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Contender British Championship at Abersoch - Days 1 & 2

by Ed Presley 3 Sep 2017 16:05 BST 1-4 September 2017
Contender Nationals at Abersoch © Peter Hickson

The 2017 Contender Nationals, hosted by SCYC in Abersoch, saw 35 finely tuned athletes attempt to cross Wales, from mostly the south coast, to compete for the UK Contender title. With lots of new faces and the expected Contender legends in attendance the field is wide open.

The event began in a fickle 8 knot north easterly breeze with 2 races scheduled for day one with big shifts and varying pressure characterising the first day. It was those with a cool head who rose to front.

Race 1 saw Gary Langdown lead from the gun, going the right way and getting on the right side of the course in time for the shifts. All this gave him a storming lead at the windward mark that he was able to protect for the rest of the race. Behind him the three fellas were battling for 2nd place. Pete Noble started well but was unable to hold off Graham Scott on the light reaches in which he excels, Pete then turn his attention to keeping Stuart Jones back, this time he was more successful beating Jones over the line by three feet.

Race 2 gave us another obligatory recall and an early move to Black flag, Ed Presley and Ben Holden at the pin couldn't contain their excitement and were spotted. Nick Noble coming in from the right rounded first but had lots of company, in the form of Jones and Scott. These two passed Nick to start their own battle at the front which Scott ultimately won, Richard Franks showed his love of Mid condition with a 3rd.

The setting at Abersoch looked glorious throughout the day and the club looked after us very well, the fleet celebrated with free beer and nibbles as they were welcomed to the area by the Commodore, prizes were exchanged winner congratulated and New boy Fraser McMillan received a prize for nearly missing the finish, a new sponge.

Due to the frightening forecast on Sunday the decision was made to do 3 races on day two.

Once again Nick Noble passed everyone to lead at the first buoy, once again Jones passed him the reaches to lead and hold this to the end. Both Gary Langdown and Graham Scott recovered from poor starts to get to 2nd and 3rd respectively showing that these 3 are the form sailors in 10-11 knots range.

The next race was another opportunity for the fleet to challenge starting etiquette and the black flag soon swept the transgressors off of the course. Simon Mussell looked to have a commanding lead half way up the beat but a shift at the end allowed Scott to truck in from the left. Chased by Gary Langdown this was a 2 horse race, it would have been 3 but James Spikesley hooked onto his trapeze elastic and fell out of the boat. Ben Holden came through for third behind Scott and Langdown.

The last race of the day became a real Scott benefit, leading from start to finish and handling the major shift with ease, Simon Mussell was the first challenger but a bad beat left him further back, and allowed Thomas Hooton who had made gains down the reaches to move into 2nd, James Spikesley again had 3rd tied up until a large shift on the last beat saw Mussell move back to 3rd.

Graham Scott now has a 4 point lead from Langdown and then Jones, with Sunday unlikely to be sailed there will be 3 more races on Monday in 15-18 knots forecast. This wind strength will favour others in the fleet and the pack will shuffle again. More to follow, stand by!

Results after Day 2:

PosSail NoBoat NameHelmClubR1R2R3R4R5Pts
1720 Graham ScottRYA213115
22439 Gary LangdownHighcliffe SC142269
32465Green Floaty ThingStuart JonesDatchet Water SC4214711
4630 James SpikesleyNetley SC6576421
5678 Thomas HootonBurton SC15768223
6716 Richard FranksWeston SC531951326
72315 Ben HoldenHalifax SC1135103529
82420 Simon MussellHighcliffe SC121089330
92607 Carl TagoeOxford SC99514932
10691 Peter NobleBroadstairs SC32513101036
112618 Nick NoblePortishead YC1384351136
122383Bit O WetDavid DaviesLoch Ryan SC1063571437
132511Awkward TortoiseMark WattsWeston SC231212121652
142505Last WaltzPeter DivesEastbourne Sovereign71315352156
15657 Simon TurnbullSaundersfoot SC16201818860
16666Price of DarknessBill HootonBurton SC251111152461
172522 Chris BoshierThorpe Bay YC182217111763
182572StormtrooperEd PresleyCotswold SC8359351264
192422MariaNeil FergusonYorkshire Dales SC241414132565
202432SyringaJerry HoneLancing SC201621271572
212407RB Sport & TravelRichard ButtnerRNSA/RYA141822251973
222210 Mark HartleyBlithfield211526192075
232496bds‑uk.comTony BrooksOxford SC172716172877
24559 Paul RossShotley SC281727161878
25712Foxy LadyRodger WhiteKing George SC222420202284
26625 Fiona CollinsNetley SC192323352388
272477Rabbiting OnChris HoweOxford SC261928242695
282599SovolatileTony CookDowns SC302625212799
29697CelebrosMalcolm HallCarsington SC2921302232102
302639 Ralph DrewWeston SC2729242630106
312490 Paul GreenClwb Hwylio Y Felinheli3128292329109
321747 Fraser McMillanLoch Ryan SC3332332831124
334 Ewan MurrayLoch Ryan SC3231322933124
34317 Iain JenningsDraycote Water SC3530313535131

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