29	2	4	4	4	2	1	1	14
3	Hector Simpson	U23	GBR	96	4	3	1	1	BFD	3	4	16
4	Henry Wetherell	U23	GBR	71	3	2	3	2	3	4	3	16
5	Callum Dixon	U23	GBR	707	6	6	11	5	4	5	5	31
6	Cameron Tweedle	U23	GBR	98	7	BFD	7	8	5	7	8	42
7	Markus Bettum	U23	GBR	703	5	5	10	6	BFD	10	15	51
8	Allen Burrell	GM	GBR	2	11	12	6	7	7	9	14	52
9	Simon Percival	M	GBR	635	8	15	8	11	10	8	9	54
10	Marc Allain de Beavais	GGM	FRA	99	9	7	5	9	BFD	21	6	57
11	John Greenwood	GM	GBR	5	18	10	16	10	11	11	7	65
12	James Downer		GBR	49	17	8	9	19	8	6	DNC	67
13	Kristian Sjoberg	GM	FIN	201	10	9	15	14	16	13	11	72
14	Matthew Stephens	U23	GBR	619	13	16	17	18	12	12	16	86
15	Martin Hughes	GM	GBR	567	16	20	14	15	14	18	10	87
16	John Mackie	M	GBR	68	26	11	20	13	6	15	23	88
17	Mike de Courcy	GM	GBR	21	21	14	23	16	13	14	17	95
18	Sander Kooy	GM	GBR	1	19	BFD	32	17	18	17	13	116
19	Philip Baum	GGM	RSA	51	25	24	18	21	15	16	25	119
20	George Cooper	O	GBR	7	15	13	13	12	9	DNF	DNC	122
21	Andy Denison	GM	GBR	20	20	DNF	26	23	31	19	12	131
22	Will Patten	GM	GBR	52	30	25	22	27	17	DNC	19	134
23	Cy Grisley	M	GBR	69	28	31	19	24	22	20	22	135
24	Jerry Andrews	M	GBR	62	29	18	35	29	20	22	18	136
25	Alex Atkins	M	GBR	581	34	29	21	26	19	31	21	147
26	John Heyes	GM	GBR	61	24	23	28	36	24	28	29	156
27	Ivan Burden	M	GBR	679	27	21	37	25	33	23	30	159
28	Simon Moss		GBR	722	22	17	34	33	32	32	26	162
29	Ed Thorburn	GM	GBR	595	42	26	39	32	27	29	28	181
30	Matthew Walker	O	GBR	100	31	32	12	22	25	DNC	DNC	182
31	Fred Van Arkel	GM	NED	924	36	22	30	35	34	25	DNC	182
32	Pete Ashworth	GGM	GBR	59	39	30	24	20	DNF	37	35	185
33	Tim Simpson	GM	GBR	93	47	44	29	47	21	26	20	187
34	Jonathon Tweedle	M	GBR	548	48	34	36	42	36	27	27	202
35	Joe Stocker	U23	GBR	644	32	45	45	28	BFD	36	24	210
36	Andrew Wylam	GGM	GBR	22	41	35	43	DNF	26	35	31	211
37	Jean‑Louis Simons	GM	GBR	617	33	28	25	30	41	DNC	DNC	217
38	Ray New	GGM	GBR	80	37	33	33	31	29	DNC	DNC	223
39	Roddy Steel	GM	GBR	577	38	39	47	44	38	30	34	223
40	Tim Newton	GM	GBR	47	45	40	38	41	40	34	33	226
41	Howard Sellars	L	GBR	77	23	BFD	27	34	23	DNC	DNC	227
42	Richard Hart	L	GBR	631	43	27	42	39	28	DNC	DNC	239
43	Andrew Hurst	GGM	GBR	777	DNF	DNF	31	RAF	30	33	32	246
44	Richard Phillips	GGM	GBR	42	50	38	51	43	43	38	36	248
45	Laurence Peters	GM	GBR	620	44	36	50	37	44	39	DNF	250
46	Steve Hayles	M	GBR	37	14	19	DNC	DNC	DNC	DNC	DNC	273
47	Roman Khodykin	O	GBR	13	40	DNF	41	38	37	DNC	DNC	276
48	Peter Blick	GGM	GBR	34	51	43	49	46	35	DNC	DNC	284
49	Ian Frayne	GM	GBR	30	46	42	52	45	45	DNC	DNC	290
50	Graham Dale‑Jones	GGM	FRA	/2X	49	41	46	DNC	39	DNC	DNC	295
51	Paul Smith	GM	GBR	727	53	BFD	48	40	42	DNC	DNC	303
52	John Torrance	GGM	GBR	99	54	37	40	DNF	DNF	DNC	DNC	311
53	Jack Arnell	U23	GBR	28	12	DNC	DNC	DNC	DNC	DNC	DNC	312
54	Paul Beasley	GGM	GBR	27	35	BFD	44	DNF	DNF	DNC	DNC	319
55	Chris Barbary	M	GBR	534	55	DNF	53	DNF	DNF	DNC	DNC	348
56	Rory Barnes	GM	GBR	24	52	DNC	DNC	DNC	DNC	DNC	DNC	352
57	David Parr	GM	GBR	94	56	DNF	DNC	DNC	DNC	DNC	DNC	356
58	Tom Johnson	O	GBR	12	57	DNF	DNC	DNC	DNC	DNC	DNC	357
59	Anthony Walker	GGM	GBR	48	DNF	DNF	DNC	DNC	DNC	DNC	DNC	360