Noble Marine UK MUSTO Skiff Nationals 2020 at Brixham Yacht Club - Day 2

Noble Marine UK MUSTO Skiff National Championships 2020 day 2 © Natalie Hilton

On the second day of the Noble Marine UK MUSTO Skiff National Championships 2020, just three races were planned, but the experienced and impressive Brixham Yacht Club Race team assessed the wind and seized the opportunity to take advantage of the building breeze to give the eager fleet a fourth race to round off the day.

Race 3:

The day dawned bright with light breeze, 5 - 8 knots, as per forecast out the West. After a speedy launch racing got under way on time at noon with the lightweights enjoying the conditions.

Young Callum Escritt rounding the windward in first in GBR 075, showing old boats can still be quick with the chasing the pack including Ben Schooling, Ed Chapman, and Euan Hurter. It was Hurter who made the best of the second beat to pull through Escritt with Ian Trotter making strong gains on the right. At the finish, Hurter took his first Nationals bullet from Callum Escritt, with Trotter third and old man, Ian Escritt in 4th - a great result for the father and son.

Race 4:

In the second race of the day the breeze had increased slightly 7 - 9 knots. Jono Shelley got a great start near the pin end of the start line and tacked across on to port on a good line of breeze. In the Force 2 to 3 conditions, with small gusts fanning across the course from the Brixham cliffs, Shelley did a great job of holding off multiple attacks from different assailants. The Ullswater sailor defended the left side of the course but Rob Richardson, Andy Rice and Tom Conway were looking dangerous on the right hand side, which came good on the second beat. Shelley tacked to leeward of Rice on the final lay line to the windward mark and just held on to his lead, stretching away for the winner's gun while Richardson pipped Rice for second place across the line.

Noble Marine UK MUSTO Skiff National Championships 2020 day 2 - photo © Natalie Hilton

Race 5:

The breeze was still between 9 - 12 knots but with 20 degree shifts that were hard to predict. The leader came from the right and middle left up the first beat. Stuart Keegan tried the middle down the run but hard right was the place to go down the run, meaning Bruce Keen led at the leeward. The next 3 boats went around the left leeward mark. It was very shifty and gusty up the second beat, but the top 3 stayed the same. Keen held onto the lead to the finish, Keegan second and Sam Pascoe passed Trotter down the last run for third.

Race 6:

The breeze thankfully picked up a bit with some 15 knot gusts so the fleet were pleased they could stretch their legs. Danny Boatman led round the windward mark closely followed by Peter Greenhalgh and Bruce Keen.

Greenhalgh was able to roll Boatman and accelerate away, however, he over-stood the leeward gate a bit and this gave Keen an opportunity with his early gybe. Keen and Greenhalgh spilt leeward marks and Greenhalgh attempted to tack to cover, but fluffed the tack and reversed 3 boat lengths giving Keen the lead.

There were several bands of breeze coming down the course, which Keen and Greenhalgh did their best to work to their advantage, working independently and completely out of sync with each other, eventually it turned into a big drag race to the right. Keen did an early attacking gybe, which Greenhalgh matched and both were flat out all the way to the lay line, where Greenhalgh was able to have a little breathing space to manoeuvre to the finish. 3rd place went to Bill Maughan, having sailed a really solid race with current national champion Jamie Hilton hot on his heels.

A great day of racing and 6 hours on the water, the fleet returned for a well-earned pasty & pint!

Results after Day 2: