GAC Pindar British Finn Championship at Mengeham Rythe Sailing Club - Day 1

by British Finn Association 1 Jul 2018 05:34 BST 29 June - 1 July 2018

After four races, Henry Wetherell has taken a commanding lead at the GAC Pindar British National Finn Championships at Mengeham Rythe Sailing Club. The top three is filled with U23 sailors with Cameron Tweedle in second and James Skulczuk.

An impressive 59 entries underlines the growing strength of the UK Finn fleet with 10 U23 sailors taking part. In recent years the British Finn Association has supported an U23 squad with grants and training, and four of those are among six U23 sailors in the top 10.

So far the weather has been characterized by a glorious sunshine with a moderate north-easterly breeze, which gradually gets switched to a sea breeze mid afternoon.

Wetherall got off to a good start with a confident win in Race 1, a race that survived several protests after some leeward gate confusion. The second race of the day was abandoned on the first downwind when the sea breeze switched the breeze 90 degrees. With no more time to restart the race before the water ran out at the club, the fleet was sent home for the day.

Defending champion, Hector Simpson won two races on Saturday, but a retirement in Race 1, with gear problems, and a 33rd in Race 3 leaves him in 10th overall.

The first race on Saturday was sailed in a diminishing north-easterly, with Simpson leading throughout. Tweedle led for most of Race 3, but the sea breeze switched on the second upwind, which caught many unawares and the race order was largely turned inside out. Those who stayed on the right were rewarded with a straight course to the finish, while those on the left were wanting. The race went to former champion Julian Smith, while most of the leaders picked up a high score.

The final race was sailed in the building sea breeze with Oscar raised for free pumping at the second top mark. Simpson took his second win of the day, but maybe has too much to do to retain his title, though the wind has been tricky enough not to count out anything.

The series concludes Sunday with a possible three races scheduled.

Results after Day 1:

Pos	Helm	Category	Sail No	R1	R3	R4	R5	Pts
1st	Henry Wetherell	Under 23	71	1	2	‑12	2	5
2nd	Cameron Tweedle	Under 23	98	2	4	‑18	5	11
3rd	James Skulczuk	Under 23	81	3	‑11	4	8	15
4th	Graham Tinsley	Grand Master	73	6	‑8	3	7	16
5th	James Downer		49	13	5	‑40	3	21
6th	Jack Arnell	Under 23	28	10	7	‑27	4	21
7th	Michael de Courcy	Grand Master	21	16	(DSQ)	2	11	29
8th	Markus Bettum	Under 23	703	4	6	‑35	21	31
9th	Allen Burrell	Grand Master	2	11	‑17	10	13	34
10th	Hector Simpson	Under 23	96	(DNF)	1	33	1	35
11th	Callum Dixon	Under 23	38	9	13	13	‑23	35
12th	Lawrence Crispin	Grand Master	74	8	‑19	15	15	38
13th	Jonathan Tweedle	Master	88	23	10	‑51	6	39
14th	Graeme Macdonald	Legend	718	19	‑41	9	12	40
15th	Simon Pettit	Grand Master	17	17	16	8	‑37	41
16th	Paul Childs		41	12	20	11	(DNS)	43
17th	Kieron Holt	Master	33	14	12	‑49	18	44
18th	Julian Smith	Grand Master	720	38	9	1	(DNS)	48
19th	Henry Bagnall		55	(DNC)	3	22	24	49
20th	Andy Couch	Classic	774	7	23	21	(DNS)	51
21st	Rodney Cobb	Legend	53	(DNC)	27	5	22	54
22nd	John Heyes	Grand Master	61	15	‑30	29	10	54
23rd	Simon Percival	Master	635	5	(DSQ)	20	30	55
24th	Stefan Nordström	Grand Master	14	22	26	‑45	9	57
25th	Ray New	Legend	80	27	21	‑48	14	62
26th	Will Patten	Grand Master	52	21	‑28	26	17	64
27th	Matthew Walker	Master	100	30	14	24	(DNS)	68
28th	Simon Green	Grand Master	82	24	‑40	14	32	70
29th	Ivan Burden	Grand Master	750	20	15	‑53	35	70
30th	Alex Atkins	Master	581	33	18	‑42	19	70
31st	Tim Simpson	Grand Master	93	‑45	25	17	31	73
32nd	Fred van Arkel	Grand Master	76	34	35	6	(DNS)	75
33rd	Peter Vinton	Great Grand Master	564	‑39	22	38	16	76
34th	Dugal Wilson	Under 23	701	28	24	‑31	27	79
35th	Peter Barr	Master	NED1	‑47	34	7	40	81
36th	Andrew Wylam	Great Grand Master	22	25	‑51	23	33	81
37th	James Cole	Master	679	18	39	‑47	26	83
38th	George Coles	Under 23	83	31	33	‑43	20	84
39th	Sander Kooij	Grand Master	1	29	‑38	25	34	88
40th	John Mackie	Grand Master	68	32	‑43	34	25	91
41st	Edward Thorburn	Grand Master	595	37	42	19	‑45	98
42nd	John Colegrave	Great Grand Master	745	‑42	31	39	28	98
43rd	Iona Dixon	Under 23	707	(DNC)	37	32	29	98
44th	Stewart Mitchell	Grand Master	77	40	‑45	28	38	106
45th	Richard Phillips	Great Grand Master	42	‑49	49	16	44	109
46th	Robert Deaves	Grand Master	10	‑46	29	44	36	109
47th	Peter Blick	Great Grand Master	34	‑41	32	37	41	110
48th	Roman Khodykin	Master	13	26	47	‑50	43	116
49th	Ian Jay	Master	666	35	36	46	(DNS)	117
50th	Russell New	Master	40	‑48	44	36	39	119
51st	Richard Crane	Grand Master	619	50	‑52	30	46	126
52nd	Ian Frayne	Grand Master	30	(DNC)	48	41	42	131
53rd	Russ Ward	Grand Master	4	44	46	DNF	(DNS)	146
54th	Cy Grisley	Master	69	36	(DNC)	DNC	DNC	156
55th	Robin Grange	Great Grand Master	658	51	53	52	(DNS)	156
56th	Andy Gray	Great Grand Master	89	43	(DNC)	DNC	DNC	163
57th	Paul Smith	Grand Master	771	(DNC)	50	54	DNS	164
58th	Ant Walker	Legend	48	(DNC)	DNC	DNC	DNC	180
58th	James Wyburd	Legend	772	(DNC)	DNC	DNC	DNC	180