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Original Cottages B14 Europeans and Nationals 2022 at Whitstable Yacht Club - Day 3

by Nick Craig 3 Sep 2022 18:32 BST 1-4 September 2022

Day 3 dawned with light winds to the pleasure of much of the fleet. However, the breeze started developing big holes so the race team sensibly postponed a couple of hours and the fleet launched into a steady 10 knots. As we approached the race area, a thermal breeze killed the gradient so we bobbed around for 10 minutes.

As the day warmed it was looking like a breezeless stalemate between the gradient and thermal but thankfully the forecast of increasing gradient held true and we were treated to three races starting in 8 knots building to 15 by the last run of the last race.

Nick Craig & Tobytastic found the B14 go button to win all three races and open up the event but were pushed very hard by Mark Watts & MJ in the last two races. There was only a boatlength between the two at both last windward marks after many close tactical calls, gains and losses in the somewhat patchy breeze.

The opening race was a joy for the lighter weights who could plane the B14 both upwind and downwind in just 8 knots with Russ Gibbs & Lucy Loughton having their best race with a third.

B14 legends Mike Bees & Ferret put in a solid day with a 5,3,3 to open a nice gap behind for third on the podium. Josh Wilce & Matt Hollis got faster as the day went on to score 9,5,5. One of the pre-event favourites Mark Barnes & Kathy Sherratt went fast, but a swim paid to one good result but closed out the day with a 4th.

The podium now decided, unless they get it spectacularly wrong, with the next four places up for grabs.

Tony Blackmore & Charlie Hadley were also fast in the slightly lighter conditions to score a sixth in the opening race and move into the top ten.

Whitstable are laying on an excellent event with the fleet enjoying beers on the balcony followed by a BBQ shortly. At the AGM, planning is well under way for a potential Worlds in Garda next year, or Euros in France, which should attract several countries for more high quality skiff sailing.

Results after day 3:

PosSail NoHelmCrewClubR1R2R3R4R5R6R7R8R9Nt Pts
1797Mark WattsMatt JohnsonWeston Sailing Club11‑2111‑2229
2796Nick CraigToby LewisBurghfield/Frensham‑221‑52211110
3771Mike BeesMartin WorthBrightlingsea Sailing Club‑64533‑753326
4791Josh WilceMatt HollisRutland Sailing Club43375‑12‑95532
5774David HayesPete NicholsonLTSC35(DNC)464‑106634
6799Mark BarnesKathy SherrattWhitstable Yacht Club5(RET)49757‑12441
7785Peter KnightGiles GilbertRestronguet SC(DNC)(DNC)DNC24389750
8789Crispin TaylorGi HarrillStarcross Yacht Club76(DNC)8864(OCS)1453
9762Russ GibbsLucy LoughtonStarcross Yacht Club8(DNC)(DNC)6121038855
10764Tony BlackmoreCharlie HadleyStarcross Yacht Club9(RET)(DNC)109867958
11787Paul RobertsWill RandLTSC(DNC)(DNC)DNC1110913101181
12795Amir ShamsuddinNick PyeKing George Sailing Club(DNC)(DNC)DNC14111114151092
13757Rory MoppettAli MoppettBough Beech Sailing Club10(DNC)(DNC)1213DNC15141293
14770Simon HadleyNikki HadleyWhitstable Yacht Club(DNF)(DNC)DNC15RETDNC1141697
15766Barry PriceGuy RanyesNetley SC11(DNC)(DNC)13RETDNC161313100
16786Geraldine BrownLeaky FermorThe Re‑mote(DNC)(DNC)DNCDNCDNCDNC121115106

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