Supernova National Championship 2025 at the WPNSA

Supernova National Championship 2025 at the WPNSA - Day 1

by Chris Hawley 27 Jun 19:39 BST 27-29 June 2025

Flying downwind on day 1 of the Supernova Nationals at the WPNSA © David Henshall

Alex Horlock leading after day 1 of the Supernova Nationals at the WPNSA © Chris Hawley

It has been a long time since the Supernova fleet visited Weymouth, last time we were here I don't think the impressive WPNSA was even built. We were excited to be back and join the 505s for a few days on the water, bringing with us a nearly 90-strong fleet (not bad given this is a rearranged event).

There was a degree of nervous energy in the dinghy park as we'd learnt from the 505s sailing yesterday that the breeze ended up being a bit more than forecast. Thankfully the 30 plus knots had passed through and we were forecast to be facing up to low 20s. Extra bacon sandwiches were being consumed by the lightweight contingent.

The briefing announced we would be out in the bay and advised to leave an hour to the start line. It was a very pleasant dead run in a nice force 3 and sunshine. But as the race neared the wind started to build as did the chop.

We ended up starting the race in a solid force 4 with gusts tipping into force 6. It was quite the baptism of fire for pondies like myself who only venture onto salt infested waters but once a year. Chris Williams started as the pathfinder again, something he did last year as he makes a habit of finishing 10th.

I've done over 20 Supernova nationals and today's final reach to the finish is definitely one of the hardest legs I can remember - a very awkward chop angle and tricky breeze - it was commit or go slow (I opted for the second). Quite a few capsizes were witnessed and places changing right up to the gun.

A good turnaround saw us do 2 more races. The middle of race 2 saw a slight dip in wind to lull us into a false sense of security before coming in hard for the end of the race and race 3. I was kicking myself for not putting on my small sail (a new addition this year, and something which is proving very effective in this sort of breeze inland). I was also kicking myself for not practising, or getting fit, next year perhaps...

After the sail in (over an hour), definitely the longest return home I can remember, I was delighted to be handed a bowl of hot pasta. Definitely a future feature for nationals!

I wasn't close enough to the front to see any actual results or even how the races went. But I did speak to former national champ Alex Horlock who had a perfect day and excelled in the conditions taking 3 bullets. Alex's brother Iain who had kindly leant Alex the boat for the weekend will no doubt claim part credit due to the boat setup.

Looking at the results it was very much a day for the high wind specialists. Particularly great results for Tom White, Kevin Reed and Tom Williams - although many others will be really pleased with their results.

With a marginally lighter wind day tomorrow will we see a mix up at the top before the 'drifter' due on Sunday?

Great event so far with a real buzz an friendly feel in the boat park.

Results after Day 1:

Pos	Sail No	Helm	Club	R1	R2	R3	Pt
1	1361	Alex Horlock	Exe	1	1	1	3
2	1315	Chris Webber	Paignton	4	2	3	9
3	1302	Matt Thursfield	Chelmarsh	2	7	2	11
4	1337	Tom White	Olton Mere	3	4	4	11
5	1115	Peter Mackin	Stokes Bay SC	6	3	7	16
6	1357	Cliff Milliner	Cotswold	5	6	5	16
7	1073	Sean Ricketts	Bartley	7	5	6	18
8	1358	Gavin Young	Cotswold	11	11	8	30
9	1188	Kevin Reed	Roadford Lake	9	10	12	31
10	1163	Luke Fisher	Emberton Park	10	12	10	32
11	1095	Thomas Williams	Bartley	13	8	21	42
12	1356	Mike Critchley	Bolton	15	13	18	46
13	1258	Ian Howett	Haversham	22	14	14	50
14	1246	Anthony Critchley	Bolton	14	21	20	55
15	1248	Matthew Williams	Cotswold	21	18	16	55
16	700	Douglas White	Cotswold	28	17	13	58
17	1306	Richard Lambert	Bough Beech	19	31	9	59
18	1027	Steve Broom		17	28	15	60
19	1162	Oliver Crocker	Cotswold	23	9	31	63
20	1201	Christopher Williams	Cotswold	8	19	37	64
21	1267	Jeremy Higson	Bartley	25	24	17	66
22	1359	Andrew Flitcroft	Bolton	16	40	11	67
23	1252	Andrew Gomm	Ogston	26	15	26	67
24	1318	James Gerwat	Shoreham	20	27	22	69
25	1333	Chris Hawley	Bartley	24	30	19	73
26	1256	Paul Burton	Girton	36	22	30	88
27	1261	Shaun Welsh	Porthpean	27	37	24	88
28	1094	Clive Brown	Bolton	32	36	27	95
29	1244	Julian White	Cotswold	35	32	28	95
30	1263	Daniel Morgans	Pembrokeshire YC	30	33	35	98
31	1281	Duncan Cheshire	Chelmarsh	29	29	46	104
32	1309	Daniel Stewardson	Emberton Park	46	23	36	105
33	1277	Douglas Rankin	Blithfield	31	35	39	105
34	1249	Marcus Shaw	Girton	34	49	23	106
35	1319	Sean Muldoon	Haversham	40	41	25	106
36	1353	Dana Church	Notts County	38	43	29	110
37	1218	Hugo Hansen	Cotswold	12	16	DNC [86]	114
38	1230	Chris Kneale	Cardiff Bay	56	34	32	122
39	1257	Mike Gibson	Bartley	49	26	51	126
40	1202	Martin Burgess	Bough Beech	18	25	RET [86]	129
41	1223	Jon Pebody	Hunts	50	39	40	129
42	698	Charles Felgate	Cardiff Bay	44	52	34	130
43	1250	David Partridge	Chelmarsh	42	38	50	130
44	1272	Andy Goodman Smith	Attenborough	47	46	38	131
45	1059	Adrian Davis	Girton	51	45	41	137
46	1329	Martin Smith	Chelmarsh	33	20	RET [86]	139
47	1009	Steve Jellicoe	Olton Mere	45	47	48	140
48	1184	Garry Butterfield	Bartley	43	59	45	147
49	1342	Philip Hind	Ogston	59	42	56	157
50	1151	Andrew Bethell	Lilliput	58	53	47	158
51	1215	Michael Malcolm	Haversham	61	56	43	160
52	1219	Alistair Boyd	Haversham	RET [86]	44	33	163
53	1269	James Paterson	Bartley	60	62	42	164
54	1282	Gareth Blakemore	Bartley	64	63	44	171
55	1275	Rob Bell	Emberton Park	37	50	RET [86]	173
56	1176	Mark Hitchmough	Bowmoor	39	48	RET [86]	173
57	1220	Matthew Endlish	Bowmoor	68	57	49	174
58	1021	Daniel Boddice	Bartley	65	65	53	183
59	1211	David Hansen	Cotswold	67	61	57	185
60	1083	Serena Stewardson	Emberton Park	70	66	52	188
61	1134	Tom Baldwin	Ogston	66	69	54	189
62	1172	Emily Osborne	Ogston	71	67	55	193
63	1334	Stephen Blair	Beaver SC	53	55	RET [86]	194
64	1103	David Allen	Haversham	54	54	RET [86]	194
65	1360	Owen Griffiths	Bowmoor	63	51	RET [86]	200
66	1305	Stuart Stephen	Bartley	48	68	RET [86]	202
67	1069	Andy Marshall	Bowmoor	55	64	RET [86]	205
68	1074	Richard Williams	Bartley	62	58	DNC [86]	206
69	1307	Martin Roots	Cardiff Bay	41	DNC [86]	DNC [86]	213
70	1235	Malcolm Crundwell	Exe	69	60	RET [86]	215
71	1126	Alex Clapperton	Lilliput	52	DNC [86]	DNC [86]	224
72	1099	Peter Housley	Swarkstone	57	DNC [86]	DNC [86]	229
73	1180	David Stephen	Bartley	RET [86]	DNC [86]	DNC [86]	258
73	1124	Colin Ricketts	Bartley	DNC [86]	DNC [86]	DNC [86]	258
73	1041	James Ashworth	Cotswold	RET [86]	DNC [86]	DNC [86]	258
73	1298	Matthew English	Bowmoor	RET [86]	DNC [86]	DNC [86]	258
73	1363	Tony English	Bowmoor	DNC [86]	DNC [86]	DNC [86]	258
73	436	Owen Griffiths	Bowmoor	DNC [86]	DNC [86]	DNC [86]	258
73	1254	Tony Bleasdale	Girton	DNC [86]	DNC [86]	DNC [86]	258
73	1362	Paul Undrell	Cotswold	DNC [86]	DNC [86]	DNC [86]	258
73	1203	Steve Johnson	Cotswold	DNC [86]	DNC [86]	DNC [86]	258
73	1196	Mike Griffiths	Emberton Park	DNC [86]	DNC [86]	DNC [86]	258
73	1190	Nick Booth	Pembrokeshire YC	DNC [86]	DNC [86]	DNC [86]	258
73	588	Karen Bell	Emberton Park	RET [86]	DNC [86]	DNC [86]	258
73	1057	Ian Casewell	Cotswold	DNC [86]	DNC [86]	DNC [86]	258