Noble Marine / Sailingfast ILCA 7 UK Qualifier 3 at the WPNSA

ILCA 7 UK Qualifier 3 at the WPNSA © Lotte Johnson / www.lottejohnson.com

ILCA 7 UK Qualifier 3 at the WPNSA © Lotte Johnson / www.lottejohnson.com

The three ILCAUK spring qualifier events have seen 373 entries (including 34 Master entries) with 163 attending Q3 over the weekend. This, the final spring qualifier, was competed in excellent conditions at WPNSA on Sunday.

The weekend started with a light south/south easterly breeze due to build as the day went on, looking like a lovely days sailing ahead out in Weymouth bay.

Race 1 started in 5-8 knots with a fairly persistent right shift being the deciding factor on the first beat. James Percival-Cooke rounded the windward mark first followed closely behind by the rest of the fleet. The rest of the race stayed much the same with James maintaining his lead while the likes of Sam Whaley, Finley Dickinson, Alastair Brown, James Foster and Kai Wolgram battled it out all the way to the line to decide who would take 2nd and 3rd. In the end it was Alastair Brown who managed to get ahead just before the final mark to take 2nd leaving Finley Dickinson in 3rd. Josh Morgan sailed a very good first race to come in 4th.

Race 2 saw a bit of rainfall and fog tower over the bay, shifting the wind left and dying in strength slightly. Sam Whaley rounded the windward mark 1st closely followed by Finley Dickinson in 2nd and Henry Redmond in 3rd. With Finley just getting round the front of Sam by the bottom mark, this closed the top 3 up leaving it all to play for on the 2nd beat as the rain started to clear and the breeze started to build. Fin managed to defend well through the rest of the race leaving Sam Whaley, James Percival-Cooke and Luke Anstey to fight for 2nd, 3rd and 4th. with a late attack on to the inside of the last mark, Sam managed to round in 2nd with James in 3rd and Luke in 4th. Further down the fleet Henry Redmond and Tim Evans had their best races to come in 6th and 7th respectively.

The final race of the day saw a stronger breeze of closer to 10 knots roll through with more rain and shifts to get excited over after a long day on the water. Again Fin Dickinson made the most of the changeable conditions to round the windward 1st. With Alastair Brown rounding hot on his heels the two of them battled it out for the remainder of the race with Fin managing to keep his lead and Alastair setting for 2nd. Ryan Anderson, a Canadian sailor getting his first taste of the great conditions Weymouth bay can offer finished in 3rd.

Day 2 brought a different set of conditions, racing in the harbour in flatter water with 12-15knots of breeze. Race 4 had Ben Flower rounding the windward 1st with James Percival-Cooke in 2nd and Alastair Brown in 3rd. With Portland harbour usually being a left hand race track in a south westerly, there was only a slight re shuffling in the finishing order with James finishing 1st, Alastair 2nd and Ben in 3rd.

ILCA 7 UK Qualifier 3 at the WPNSA - photo © Lotte Johnson / www.lottejohnson.com

Race 5 was much of the same with the windspeed slightly higher for most of the race, with the left side paying again on both beats. James Percival-Cooke managed to hold the lead until the bottom of the 1st run before Ryan Anderson stormed past, taking the lead into the 2nd beat closely followed by Ben Flower. Positions stayed the same going into the last downwind with things very close between the top 3. James managed to find a bit more breeze to get through Ryan and Ben to take 1st place, followed by Ben and Ryan in 2nd and 3rd respectively.

The final race of the weekend had saw much of the same with James Percival-Cooke taking the lead, coming from the left side of the beat. Finley Dickinson managed to get past James on the 1st downwind, leading on to the 2nd beat closely followed by Alastair Brown. With the wind wobbling slightly right, and it being the last race, James hedged his bets on going right while Alastair went left leaving Fin in a tough spot to defend his lead. The right side marginally came out on top with James moving back into the lead closely followed by Fin and Alastair. with everything super close on the last downwind, it was anyone's race. Alastair committed hard left and managed to catch a bit of pressure that took him past both Fin and James. With Alastair having mark room heading on to the reach to finish, he took 1st place closely followed by James and Fin in 2nd and 3rd.

ILCA 7 UK Qualifier 3 at the WPNSA - photo © Lotte Johnson / www.lottejohnson.com

This meant the overall finishing order was James Percival-Cooke in 1st place on 8 points, with Finley Dickinson and Alastair Brown both on 12 points with Finley taking 2nd on the tie break of number of 1st places leaving Alastair with 3rd. All in all it was a great weekend racing held by WPNSA with some interesting conditions to race in.

It was good to see another solid group of Masters doing the senior qualifiers this time it was Guy Noble who was first Master.

The UKLA Qualifier series is kindly sponsored by Noble Marine, Ovington Boats, Sailingfast and Rooster. In Qualifier 3 Rooster supplied the prizes which were gratefully received by all the sailors.

Massive thanks to all the volunteers, who without this event would not be possible. WPNSA were also fantastic, making pasta after sailing and making us feel very welcome.

Overall Results: