2015 British Finn National Championships - Perfect scoreline

by Robert Deaves on 12 Jul 2015 Ben Cornish continues his perfect scoreline at the British Finn National Championships with three more race wins after a near perfect day's sailing at Hayling Island Sailing Club with clearing skies and moderate to strong westerlies providing tasty and testing racing for the 60 strong fleet.

It is turning into a three horse race with Cornish now unbeaten after five races, but Andrew Mills and Hector Simpson a close second and third, having filled the top three places in all five races so far.

It was a day of two halves on Hayling Bay. The wind had turned 180 degrees overnight and the fleet launched with an overcast sky and a stiff westerly. But after arriving in the start area the wind began to significantly ease, with race three starting in just seven - nine knots. Ben Cornish led round the top mark from Marc Allain des Beauvais from France and Simon Percival. Andrew Mills had moved into third by the leeward gate, and then into second on the next upwind. Hector Simpson then took third place on the final downwind. By the final upwind the sky had cleared and wind had increased above 10 knots to allow Oscar to be raised for free pumping on the final downwind.

After that the day just got better with clear blue skies and an increasing wind, which topped out at 16-18 knots with fantastic waves. While the upwinds were hard work, the downwinds were pure, simple fun, with large rolling waves giving the 60 Finn sailors a proper taste of Hayling Bay.

Cornish then led race four from start to finish, again from Allain des Beauvais and Simpson at the top mark. Allain des Beauvais held onto second place until the final downwind when he was passed by Simpson and Mills. Into the final race of the day and the increasing wind was shifting around and caused a delay as the race team worked to reset the line. When it finally started Mills initially led from Cornish and Simpson, but Cornish took the lead on the first downwind to lead into the finish. Mills took second with Simpson third. A shout out also to Tim Tavinor for an excellent race and a fourth place finish. The reach home around Chichester Bar was the highlight of the day with huge rolling waves and fantastic surfing back to the beach.

After racing the British Finn Association held its Annual General Meeting. The assembled sailors heard of the strong health of the class in the UK, with increasing numbers, the introduction of several initiatives to encourage further growth as well as the establishment of a youth development fund to support the growing number of juniors in the class.

The British Championship is sponsored by GAC Pindar, Zhik, North Sails and Suntouched Sailboats. Racing concludes on Sunday with two more races scheduled, with the forecast showing the strongest wind of the event.

Results after five races

1 GBR 91 Ben Cornish 4
2 GBR 85 Andrew Mills 9
3 GBR 96 Hector Simpson 10
4 FRA 99 Marc Allain des Beauvais 22
5 GBR 28 Jack Arnell 27
6 GBR 679 Neil Robinson 28
7 GBR 720 Julian Smith 33
8 GBR 635 Simon Percival 36
9 GBR 2 Allen Burrell 36
10 GBR 9 Tim Tavinor 45

Overall Results:

Rank	Tally Num	Country	Sail Num	Name	Sailing Club	Age gp	R1 10 Jul	R2 10 Jul	R3 11 Jul	R4 11 Jul	R5 11 Jul	Total	Nett
1st	41	GBR	91	Ben Cornish	Exe SC	Open	(1.0)	1.0	1.0	1.0	1.0	5.0	4.0
2nd	6	GBR	85	Andrew Mills	Queen Mary SC	Open	(3.0)	2.0	2.0	3.0	2.0	12.0	9.0
3rd	10	GBR	96	Hector Simpson	Yorkshire Dales SC	J	2.0	(3.0)	3.0	2.0	3.0	13.0	10.0
4th	8	FRA	99	Marc Allain des Beauvais	SNO Nantes	GM	(62.0 OCS)	8.0	5.0	4.0	5.0	84.0	22.0
5th	3	GBR	28	Jack Arnell	Christchurch SC	J	4.0	7.0	10.0	(11.0)	6.0	38.0	27.0
6th	26	GBR	679	Neil Robinson	Mengeham Rythe SC	GM	8.0	9.0	6.0	5.0	(23.0)	51.0	28.0
7th	57	GBR	720	Julian Smith	Mengeham Rythe SC	GM	7.0	6.0	11.0	9.0	(62.0 DNC)	95.0	33.0
8th	35	GBR	635	Simon Percival	Christchurch SC	M	5.0	13.0	4.0	(17.0)	14.0	53.0	36.0
9th	25	GBR	2	Allen Burrell	Thorpe Bay Yacht Club	GM	6.0	11.0	(15.0)	12.0	7.0	51.0	36.0
10th	39	GBR	9	Tim Tavinor	RCYC	GM	10.0	17.0	(31.0)	14.0	4.0	76.0	45.0
11th	27	GBR	683	Adrian Brunton	RYA	GM	12.0	16.0	(24.0)	8.0	9.0	69.0	45.0
12th	5	GBR	567	Martin Hughes	Warsash SC	GM	9.0	12.0	8.0	(23.0)	19.0	71.0	48.0
13th	24	GBR	98	Cameron Tweedle	Oxford SC	J	13.0	10.0	14.0	16.0	(62.0 DNF)	115.0	53.0
14th	50	SWE	14	Stefan Nordstrom	Karlstads Kappseglingsforening	GM	19.0	19.0	(23.0)	10.0	10.0	81.0	58.0
15th	11	FRA	112	Philippe Lobert	SNO Nantes	GM	20.0	4.0	(27.0)	22.0	13.0	86.0	59.0
16th	32	GBR	708	Michael de Courcy	Mengeham Rythe SC	GM	21.0	(39.0)	21.0	6.0	12.0	99.0	60.0
17th	43	GBR	81	Simon Childs	HISC	GM	16.0	14.0	(34.0)	7.0	25.0	96.0	62.0
18th	18	NED	88	Chiel Barends	The White House, Loosdrecht	GM	18.0	5.0	22.0	(24.0)	18.0	87.0	63.0
19th	1	NED	962	Jan Bart	WV Haringvllet	GM	22.0	(35.0)	18.0	20.0	15.0	110.0	75.0
20th	4	GBR	61	John Heyes	Mengeham Rythe SC	GM	14.0	(30.0)	17.0	25.0	21.0	107.0	77.0
21st	29	GBR	1	Sander Kooij	Thorpe Bay Yacht Club	GM	(28.0)	18.0	12.0	26.0	24.0	108.0	80.0
22nd	59	GBR	90	Richard Sharp	Bough Beech SC	M	(27.0)	27.0	16.0	15.0	22.0	107.0	80.0
23rd	51	GBR	581	Vince Hayter	Warsash SC	M	24.0	21.0	(33.0)	21.0	17.0	116.0	83.0
24th	56	GBR	77	Howard Sellars	Warsash SC	L	17.0	25.0	13.0	(33.0)	31.0	119.0	86.0
25th	48	GBR	68	John Mackie	West Kirby SC	M	23.0	24.0	(37.0)	29.0	11.0	124.0	87.0
26th	28	GBR	64	Fergus Allan	Loch Earn SC	GM	(34.0)	20.0	9.0	30.0	30.0	123.0	89.0
27th	44	GBR	49	Jim Downer	Gurnard SC	Open	(62.0 DNC)	62.0 DNC	7.0	13.0	8.0	152.0	90.0
28th	53	GBR	80	Ray New	Christchurch SC	GGM	15.0	36.0	(38.0)	27.0	20.0	136.0	98.0
29th	20	GBR	707	Callum Dixon	Docklands Sailing & Watersports Centre	J	26.0	(50.0)	20.0	19.0	37.0	152.0	102.0
30th	12	GBR	4	Russell Ward	HISC	GM	29.0	31.0	36.0	18.0	(62.0 DNC)	176.0	114.0
31st	17	NED	924	Fred Van Arkel	Chew Valley SC	GM	33.0	22.0	25.0	35.0	(40.0)	155.0	115.0
32nd	33	GBR	10	Robert Deaves	Waldringfield SC	M	(40.0)	33.0	19.0	37.0	27.0	156.0	116.0
33rd	15	NED	704	Erik Verboom	WHV	Open	30.0	(38.0)	30.0	28.0	28.0	154.0	116.0
34th	61	GBR	0	David Walker	Yorkshire Dales SC	GM	(39.0)	23.0	32.0	31.0	33.0	158.0	119.0
35th	23	GBR	548	Jonathan Tweedle	Oxford SC	M	37.0	(43.0)	28.0	32.0	32.0	172.0	129.0
36th	60	GBR	521	Simon Moss	Keyhaven YC	Open	35.0	34.0	(42.0)	36.0	26.0	173.0	131.0
37th	55	GBR	631	Richard Hart	Mengeham Rythe SC	L	41.0	26.0	26.0	41.0	(42.0)	176.0	134.0
38th	2	NED	942	Maarten Bart	WV Haringvllet	Open	31.0	37.0	(62.0 OCS)	34.0	34.0	198.0	136.0
39th	34	GBR	62	Jerry Andrews	Alton Water SC	M	32.0	(49.0)	49.0	40.0	16.0	186.0	137.0
40th	46	GBR	100	Matthew Walker	Mengeham Rythe SC	Open	11.0	15.0	(62.0 DNC)	62.0 DNC	62.0 DNC	212.0	150.0
41st	14	GBR	564	Peter Vinton	Staunton Harold SC	GM	43.0	(47.0)	29.0	43.0	43.0	205.0	158.0
42nd	16	GBR	93	Tim Simpson	Yorkshire Dales SC	M	36.0	(57.0)	39.0	46.0	38.0	216.0	159.0
43rd	38	GBR	13	Roman Khodykin	Mengeham Rythe SC	Open	38.0	40.0	(62.0 OCS)	47.0	41.0	228.0	166.0
44th	47	GBR	619	Charles Tavner	Bosham SC	Open	(56.0)	28.0	41.0	54.0	46.0	225.0	169.0
45th	21	GBR	34	Peter Blick	Keyhaven YC	GGM	(49.0)	45.0	48.0	42.0	35.0	219.0	170.0
46th	62	GBR	656	Graeme MacDonald	Mengeham Rythe SC	L	44.0	44.0	(45.0)	38.0	44.0	215.0	170.0
47th	52	GBR	75	James Cole	Warsash SC	M	(62.0 DNC)	62.0 DNC	35.0	45.0	29.0	233.0	171.0
48th	22	GBR	595	Edward Thorburn	Newhaven and Seaford SC	GM	46.0	48.0	44.0	(49.0)	36.0	223.0	174.0
49th	31	GBR	559	Tim Newton	Oxford SC	GM	47.0	42.0	46.0	39.0	(48.0)	222.0	174.0
50th	13	GBR	19	Simon Hoult	HISC	M	25.0	29.0	(62.0 DNC)	62.0 DNC	62.0 DNC	240.0	178.0
51st	37	FRA	55	Annaud Baudin	Club Nautique Lorrain	Open	42.0	41.0	47.0	48.0	(62.0 DNS)	240.0	178.0
52nd	7	GBR	486	Cy Grisley	Keyhaven YC	M	(54.0)	46.0	43.0	53.0	39.0	235.0	181.0
53rd	30	GBR	22	Andrew Wylam	Mengeham Rythe SC	GM	(53.0)	52.0	40.0	50.0	47.0	242.0	189.0
54th	40	GBR	672	Stewart Mitchell	Annandale SC	M	48.0	51.0	52.0	44.0	(62.0 DNC)	257.0	195.0
55th	54	GBR	658	James Wyburd	Mengeham Rythe SC	GGM	50.0	(53.0)	51.0	52.0	45.0	251.0	198.0
56th	36	FRA	50	Nidul Baudin	Club Nautique Lorrain	GM	45.0	32.0	(62.0 DNC)	62.0 DNC	62.0 DNC	263.0	201.0
57th	42	IRL	8	Richard Tate	Royal St George Yacht Club	GM	55.0	(56.0)	53.0	51.0	49.0	264.0	208.0
58th	9	FRA	48	Patrick Huynh	CVAN	M	52.0	54.0	50.0	55.0	(62.0 DNS)	273.0	211.0
59th	58	GBR	30	Ian Frayne	Mengeham Rythe SC	GM	51.0	55.0	(62.0 DNC)	62.0 DNC	62.0 DNC	292.0	230.0
60th	45	GBR	48	Anthony Walker	Mengeham Rythe SC	GGM	(62.0 DNC)	62.0 DNC	62.0 DNC	62.0 DNC	62.0 DNC	310.0	248.0
60th	19	GBR	65	David Potter	West Kirby SC	GM	(62.0 DNC)	62.0 DNC	62.0 DNC	62.0 DNC	62.0 DNC	310.0	248.0