Royal Southern Academy Match Cup - Shaw takes Round 1

by Peta Stuart-Hunt on 23 Nov 2010 Andy Shaw, Ed Dyer, Aaron Cooper and Sarah Hickman won all 12 of their matches in the first heat of the Royal Southern Academy Match Cup held this past weekend.

Shaw, Captain of Southampton University Sailing Club and an Academy member showed why he is also the World Student Match Race champion. His controlled aggression in the pre-starts meant he was rarely headed over the start line. On the few occasions when overtaken on the course, he fought back so that over the course of two days of racing, he always finished first.

Sailing SB3s supplied by Pelican Racing, competitors enjoyed their first taste of asymmetric match racing. On two cold days with winds in the 10-15 knot range, PRO Simon Hand and his team kept up a brisk schedule of races. Day two showed the practice effects of the previous day as downwind speeds increased and passing lanes were opened up. Second placed Sam Pearson, crewed by Tristan Jaques and Tom Dawson said, 'We really enjoyed it. It was good to get in a new boat and the crew really enjoyed the asymmetrics.'

After racing on Saturday, Chief Umpire David Battye briefed competitors on how the umpires would penalise premature extension of the spinnaker poles after some ‘interesting’ jousting incidents with extended poles at the weather mark, whilst down at the leeward mark the wider angles of approach from the asymmetrics made for plenty of action with the Yankee flag.

Back ashore, competitors put their feet up in the Royal Southern’s old bar with the log fire roaring. Third placed Rob Gullan, crewed by Chris Noble, Fergal Finlay and Andy Douglas, highly recommend the Match Cup, adding, 'This is a brilliant event – better run than any I’ve been at. It’s great to be at such a friendly Club, a good experience, and we all loved the asymmetric sailing.'

At the Prize Giving, Academy Chairman, Karen Henderson-Williams, made a special presentation to Guy Jackson, who conceived and organised the Academy Match Cup.

The next heat is on 5/6 March 2011 with the finals on 26/27 March 2011.

Results Heat 1/Points:
Andy Shaw 12
Sam Pearson 9
Rob Gullan 7
Ali Hall 6
Mary Rook 4
Mark Lees 2
David Tabb 2

Entry details are at http://www.royal-southern.co.uk/Academy/tabid/321/Default.aspx