UK Etchells Open National Championships - Three champions crowned

by Rob E Goddard on 9 Sep 2014 2014 UK Etchells Open National Championships - Weymouth Bay’s weather, just like the rest of Southern England and the Western Half of Europe was dominated by high pressure, and with little or no wind forecast for the weekend.

Racing on Saturday had to be abandoned from ashore during which time the fleet meet to agree an early start for racing on Sunday to commence at 08.00 when a 6-8 kt NE breeze was predicted for a few hours, a direction making it possible to set a course inside of the breakwater thereby avoiding an even earlier arrival time on the dock.

And on Sunday Morning a 4-8 Kts breeze came in at 35deg that slowly shifted right to 55deg over the three hours racing before dropping below 3kts, just enough time to achieve 3, 2 lap races, with three races being the minimum number required to complete a series.

Having only arrive 24 hours before and not put off by his jet lag, Nils Razmilovic SIN 1340 Matatu sailing with Brian Hammersley and Andrew Mills was the fastest across the line in race 1. Starting close to the pin and heading hard left Nils lead a pack of six boats out towards the port lay line, while those who went right discovered to their cost about one knot less pressure on the right, which translated into a 50 metre deficit by the top mark and despite the wind slowly shifting right, it never made up for the additional pressure always found on the left, and this strategy was used by Razmilovic to win all three of Sunday's races before a dying breeze signalled time for a tow back into the harbour for the fleet, giving his team the Open Championship title.

Second Place was David Franks’ Elvis GBR 1354, sailing with Graham Sunderland, Bleddyn Mon and Amy Prime, and as the first British boat they are the 2014 British National Champions, third was fleet new comer Jeremy Thorp Phan GBR1351 sailing with previous double World Champion Stuart Childerley and Mark Andrews, in fourth sailing Darling S, GBR1175 was Jack Muldoon, Bryn Philips, Ashley Goddard and Philie Holinghurst who were the First Corinthian boat, and the 2014 Etchells Corinthian Champions, this team were the youngest team at the Regatta averaging 20 years seven months in age, sailing one of the two boats lent to the Class by Ted Fort OBE for the development of young talented sailors.

Prizes were presented by Class Captain David Franks, with thanks to WPNSA for organising the racing and ZHIK and The London Gin Company for some great prizes.

Next weekend the 14 strong fleet are joined by two more boats for the European Championships where Nils Razmilovic is being replaced by brother Ante and the light winds hopefully by a more suitable breeze.

Some of the yachts trialled RaceQs and the racing can be replayed here.