B14 Nationals at Weymouth and Portland Sailing Academy Day 2

by Tim Fells 28 May 2001 12:59 BST

After days of sunny weather, the first race of the 2001 B14 UK Nationals was delayed by thick sea fog. Following a three hour delay the decision was made to race in marginal visibility. Steve Fisher and Neil Barber, fresh from their Stokes Bay Eurocup win, took an early lead from Simon Nelson and Sandy Ramus with Dave Hayes and Sean Dwyer third. On the second run, the leading group, engaged in intensely close racing, sailed into a fog bank with less than 50 yards visibility and failed to find the leeward gate. Old sea dogs Tim Fells and Richard Dowsett, lying seventh, successfully navigated through the fog to find themselves all alone rounding the leeward mark. They gratefully accepted the opportunity to take the race win from Adrian Williams and Pasty Vigus with Hayes and Dwyer third. Subsequently, both Steve Fisher and Simon Nelson were awarded average points following protests for redress.

Day two dawned with clearer visibility and a solid south-westerly of 10-15 knots. In this wind direction the winning strategy is to sail into the left hand corner and pick the lifts off the Portland shore. Starting is key with the port end of the line providing the best position to get into the Portland shore first. Kings of the day were defending champions Tim Fells and Richard Dowsett who won the pin end in all three races sailed. With their proven boat speed they were able to capitalise on the port hand course to take three bullets.

In the first race of the day, they had a run away victory, never being challenged around the three lap course. Behind them a battle royal was only settled at the line with Jason Andrews and Chimp Hobson overhauling Matt Snedker and Dave Dobrijevic in the last yards.

In the second race they were pushed all the way by Snedker/Dobrijevic who held the lead at all three windward marks but were unable to hang on to their lead downwind. Matt Searle and Richard Bell showed their pace with a strong third.

In the third race of the day, Jonny Ellis and Spike pushed Fells and Dowsett all the way to the line to round off an excellent day - a 5,4,2 lifting them to second overall. Fisher/Barber came in third to place them fourth.

Currently, at 11:00 on Monday 28th the fleet is once again held ashore due to sea fog but with a forecast of an improvement together with force5-6 winds later in the day.

Overall after four races:

Pos	Sail No	Helm	Crew	R1	R2	R3	R4	Pts
1	758	Tim FELLS	Richard DOWSETT	1	1	1	1	3
2	733	Jonny ELLIS	Spike	11	5	4	2	11
3	736	Matt SNEDKER	David DOBRIJEVIK	10	3	2	7	12
4	734	Steve FISHER	Neil BARBER	APA4.67	6	5	3	12.67
5	749	Dave HAYES	Sean DWYER	3	4	8	6	13
6	75	Jason ANDREWS	Paul (Chimp) HOBSON	14	2	6	9	17
7	701	John BRICKWOOD	Sean BARBER	4	11	9	8	21
8	645	Chris SALLIS	Dick ROE	17	7	10	5	22
9	708	Mark BARNES	Howard PATERSON	7	16	12	4	23
10	746	Jono PANK	Rich EDWARDS	5	35	7	13	25
11	742	Adrian WILLIAMS	Jerry VIGUS	2	13	16	21	31
12	711	Tim PETERS	Dave CUNNINGHAM	23	8	13	10	31
13	725	Matt SEARLE	Rich BELL	19	12	3	35	34
14	755	Simon NELSON	Andy RAMUS	APA13.33	9	17	14	36.33
15	728	Nils JOLLIFFE	Jon BRANCH	18	10	14	15	39
16	747	Matt GRANT	Noel BARRINGTON	13	15	15	11	39
17	757	Dan WILLETT	Stuart PHILIPS	8	18	21	16	42
18	646	Jamie MEARS	Gemma MITCHELL	26	19	11	12	42
19	750	Piers LAMBERT	Tim BEES	9	20	22	18	47
20	743	Keith BORDERS	Tom PYGAL	16	14	18	22	48
21	753	Alan DAVIS	Alison WILSON	6	25	24	19	49
22	693	Chris ALLEN	David AYTON	15	22	35	17	54
23	752	Simon HADLEY	Ross ALEXANDER	24	17	20	20	57
24	671	Mark POLLARD	Ann POLLARD	12	23	23	23	58
25	748	Mark ELKINGTON	Dave TWIGGER	28	21	19	24	64
26	709	Andy BROWN	Angus ARMSTRONG	22	24	27	35	73
27	737	Stephen BARNES	David HAWKINS	31	29	25	26	80
28	625	Wayne DIXON	Trish SULEYMAN	30	26	30	25	81
29	716	David APTHORPE	Kirsty ALLEN	25	28	28	28	81
30	659	Christian SMART	Gareth JONES	32	30	26	27	83
31	681	Mark WATTS	Katherine SUERRATT	27	27	31	29	83
32	715	Don FORSTER	Kate FORSTER	29	35	29	35	93
33	682	Nick BOLLAND	Kieran COLLACOTT	33	35	35	35	103
34	712	Ben AINSWORTH	Charles AINSWORTH	34	35	35	35	104