Vaikobi UK Finn National Championship at the Weymouth & Portland National Sailing Academy

Former Laser World Champion Lawrence Crispin won his first Finn National Championship after returning to the Class nine years ago, having previously won Weymouth Olympic week in the Finn in 1986.

Sponsored by Vaikobi, the Australian Ocean Performance brand, the event was held at the superb facilities of the Weymouth & Portland National Sailing Academy between the 4th & 6th July. With 33 entrants from across the UK, two visitors making the trip from Holland, and one Australian from France, the fleet looked forward to three days of racing in Weymouth Bay, potentially utilising the more sheltered waters of Portland Harbour should the forecasted increase in breeze follow through.

Vaikobi UK Finn Nationals 2025 at the WPNSA - photo © Optical Marine / Noah Fitzgerald

Day one greeted the fleet with 'wall to wall' sunshine and the Oscar flag flying in a 12 to 14 knot SW breeze shifting across 15 to 20 degrees. With three races scheduled, the fleet made its way into the bay to sail windward-leeward courses, targeting a 50-minute duration. The day was dominated by Lawrence Crispin and Andy Couch, who both showed their strength and resolve to cope with the oscillating breeze. Lawrence returning to WPNSA after day 1 holding a 1-point lead, scoring 1,1, 3 to Andy's 2, 3, 1. Behind those two was a scramble among a super-competitive fleet, Class Chairman Richard Sharp, from Emsworth Slipper SC, showed his mastery of the shifts to take third in the first race. Simon Percival from Christchurch scored consistently well in the top 10, delivering a 6, 2, 4 to hold 3rd overnight. Joost Houweling from Holland, manufacturer of the super successful and ever more popular TT2 designed Finn, showed steady improvement during the day scoring 7, 4, 2, easily holding off veteran John Greenwood, frustratingly getting worse as the day progressed scoring a 4, 6, 7 after gambling on sides of the course rather than playing the shifts.

After an awesome day on the water, the fleet returned to WPNSA to be offered a well-deserved baked pasta snack before dinner and a long lie down.

Vaikobi UK Finn Nationals 2025 at the WPNSA - photo © Optical Marine / Noah Fitzgerald

With the sun up and shining brightly once again, Saturday's increased forecast was evident with wind speeds of 18 to 28 knots recorded on the harbour wall, again oscillating through 15 to 20 degrees. As wind speeds increased with recorded gusts over 30 knots, the Race Team decided to schedule two races in Portland Harbour. The available wind data, enabling a decision from circa half the fleet to pray for 3 races to be completed the following day and take full advantage of the two discards, which clicked in with 8 races completed.

With lower wind speed readings measured on the Committee Boat, the race sequence began. This was Andy's opportunity to strike back in the testing conditions, but it was not to be. Lawrence dominated the fleet with a superbly controlled performance. There was then a significant gap in both races, to some super tight individual battles in both races. Most exciting was for second and third place between Andy Couch, with his great all-round ability and additional downwind speed, and the visiting Joost Houweling, who nailed the conditions upwind with his dominant physique and the vast experience that has brought him multiple World Championships in International keelboat classes like the Dragon and 5.5 Meters. This racing was as exciting to watch as it was exciting to take part in. What a thrill. With a downwind finish, Andy finished the day with a 2, 2, Joost a 3, 3 and John G a distant 4, 4. Other notable performances came from Mike De Courcy from HISC scoring a 6, 5, and the evergreen Martin Hughes finishing with a highly credible 5, 7 in the challenging conditions.

Vaikobi UK Finn Nationals 2025 at the WPNSA - photo © Optical Marine / Noah Fitzgerald

With everyone back on terra firma by early afternoon, the British Finn Association AGM followed later in the early evening, with the Class dinner to follow. WPNSA but on a great pasta meal followed by the Vaikobi Prize Draw for a super douper pair of hikers won by lucky tally number 33 allocated to new member Phil Smith, making the trip down from Chester after last sailing his Finn at the Nationals last year.

On Sunday morning, keen to deliver a full series of 8 races before an incoming front later in the day, the Race Team elected to race in the harbour. With a start time scheduled for 11.00, the wind was relatively steady at 10 to 14 knots, increasing over the next few hours to 18 to 24 knots and split across the harbour's physical features, dominated by the Bill.

Vaikobi UK Finn Nationals 2025 at the WPNSA - photo © Optical Marine / Noah Fitzgerald

Again, it was GBR 74, Lawrence Crispin, who dominated the day with an assured and measured performance, scoring a 2, 1, 1. However, the racing during the day was more mixed up, reflecting the depth of competition and determination in the Class. Simon Percival from Christchurch stepped up and took the gun in the first race of the day, taking advantage of Lawrence's attention on Andy to ensure he did not get the upper hand. Lawrence was second, and an improving John Greenwood 3rd. Andy finished 4th and a rejuvenated Allen Burrell came 5th. Races 7 and 8 saw a resumption to normal service with Lawrence dominating again, Andy second and then some fantastically close racing on either side of the course through the fleet. Best performances across the day coming from Allen Burrell scoring a 5, 3, 3, Simon Percival a 1, 9, 4, John Greenwood a 3, 4, 5 and Joost a 9, 5, 6.

Whilst the top 2 places never disputed from a points standpoint, there was some terrifically close racing start to finish throughout the fleet, all conducted in a super friendly and respectful environment, every place hotly contested right up to the final finisher of the final race. With two discards kicking in, 3rd position went to Simon Percival counting 23 points and a race win to finish the regatta ahead of Joost Houweling also counting 23 points and both just one point ahead of John Greenwood in 5th, Allen Burrell in 6th counting 32 points - impressive results considering he missed the two races on Saturday. Richard Sharp, 7th, and Mike De Courcy, in 8th, both sailed a highly consistent series, with all their results in the top ten. Open Category (U40) Alex Farrall finished in 9th, just ahead of the evergreen Martin Hughes, completing the top 10.

Vaikobi UK Finn Nationals 2025 at the WPNSA - photo © Optical Marine / Noah Fitzgerald

Lawrence raced in his TT2 Finn and used North sails to win the regatta. He dedicated his win to the significant investment he's been able to make in his sailing since the end of last summer. He thanked his tuning partner, Allen Burrell, as well as the awesome effort by the BFA and Jon Tweedle's teams at WPNSA (the onshore crew and the on-water teams), who collectively delivered what was a fantastic and super memorable event. Thanks were also given to the Championships sponsors, Vaikobi Ocean Performance, Intego Pro Sports Sunscreen and Sailing Chandlery, the online dinghy services provider.

As a fellow competitor and long-time Finn sailor, Lawrence's performance was inspirational and makes us all want to work harder at our physical well-being and race preparation, so that we can deliver better performance and the positives that come from that.

The nature of his victory deserves credit and is testament to what can be achieved in our sport (across any age group) through raw determination, dedication and effort whilst using exceptional 'out of the box' equipment that the International Finn Class offers. Well done Lawrence, from all those who took part in what was another 'Finntastic' regatta!

Vaikobi UK Finn Nationals 2025 at the WPNSA - photo © Optical Marine / Noah Fitzgerald

Age group winners:

Legends
1. AUS 6, Bob Buchanan
2. GBR 42, Richard Phillips
3. GBR 34 Peter Blick

Great Grand Masters
1. GBR 74, Laurence Crispin
2. GBR 5, John Greenwood
3. GBR 2, Allen Burrell

Grand Master
1. GBR 635, Simon Percival
2. GBR 90, Richard Sharp
3rd GBR 86 Fergus Allan

Master
1. GBR 79 Andy Couch
2. NED 68 Joost Houweling
3. GBR 59, Tom Glissane

Overall Results:
If you finished in the top ten at the Finn nationals then enter your Gear Guide information here