Allen Burton Week 2023 - N12 National Championship – Runners & Riders
by George Finch 25 Aug 2023 09:42 BST
26-29 August 2023
Allen Sailing National 12 Burton Week at Felixstowe Ferry © Pavel Krica
National Twelve Burton Week is being held at Brixham Yacht Club from 26 to 29 August 2023 and is kindly sponsored, for a third year by Allen Sailing.
Current champions Tom and Isobel Stewart will be keen to extend their dominance of 2022 which saw then win both the Nationals and the Inlands and make it three championships on the bounce. But Graham and Anya Camm are looking for their first championship win together and if the winds are light they will most likely be the boat to beat. The evergreen Steve Sallis has daughter Jo back in the boat again this year. They are always on the pace, especially if the wind blows and were in very good form at Norfolk Week.
The aforementioned are all sailing in the Dead Cat Bounce design, but Ollie Meadowcroft and Cally Terkelsen, who won the Royal Harwich open meeting on only their second outing together are in the Hijack. They had great speed in all directions but were only let down by their balance. Anyway their capsize recovery is well practiced. They will be in the running. They need to finish races dry. Ollie and Cally are the leading lights in a strong youth contingent, many of whom will be looking to upset their parents. Absolute wildcards within this are James & Rory Gifford. Eighteen years of rubbing each other up the wrong way and now united together in a N12. James & Rory have borrowed a Paradox that their parents originally had built some 20 years ago.
Also in a Paradox are Jon and Sam Brown. The Paradox was designed back in 2002, launched in 2003 and twenty years later, supercharged by the addition of wings from Simon Hipkin, these boats are giving more recently built boats a serious run for their money.
Oddly Antony & Jo Gifford, who don't practice much these days, often start the week very well and then go a little backwards. No one can explain. Anyway, expect them to be in the money on day one and you never know they might hold on. Their steed is also a Dead Cat Bounce.
Upper Thames Sailing Club is sending a record fleet this year, and in addition to Ollie and Cally, high hopes will be held for John Meadowcroft and Lyla Jacobs in Max Factor, a wide-body Final Chapter, which John had built in 2002 and has been generously loaned back for the event.
Ian & Alex Gore unfortunately broke their mast at Norfolk Week and are another combination sailing a borrowed boat. It's a Feeling Foolish, the same generations as the Final Chapter and Paradox design, although without T-Foil. Light winds will be what they're wishing for. Also in a Feeling Foolish will be Mary and Rupert Henderson-White. Rupert will no doubt have an exciting rudder blade for us to look at and this year will be holding the stick whilst Mary crews.
N12 legend Jeremy Hartley is borrowing a Dead Cat Bounce for this year, sailing with son Luke. Jermey won the nationals as a crew and as a helm in the 80s and is often very quick, especially after the 1st day. Jeremy was quick last time we were at Brixham in 2018.
The class are delighted to hear rumours that Nick Copsey might be back in a 12 after illness and if so, he will be in his Hijack with Steve Carver up front calling the shots. Steve was the winning crew at the Firefly Nationals last week. He can make a 12 foot boat go. What a double it would be to win the 12s too.
The anticipation is a daily report and results will be available on Y&Y for those at home or elsewhere to enjoy!