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Craftinsure 2023 LEADERBOARD

ILCA 6 Masters Qualifier at Weymouth & Portland National Sailing Academy

by John Gay 13 Jul 2024 11:14 BST 6-7 July 2024

76 ILCA Masters rocked up to Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy over the weekend of 6th/ 7th July for the ILCA Masters qualifier. A fleet of 33 ILCA 6s were eager to get racing as soon as the weather would allow.

Saturday as forecast was a big wind day. We were privileged to get in two quality races. Principal Race Officer PJ sensibly decided to postpone to coincide with an expected drop from the peak of 37 knots recorded on the harbour wall. The westerly coming over Chesil Beach was still spicy when we launched after lunchtime. The various wind-foiling/ surfing/ kiting craft were having a speedy time! Some of the fleet understandably opted to sit the first races out.

Race 1 was in the upper wind range but directionally stable and without too many killer gusts. A boat speed day and hiking contest. Sarah Cockerill and Ann Keats made excellent starts. Jon Emmett lead off from the pin continuing left, presumably to capitalise on any wind bend influenced by Portland island- most of the fleet followed.

Opportunities for learning from Emmett's technique rapidly diminished as he opened up a sizeable lead by the windward mark, Bob Cudmore was flying too. Emmett was way ahead by the first leeward. With kickers at maximum there were a few capsizes caused by getting stuck under the boom, this doesn't seem to happen to young people!

During race 2 there was starting to be holes in the wind, annoyingly at times whilst being psyched for full Force 6 battle. It seemed particularly important to spot gusts downwind or be sailed around. There was an upset when some of the fleet continued on a reaching leg after passing the committee boat which was now repositioned at the windward mark.

However a three-beat race had been signalled; hence the correct course was another run and beat. This allowed Bob Cudmore and Jon Gay to slip ahead of Emmett with the fleet following. Happily the shortened course flag appeared on the Committee Boat with Gay and Cudmore breathing a sigh of relief.

An international football match was enjoyed in the bar featuring a team from south of Hadrian's Wall. Far more importantly Tideway Wealth, ILCAUKs new sponsor, supplied three engraved presentation leatherman multitools. The lucky winners were drawn after the match: Carl Avery, David Hartgill and Nick Livingstone.

Out to the bay on Sunday in an amenable 15 to 20 knots, again more or less westerly. The fleet was well behaved with only one general recall in the first race. Relative to the chop in the harbour the waves were starting to be really fun, many cockpits became aquariums. Jon Emmet again dominated with a good gap opened by the first windward of every race. Steve Cockerill gave a masterclass in utilising small shifts upwind (which many of us missed), getting pretty close to Emmett especially in race 5.

It was surprising that there didn't appear to be an anticipated wind bend produced by the Nothe promentary, but we weren't very close in. Successful downwind strategy appeared to be a starboard broad reach out to larger waves then by the lee on these to work back left. It was generally a similar bunch of boats at the front with Ian Gregory, Terry Scutcher, Steve Cockerill and Jon Gay all making the top 3 behind Jon Emmett who comfortably won all three races. Sarah Cockerill finished First Lady in tenth.

The atmosphere at Masters events is great; it's such an experienced fleet where newer sailors sail alongside literal Masters, Legends and multiple world champions. The key thing is it's an opportunity to learn from sailors who have done their ten thousand hours and are generous with help and information. It's not too late to enter the Masters Europeans!

A smooth and well delivered prize-giving giving credit for improvement and achievements in all categories, plus celebrating the growing ILCA 4 fleet.

WPNSA as a venue is is hard to fault, it's especially helpful to have easy launching and a choice of inside or outside the harbour.

Many thanks to WPNSA, the race management team - RO Paul Jackson, sponsors and volunteers who all helped to make the event such a success.

Overall Results:

PosCategorySail NoHelmClubR1R2R3R4R5Pts
1stMaster216115Jon EmmettWeir Wood SC1‑31114
2ndMaster224330Jon GayLochaber YC‑5152412
3rdGrand Master220151Stephen CockerillStokes Bay SC3‑743212
4thGrand Master222557Bob CudmoreParkstone YC22‑84614
5thGreat Grand Master162576Terry ScutcherShotley SC4‑826315
6thGreat Grand Master207357Jeff LoosemoreMiddle Harbour Amateur SC‑9567523
7thMaster220041Ian GregoryFrensham Pond SC/Stokes Bay SC61235(UFD)26
8thGrand Master214073David GoddardWeir Wood SC74‑149727
9thMaster195049Matthew FletcherQueen Mary SC86‑16131441
10thGrand Master220152Sarah CockerillStokes Bay SC11‑141211842
11thApprentice Master219098Andrew WhittakerQueen Mary SC12(DNC)1515951
12thMaster221486John ElderGrafham Water SC131111‑291853
13thGreat Grand Master220439Ann KeatesParkstone YC‑18917141757
14thMaster219390Niall PeeloQueen Mary SC(DNC)1078DNC59
15thGrand Master213707Jimmy CarterLancing SC(DNC)259121561
16thGrand Master222549Peter TaylorParkstone YC171723‑241067
17thGreat Grand Master220777Mark SanckenQueen Mary SC101820‑211967
18thGreat Grand Master222555Max HuntWhitstable YC(DNC)DNC13101269
19thGrand Master215933John CurranWembley SC25131918(UFD)75
20thGrand Master209411Robert BeereFrensham Pond SC14‑2422172275
21stGreat Grand Master215377Richard MajorGrafham Water SC19162120(DNF)76
22ndGreat Grand Master215375Nick LivingstoneOxford SC1615‑27272078
23rdApprentice Master202542Julien ShawyerChew Valley Lake SC(RET)DNC18161179
24thMaster218940Christopher KilshawReading SC20192422(DNF)85
25thGreat Grand Master215416Peter GeeGrafham Water SC2120‑32232185
26thGreat Grand Master219061Bob DraperStokes Bay SC2222‑29281688
27thLegend223870Ian RawetGrafham Water SC(DNC)DNC26191392
28thGreat Grand Master222772David BindingWeir Wood SC15(DNC)10RETDNS93
29thGrand Master167587Julian LloydNotts County SC232130‑312599
30thGreat Grand Master168986John GoldsbroughWeston SC24(DNC)332523105
31stLegend212401Stuart BromidgeParkstone YC(RET)23313024108
32ndGrand Master219044Amanda HendersonLochaber YC(DNC)DNC2826DNC122
33rdGrand Master222564Michael BaggeStarcross YC(DNC)DNC25RETDNS127

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