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Harken D-Zero National Championships 2025 at Lee-on-the-Solent Sailing Club - Day 1

by Martin Latimer 4 Jul 22:34 BST 4-6 July 2025
The D-Zero doing what it does best - wind and waves - smiles thoughout the fleet on day 1 - Harken D-Zero National Championships at Lee-on-the-Solent © Jamie Robinson

With a strong south-easterly wind forecast for Saturday, gusting 24kts, the race officer scheduled three races for day one in the hope that all eight races scheduled for the Nationals might be completed over the weekend.

As the fleet of 30 racers launched the wind filled enough to get racing confirmed and it filled throughout the day. The first race was a difficult one; meaning the form book was shaken up a little. After the start a big hole in the wind opened up for the whole fleet on the first beat. The first ten boats round the top mark opened up a gap on the rest of the fleet. Those going left on the second beat got an edge and the race continued on a trapezoidal course with outer loop.

Local poster buoy, Tom Southwell took the bullet with Adam Cockerill chasing him hard, third going to the first Scot, Jon Bassett. Tom will be chuffed to have taken first blood on home waters.

With the wind filling nicely, race 2 was started in a building breeze with the fleet sailing the same course as race 1. The leading group, including Dealer Dave Valentine was doing well until four of them hit the windward mark, so after a bit of reversing practice, the race resumed whilst Tom Soutwell & Sam Bedford had another go at the mark. This fancy dancing shook up the results but the form book was restored with Ian Baillie, The Prof, taking the win, Ian Morgan coming second and top coach Jon Emmett claiming third.

Race 3, again on a trapezoidal outer loop course, was to be all action with the wind building to 18-22 kts which the D-Zero revels in. Jon Emmett and Ian had a bit of a tussle with Jon needing to make some turns. Clearly a bit dizzy he then went for the wrong windward mark, undoubtedly costing him a few places - even coaches are human!

Further down the fleet Ian Patrick went well with his black rig, and a couple of the newbies were also flying. The Prof, already a one time D-Zero National Champ, took first, with another ex champ, Ian Morgan, taking second with Adam Cockerill in third.

The Prof's talent is beginning to shine, with a score of 7pts, but Ian Morgan is only 1pt behind with Adam Cockerill on 9pts in third, 7pts ahead of new-to-the-Nationals Alistair Higgins (another Scot). Clearly there has been some very close racing on day one with the whole fleet getting excellent racing.

Landing was fun with more wind, bigger waves, and a shore dump leading to a few swimmers - but all survived, and all were still laughing.

Day 2 dawns, a bit windy, with what will be a tired fleet, but a few pints cures all ills in the D-Zero fleet and tomorrow is after all another day. Will the Prof rove too quick, will Ian Morgan pick up some vital speed tips in the bar on Saturday night, will Adam fly a bit faster and will Jon Emmett have found a compass, will Dealer Dave bribe his way to the front or will Bertie Bassett sort out his first day blues.....? All to play for on day 2.

Results after day 1:

PosSail NoHelmClubR1R2R3Pts
1st336Ian BaillieDalgety Bay Sailing Club5117
2nd358Ian MorganWarsash Sailing Club4228
3rd199Adam CockerillEmsworth Slipper SC2439
4th180Alistair HigginsASYC (Aberdeen & Stonehaven Yacht Club)65516
5th328Thomas SouthwellLee on Solent114419
6th306John BassettLargs361019
7th365Jon EMMETTCastle Cove Sailing Club143623
8th11Gareth TweedleEmsworth SC911727
9th66David ValentineEmsworth Slipper SC712928
10th126Sam BedfordLee on Solent Sailing Club1113832
11th234Max JonesEmsworth SC1371333
12th312Tim WeedenEmsworth Slipper S.C.1681236
13th136Tim HumphriesPevensey Bay15101439
14th189Richard BryantAnnandale Sailing Club8191542
15th366David KitchenDalgety Bay Sailing Club2092251
16th335Ian PatrickBough Beech19151751
17th183Terry BrooksOxford sailing club25181154
18th344Mick GreenLeigh and Lowton SC22201658
19th191Nigel AustinCransley SC18212059
20th363Nigel CowanItchenor SC26171962
21st281Mike GrantLargs24221864
22nd218PAUL MURPHYGWSC2116RET72
23rd28Kim May‑PapailiouBough Beech29242174
24th3John AstonGWSC10OCSOCS80
25th345Paul JefferiesHunts SC12DNCDNC82
26th192Neal SandersGWSC2823RET86
27th224Rohan DanielsOgston Sailing Club17DNCDNC87
28th280Christopher HeathBexhill3025RET90
29th13Chris FlewittLocks SC23DNCDNC93
30th8Joe ConstableGWSC27RETDNC97
31st333Liz PotterWest Kirby sailing clubDNCDNCDNC105
31st58Gordon StewartNorth Herts East BedsDNCDNCDNC105
31st57Martin LatimerLargs SCDNCDNCDNC105
31st311Simon BoylinEmsworth Slipper SCDNCDNCDNC105

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