International 14 Hoptons Cup at Itchenor Sailing Club

International 14 Hoptons Cup at Itchenor © Notty

International 14 Hoptons Cup at Itchenor © Notty

A lucky 13 International 14s competed in the Hoptons Cup over the weekend of 28/29 April. The event is traditionally held out in Hayling Bay but a combination of tide and wind conditions meant that the best racing was found inside Chichester Harbour. With the National Championship, the Prince of Wales Cup, at Exmouth fast approaching in two weekend's time, it was a chance for the boats to get their final practice in.

The weather gods offered up a range of conditions, which posed all kinds of difficulties for the race team. Race 1 was held over Stocker sands in a pleasant but variable 6-9 knots from the North West. Dan Holman and Damian Ash led from start to finish, picking the shifts well up the first beat and never looking back. Most teams were heading to the right hand side of the beat as a short course and ripping tide rewarded minimal boat handling.

Race 2 looked in danger of not happening at all as the breeze shut off and started swinging around. The race committee moved up harbour to find a beat and to avoid the rising sand banks that were likely to appear if the fleet had stayed put. With Lowles as the windward mark and the ends of the start line acting as a leeward gate, it was easy to misjudge the tide and get the laylines wrong. The left hand side of the beat seemed favoured and it was Andy Shaw and Rob Struckett who got there first on the first beat to lead round the windward mark. Their lives were made significantly easier by Neale Jones and Ed Fitzgerald, catching their foils on the leeward mark and keeping the chasing pack at bay. The breeze eventually clocked round to the right but Andy and Rob took the win, with Katie Nurton and Nigel Ash taking second. Douglas Pattison and Mark Tait led overnight with a consistent 2,3.

International 14 Hoptons Cup at Itchenor - photo © Notty

Sunday was an entirely different proposition. Capsizes all over the place. A broken shroud for Martin Jones and Adam Lees. Neale and Ed nearly wrapping themselves around a Channel Post. But for some it was business as usual - Douglas and Mark continued their consistency with 3rds in races 3 and 4. But it was Andy and Tom Partington who showed the Itchenor boats how it was done with two comfortable bullets to take the overall win. Dan and Damian showed great speed all weekend to pip Douglas and Mark to second.

International 14 Hoptons Cup at Itchenor - photo © Notty

With POW just two weeks away, there are more questions than answers. Will the Partingtons keep up their form? Will Exmouth introduce a new factor - perhaps the open sea waves we Itchenor sailors are all blissfully as we breeze around the flat water in the harbour? Is the pressure getting to Neale and Ed after dominating the first two events of 2018? Or are Andy and Rob favourites after their Race 2 win (probably not, given the double figure capsizes on Sunday)? Stay tuned!

Overall Results:

International 14 Hoptons Cup at Itchenor - photo © Notty