Magic Marine Solo National Championship at the WPNSA

Magic Marine Solo National Championship at the WPNSA - Day 2

by Will Loy 9 Aug 2019 17:14 BST 8-11 August 2019

Jack Hopkins fully powered up on day 2 of the Solo Nationals at the WPNSA © Will Loy

After a rather restless night at Portland Dodge, I mean Lodge, I was at last, relieved to be woken by my 7.am alarm. The wind whistled through my open window as vehicles sped past, their tyres parting significant puddles which had formed overnight.

The cloud had given way to sunshine and with it an air of optimism filled my head as I headed off to WPNSA for day 2 of the Solo National Championship. With winds due to increase during the day we headed out to the harbour at 9.15 a.m with the breeze at 16-20 knots from 230 degrees. I sat aboard the 80bhp Suzuki powered rib with my driver Chris and we observed the fleet as they launched, above, a Seagull sat atop his plinth, clearly unimpressed by the sailors as the gybed out of the confines of shelter.

Finley Dickinson shows he is a talent on day 2 of the Solo Nationals at the WPNSA - photo © Will Loy

59 competitors made it to the start line, Andy Fox clearly wanted to stay dry for as long as possible and left the sanctuary of the dinghy park with 15 minutes until the prescribed start time of 10 a.m. He needn't of rushed as there was a general recall which was followed by the appearance of the black flag. There would be a number of naughty boys whose day would be ruined but more of that later. The pin end seemed busy, Shane McCarthy hitting the left hard while in the distance, on the right of the course, Charlie Cumbley powered off right.

Awesome conditions on day 2 of the Solo Nationals at the WPNSA - photo © Will Loy

The breeze was increasing with every minute and this was matched by the sea state which was becoming a bit bumpy. I wrestled with my undergarments, keen to find one part of me that was dry enough to wipe my camera lens, the wedgy was worth it as I collected some great footage as the fleet screamed down the reach. Cumbley had led into the top mark with Oliver Davenport and McCarthy his wing men. The reaches were as exhilarating for some as they were frightening for others, the gybe mark claiming a few.

Richard Lovering in the top 3 vest on day 2 of the Solo Nationals at the WPNSA - photo © Will Loy

Cumbley revelled in the increasing pressure, heading right with the pack following in his considerable wake as they all battled upwind. I was stationed at the top mark and understand from various recollections post race that the run to the leeward mark was spicy. McCarthy and Davis victims to the viciousness of the sea while Law went in after his tiller extension parted company. There were many more stories of daring do and of God's wrath which had obviously been angered. Other Gods are available. I did see Shaun Welsh kneeling in prayer at some point but now understand he always sails like that.

Class Championship Organiser Steve Ede battles upwind on day 2 of the Solo Nationals at the WPNSA - photo © Will Loy

Cumbley took the win but Davenport crossed the line to silence, BFD. This inherited Jack Hopkins up to second with Jon Emmett an impressive third. Richard Lovering broke through Finley Dickinson on the run, with Dave Lucas in sixth.

With the breeze gusting to over 30 knots, PRO Paul Kimmens wisely sent the fleet home for the day. Gusts are expected to reach 46 knots this afternoon and the forecast for tomorrow is bleak. Tonight is the BBQ and AGM, I do expect the beer to flow as we chew the fat over everything Solo.

Results after Day 2:

Pos	Sail No	Helm	Club	R1	R2	R3	R4	R5	Pts
1	5705	Charlie Cumbley	Warsash SC	1	‑6	1	3	1	6
2	5787	Andy Davis	South Staffordshire SC	7	1	3	1	‑8	12
3	5831	Richard Lovering	Hayling Island SC	4	‑14	6	6	4	20
4	5629	Finley Dickinson	Hayling Island SC	2	3	(UFD)	12	5	22
5	5732	Jack Hopkins	Hayling Island SC	13	‑24	2	8	2	25
6	5864	Jon Emmett	Weir Wood SC	11	‑16	10	2	3	26
7	5743	Tim Law	Salcombe YC	5	7	5	9	‑12	26
8	5808	Shane MacCarthy	Greystones SC	‑16	11	4	11	11	37
9	5840	Oliver Davenport	Northampton SC	14	9	16	4	(BFD)	43
10	5130	Mark Lee	Lymington Town SC	3	13	13	‑24	15	44
11	5782	Nigel Davies	Draycote Water SC	10	17	7	13	‑22	47
12	5691	Guy Mayger	Felpham SC	17	4	11	16	‑18	48
13	5645	Ian Hopwood	Nantwich SC	15	‑37	15	5	16	51
14	5781	Alexander Butler	Hayling Island SC	6	15	18	‑36	14	53
15	5813	Innes Armstrong	Burwain SC	12	5	19	22	(BFD)	58
16	5835	David Lucas	Grafham Water SC	33	8	(RET)	14	6	61
17	5742	Adam Savage	Elton SC	21	2	8	33	‑35	64
18	5834	Chris Brown	RYA	‑35	34	22	7	7	70
19	5803	Kevan Gibb	Largo Bay SC	‑43	10	17	21	24	72
20	5850	Vincent Horey	King George SC	34	‑45	12	10	20	76
21	6000	Doug Latta	Hayling Island SC	8	‑54	23	15	33	79
22	5827	Ewan Birkin‑Walls	Grafham Water SC	26	25	14	‑42	17	82
23	5735	Andrew Voysey	Hayling Island SC	23	12	‑38	20	29	84
24	5804	Steve Ede	Ardleigh SC	‑32	31	21	17	19	88
25	5816	Richie Bailey	Hayling Island SC	9	23	(UFD)	40	25	97
26	5406	Jarvis Simpson	Brightlingsea SC	24	30	26	19	‑40	99
27	5750	David Mitchell	Warsash SC	19	‑44	31	18	36	104
28	5793	Ellie Cumpsty	Chew Valley Lake SC	30	21	32	25	(BFD)	108
29	5865	David Winder	Hollingworth Lake SC	25	‑38	28	30	26	109
30	5393	Simon Derham	Littleton SC	31	‑57	34	35	10	110
31	5801	Willie Todd	Largs SC	18	18	30	44	(DNC)	110
32	5786	John Steels	Starcross YC	‑45	20	33	27	30	110
33	4973	Paul Robinson	Papercourt SC	28	27	29	‑32	27	111
34	5745	Andrew Fox	Leigh & Lowton SC	40	‑49	27	23	23	113
35	5381	Fraser Hayden	Papercourt SC	38	‑59	9	39	32	118
36	5763	Steve Denison	RYA	20	33	(UFD)	38	28	119
37	5487	Roger Bennett	Silver Wing SC	‑44	26	25	29	41	121
38	5704	Tim Lewis	RYA	37	‑43	37	34	21	129
39	5666	Andrew Boyce	Papercourt SC	‑57	32	24	37	44	137
40	5569	Nick Rawlings	Hayling Island SC	‑62	47	35	26	34	142
41	5724	Terry Palmer	Norfolk Broads YC	36	35	36	‑48	37	144
42	4921	Chris Mayhew	Royal Harwich YC	‑59	42	41	50	13	146
43	5796	Andrew Hyland	Lymington Town SC	27	40	39	41	(DNS)	147
44	5612	Tony Weatherell		22	28	(UFD)	28	BFD	149
45	5736	Iain Carpenter	Northampton SC	41	22	46	46	(DNC)	155
46	5670	Nigel Thomas	Hill Head SC	39	48	20	49	(RET)	156
47	5842	John Webster	Carsington SC	50	19	43	45	(RET)	157
48	5354	Robin Milledge	Lymington Town SC	46	46	42	‑51	31	165
49	5844	Peter Mitchell	Warsash SC	29	(DNF)	DNS	DNS	9	180
50	5778	Shaun Welsh	Lymington Town SC	‑56	36	47	54	43	180
51	5824	Tom Campbell	Lymington Town SC	68	29	40	47	(DNC)	184
52	5466	David Manson	Bough Beech SC	48	55	44	‑56	39	186
53	5570	Malcolm Buchanan	Lymington Town SC	54	41	53	43	(DNS)	191
54	5858	Patrick Burns	RYA	42	39	52	63	(DNC)	196
55	5560	Charles Stimpson	Spinnaker SC	65	50	54	31	(RET)	200
56	5259	Roger Wilson	Rollesby Broad SC	47	60	50	‑62	45	202
57	5617	Stephen Restall	Elton SC	53	58	58	‑61	38	207
58	4239	Ben Nicoll	West Oxfordshire SC	49	‑63	63	55	42	209
59	5547	Peter Warne	Northampton SC	51	51	51	58	(DNC)	211
60	5377	Stephen Waite	Highcliffe SC	52	53	56	53	(DNC)	214
61	5721	Graham Wilson	Northampton SC	55	52	57	60	(DNC)	224
62	5644	Paul Bottomley	South Staffordshire SC	61	56	45	64	(DNC)	226
63	5718	Craig Clarke	Papercourt SC	64	68	49	52	(DNC)	233
64	5665	Paul Alridge	Brightlingsea SC	58	65	55	57	(DNC)	235
65	5731	Vernon Perkins	South Cerney SC	69	64	48	59	(RET)	240
66	5632	Glenn Bolton	Burghfield SC	60	66	59	67	(RET)	252
67	5846	Paul Tasker	Chichester YC	63	61	60	(DNS)	DNC	255
68	5648	Simon Strode	Rollesby Broad SC	66	62	62	66	(DNS)	256
69	4715	Justine Davenport	Burwain SC	67	67	61	65	(RET)	260
70	5623	Rob Gascoigne	Elton SC	70	69	64	(DNS)	DNC	274