Brits at the 2022 ILCA 7 Masters Worlds presented by Paradise Village Group at Vallarta after day 3
by Guy Noble 5 Jun 2022 13:40 BST
31 May - 7 June 2022
Eight Brits arrived at Puerto Vallarta to take part in the 2022 World Masters Championships in Mexico. With representatives in all categories, GBR is looking in good shape.
Several of us arrived early to complete three days of pre-race training under the very expert eye of Micky Beckett. The British contingent is made up of Neil Peters, Chris Ellyatt, Tim Law, Orlando Gledhill, Mark Lyttle, Michael Hicks and Guy Noble, and Charlie Baillie Strong, who is very British even though he has LUX on his sail.
The last time the Masters were here was in 2016 and most the arrangements have stayed the same. Paradise Village Beach Resort provides accommodation with the Puerto Vallarta Yacht Club providing the amenities. Most of the sailors opting to stay at the resort as it is literally 50 meters from the boats.
In the two weeks prior to the Masters event the senior fleet world Championships took place. The guys faced some unexpected challenges. Probably the most significant was Montezuma's revenge rampaging through the fleet with about 50% of the sailors succumbing. According to the feedback from many of the British sailors this made the 18 minute beats almost unendurable. Needless-to-say we have been assured by the incredibly professional RO (Hugh Lester) the length of our courses will be a rather shorter.
The racing started on Wednesday 1st June. Although numbers are a bit down on the 2016 event every fleet is packed with top sailors. A vote took place to decide if we were to race as one 64 boat fleet or keep approximately to the age divisions, combining the smaller. The majority wanted to keep to the split fleets, So, it is: Fleet 1 - Apprentice Masters (30 to 44) and Masters (45 to 54), Fleet 2. Grand Masters (55 to 64), Fleet 3 - Great Grand masters (65 and over).
Day 1
Decent 12 to 16 knots at 245° thermal breeze set in at the normal time of 12:30.
They say you can't win the regatta on the first day but you can loose it. Well, there will be a good many from the GMs that may be wishing they heeded this wise adage. Six were UFD and will be mighty cautious in their starting from now on as we only have one discard. Mark Lyttle GBR (https://ilca.uk/podcasts) won the day with a 2nd and 1st closely followed by Brett Bayer and fellow Aussie Steve Gunther.
In the GGM fleet it is the usual suspects that were at the top of the fleet Wolfgang Gerz GER, Tim Law GBR, Peter Vassella USA, Vann Willson USA and Michael Hicks GBR.
In the Masters fleet Adonis Bougiouris was on fire with two bullets. After completing the senior worlds here the week before (finishing 43th gold fleet), he takes on the Masters - that will be 24 races! Orlando Gledhill made a good start with two 4th.
Charlie Baillie Strong LUX nailed it in the Apprentice fleet with two wins. (Check out his podcast on the UKLA website.https://ilca.uk/podcasts episode 15).
Day 2
The Masters Worlds Mexico ILCA7s. A very tricky day with 6 to 9 knots. During the night it rained and the clouds stubbornly held on until late morning so the sea breeze didn't really get going. This does happen here but we are looking forward to the return of the more exciting breezier conditions. Our debrief was interesting. No one side paid. It was crucial to stay in the pressure but this was very difficult to identify. Each fleet had quite different experiences as to which side had the advantage, if any... and this could quickly change.
These are very tough fleets to race in - one mistake and there's a piranha in the form of a ILCA7 waiting to chew you up and spit you out... bloody good fun though.
Day 3
Very similar conditions to day 2 - considerable cloud cover over the whole region delayed the sea breeze but eventually we started race at 2pm in 6 to 10 knots. These two races were probably the most left advantaged of the regatta but it was the downwind legs that the greatest gains were to be made or lost. Michael Hicks (GGM) won the day. Michael took full advantage of the leaders mistake at the final mark to jump to first. The second race win of the day came from a staggering display of balance and surfing skill - literally riding a wave through the fleet. In a fleet with so many great sailors double bullets are to be celebrated - the evening was spent doing just that. A wonderful mid-regatta party at the roof top terrace Skyview and a fabulous meal at a local restaurant rounded off the first half of what is proving to be a classic Masters Worlds.
Saturday - a lay day. No racing but the weather has improved and a good sea breeze has kicked in - Looking forward to more great racing over the next 3 days.
The Brits results:
Tim Law 1st GGM
Mike Hicks 3rd GGM
Mark Lyttle 2nd GM
Neil Peters 13th GM
Chris Ellyatt 16th GM
Guy Noble 17th GM
Orlando Gledhill 4th M
Charlie Baillie Strong 2nd AM
Full results here...
Find out more on the event website at 2022ilca7masters.ilca-worlds.org