Zhik UK Nationals and Eurocup at Hayling Island Sailing Club
by UK 29er Class Association & Freddie Peters 8 Aug 2018 14:13 BST
28 July - 2 August 2018
Zhik UK Nationals and Eurocup at Hayling Island © Peter Hickson
The Zhik UK 2018 29er Nationals and Ovington International 29er Class Eurocup took place over the 28 July - 2 August at Hayling Island Sailing Club. A variety of wind conditions tested the sailors with 3 of the days wall to wall sunshine.
After 16 races Ewan Wilson and Fin Armstrong were deserved winners of the National Title fending off the challenge of local sailors James Hammett and Piers Nicholls who took 2nd with Freddie Peters and Elliot Wells in 3rd overall. Freya Black and Millie Aldridge took the Ladies title after a battle with Bella Fellows and Anna Sturrock who were 2nd and Charlotte Ormerod and Jess Jobson in 3rd.
RO Tim Hancock delivered great racing while the socials including the Karaoke and last night bash led by the master DJ Mark Covell live long in the memory. Many of the sailors and parents packed and left right after the event as 20 UK boats are off to Helsinki for the 29er Europeans - both tof our new male and female National Champions will be leading the UK charge at Europeans. Ewan and Fins' thank you speech was delivered via video with the winners giving generous thanks to the club and their fellow competitors.
Day One
It was windy - just too windy. A good call by the Race Committee to can racing the day before. With the boats lashed down, the fleet departed in search of entertainment - Gun Wharf, cinema etc
Day Two
The wind was building as the fleet launched rising to around a steady 20 knots with a few gusts of up to 30 knots. The sea state was the big issue of the day after the overnight gale though the sailors showed admirable boat handling in the conditions. 2788 (Freddie Peters/Elliot Wells) started their event in Blue fleet with two race wins leading overnight. 2787 (Ewan Wilson/Fin Armstrong) and 2539 (Luke Gribbin/Ewan Gribbin) on equal points sharing the race wins in Yellow fleet with three points each.
2849 (Charlotte Ormerod/Jess Jobson) wet their new boat in style with a 9 and 5 putting them head of the ladies leaderboard overnight and 8th overall. In hot pursuit were 2694 (Charlotte Gordon/Anna Rowe) second female boat and 16th overall. Close behind 2694 were veterans 2025 (Sarah Jarman/Hanna Brant) at 17th overall.
Day Three
A light start to the day but the wind built steadily to around 20 knots as the thermal came in from the SSW. It was a good day for both 2788 (Freddie/Elliot) and 2787 (Fin/Ewan) with both boats clocking up four firsts with a discard of 14 for 2788 and a discard of 5 for 2787. With both boats on equal points and scores ignoring the discards, 2788 won the qualifying series with a fourteen in race 4 as opposed to 2787's five in race 5. Again only one point separated 2344 (James Hammett/Piers Nicholls) at third from 2539 (the Gribbins) in fourth.
Discards also turned the results around for the female teams with 2343 (Bella/Anna) discarding their UFD to emerge as first female boat and seventh overall. 2347 (Freya/Millie) also stormed up the rankings having got rid of their UFD to second female team and ninth overall. 2849 are third female boat and 15th overall. A special mention to Alice Masterman who celebrated her first race win in a 29er Nationals race in race 4 of the Qualifying Series. Surprising given her impressive track record in the 29er. Also a first race win for her helm Annie Hammett - no doubt it will be the first of many.
Day Four
Wind (eventually) and sunshine - what more could you want as the thermal built from 6-7 knots to 15-17 knots. The Race Committee turned the races round promptly clocking up five in both silver and gold fleets.
Consistent results across all conditions was key with 2787 (Ewan/Fin) scoring 1,1,2,3 and 2344 (James/Piers with 1,2,3,4 leading the field. Points were tight at the top with only three points separating Ewan/Fin with nine points in first from 2344 James/Piers with 12 points at second overall. 2788 Freddie/Elliot were close behind in third with 18 points.
The female leaderboard was equally close. 2343 (Bella Fellows/Anna Sturrock) are led with 25 points at fourth overall but with 2347 (Freya Black/Millie Aldridge) chasing hard with 29 points at fifth overall. At seventh overall and on 45 points we have 2849 (Charlotte Ormerod/Jess Jobson). Fantastic to have three all female boats in the top ten. First Mixed is 2225 at tenth (Catherine Lindsay/Jake Hardman).
In Silver Fleet 1504 (Ellie Walton/Eve Townsend) head the leaderboard with 2694 (Charlotte Gordon/Anna Rowe) chasing hard in second. Special mention has to go to 2694 who sailed all five races yesterday with a damaged mast (damage not apparent until they arrived at the race course). Very unlucky yesterday but a race win today. Third is 2292 (Sian Talbot/Maddie Bristow) with two thirds and a second showing that time spent upside down on Day Two was very valuable learning time indeed...
Day Five
The thermal breeze came in but with less force than on previous days and the wind build from 6-7 knots to 10-12 knots. Again it was a hot sunny day and very close racing. According to local sailor Freddie Peters, the tides and chop were not an issue, success lay in managing the pressure. 2787 (Ewan/Fin) took a tight grip on the Nationals Trophy with a race to spare scoring 1,1,2,3 - an impressive performance. 2344 (James and Piers) secured 2nd also with a race to spare scoring 7,5,2,8 while 2788 (Freddie and Elliot) took 3rd overall after a very solid 4,3,2 finish to hold off a charging 2347 (Freya/Millie).
With 1,1,4 and a 9, 2347 (Freya/ Mille) shot to the top of the Ladies leaderboard to take the female National Championship. 2343 (Bella/Anna) took second with 2849 (Charlotte/Jess) in third. Impressive to have 3 Ladies Pairs in the top 10 given the weather conditions. Californian Catharine Lindsay - Ladies bronze medalist at the 2016 Worlds - was the 4th Lady helm in the top 10 and with local crew Jake Hardman took the mixed trophy.
Meanwhile, in the Silver fleet the girls dominated the podium with (2292) (Sian Talbot/Maddie Bristow) taking the win after scoring 1,1,3,10 on the final day. With two thirds 234 (Issy Black/Orla Mitchell) took second and 1504 (Ellie Walton/Eve Townsend) took third.
Overall Results: