IOM National Championship at Montrose Bay Yacht Club - Overall
by Rob Gavin 19 Feb 2018 17:23 AEDT
15-18 February 2018
A calm day with a gentle NNW breeze greeted skippers on the last day of competition, replacing, at last, the unrelenting strong winds that prevailed over the first three.
Naturally, A Rigs were on as racing got underway, but as the breeze picked up rigs dropped back to B.
The four skippers competing for the national champion commenced the day well taking out the top places in the first two races and the prize remained anyone's as the fleet broke for lunch.
After lunch the wind swung to the SE, which generally means more pressure and resulted in a change in the orientation of the course for skippers – boats sailing left to right instead of right to left. Only Paul Jones retained his consistency with Condie, Wallis and Bennett all falling out of the top placings.
By the start of the final race Paul Jones was four points clear, and in reality, only he himself could lose the championship from there with a bad race. It wasn't to be – Paul retained the consistency he is renown for to take out the trophy by nine points ahead of Scott Condie, Sean Wallis and Ross Bennett who were tied on 56 points.
The tie break count back saw Scott Condie in second, Sean Wallis in third and Ross Bennett in fourth. Greg Torpy rounding out the top five on 119.2 points.
The 2018 National Championships in Hobart has been a thorough examination of radio sailing skill – skippers were tested in all environments and with all three rigs. The top placegetters can rightly claim to be champions in the International One Metre class, and consistency was the greatest factor in Paul Jones deserved victory.