Europe UK Nationals at the WPNSA - Days 1 & 2
by Lucy Boreham 5 Jun 2022 08:37 BST
3-5 June 2022
Europe Nationals at the WPNSA © Will Loy
The Europes have returned to WPNSA for their nationals. The format again this year was a practice day on the Thursday and nine races scheduled over the following three days.
On Thursday afternoon about 30 boats launched for some quick fire practice starts with a short windward / leeway course. During 1.5 hours at least 11 starts were done and the fleet returned to shore feeling they had blown a few cobwebs away.
For Thursday evening it was everyone around to the Tweedles for a BBQ and a few drinks.
At the Friday morning briefing the intention was to race in the bay and the fleet launched in plenty of time to make the sail out. Unfortunately the breeze didn't hold and the AP went up on the committee boat in the harbour and a change to racing inside was made. The race team set a course once the wind had settled to a gentle 5-6 knots. The race officer had warned at the briefing that all races were going under the U flag and one sailor was caught out.
Steve Cockerill took an early lead, getting out to the right of the race course and clear air, leading around the top mark with Jonny Sargent, Chris Gill and Richard Eagleton in close pursuit. There was then a big group of boats coming in on the port lay line, making it a crowed rounding. After a short reach it was on to a very sloppy run down to the leeward gate, being mindful that pumping wasn't allowed in the light stuff, with most favouring the left hand gate to take the right side of the course back up the beat, the leaders were stretching out, but in the same order which remained to the end. Lots of place changing through out the fleet. Emma Pearson was First Lady in 12th.
The wind decided it had had enough and after a short delay the race officer decided to send us ashore for the day. With only 1 race completed on Friday Saturday was looking to be a big day of 4 races in 20+ knots. Some carb loading was going on in the evening at the dinner in anticipation.
Saturday dawned to almost too much wind at first, with racing in the harbour decided, the race team went out and the fleet launched in 20 knots on time for 4 races.
Steve Cockerill revelled in the conditions to keep a perfect score line at the end of the day, but there was plenty of action for the next places and close racing though out the fleet. With the O flag up pumping was allowed downwind until it wasn't with the R flag occasionally making an appearance, all sailors respected the flags and played within the rules.
Pham Vincent, FRA 5718, scored well with 3,2,3,6 to move up to 2nd. Drew Barnes showed us all how to weave downwind to move into 3rd. Graham Hutchings, BEL 986 was up there in all of the races and lies in 4th. Tim Laws steadily improved throughout the day with a 3rd in race 4, sitting in 5th.
Gear failure for Chis Gill at the start of the day, meant he had to sit out the 1st 2 races to do some emergency repairs, but showed his speed with 2 seconds in the 2nd half, but with only 1 discard will likely be out of the top 3 this year.
Sarah Cockerill is the leading lady, sitting in 6th, with today being very much her conditions. Fax Kemp, sailing 97 is leading the classic / tin rig trophy after 2 days. The youth title is a close fight, with Jonny Sargent & Adam Catlow just separated by 1 point.
Lots to play for Sunday if the wind is kind and allows some racing.