GAC Pindar UK Finn National Championship at Brixham Yacht Club

by John Heyes 10 Jul 2019 22:13 PDT 4-7 July 2019

GAC Pindar UK Finn Nationals at Brixham © Gareth Fudge / www.boatographic.co.uk

UK Finn Nationals © Gareth Fudge / www.boatographic.co.uk

46 Finns travelled to Brixham, on the southern shores of Torbay, from as far afield as Japan, Abu Dhabi and Sweden. Sailing on the waters of the 1948 Olympic regatta, Torbay proved an ideal location for the Championship, providing racing on every day of the regatta despite a very light and variable wind forecast for the whole weekend.

Friday's first race was held after a delay ashore, as a 6-7 knot breeze stabilised from the NE. Race Officer Sean Semmens set up windward /leeward course with a square line but last minute flick to the left sent Silver Cup bronze medallist Hector Simpson, Allen Burrell and John Heyes dashing to the pin end to take advantage of the shift. Simpson and Burrell soon tacked off to the right, expecting the forecast general movement right, but Heyes stood on a while before tacking and managed to stay in a little more pressure to the left of the fleet. High and faster, he comfortably rounded the windward mark ahead of Simpson and the fleet on the right. The Class Chairman managed to hold off Simpson, but as the breeze became more patchy on the second upwind the ex British Sailing Team member showed his skill to cross ahead at the second upwind. Youth prevailed further as current GAC Pindar U23 squad member James Skulczuk soaked through on the right of the run as did Soling Olympian Stefan Nordstrom (SWE) on the left, to claim second and third respectively.

A second race was soon under way after a swift move of the course axis to match the shifting breeze. This time the U23 sailors lead the field, clearly benefiting from their experience gained from sailing the European tour - racing at Palma, Genoa, the Athens Europeans and Kiel Week. Impressively fit and also with matured racing skills, Callum Dixon of the GAC Pindar team mastered the shifty and patchy breeze to take the gun, (a real one!) with training partner James Skulczuk second and another U23 Jack Arnell from Christchurch third. It was left to ex Laser world champion Lawrence Crispin to keep the Masters end up with a fourth place finish.

GAC Pindar UK Finn Nationals at Brixham - photo © Gareth Fudge / www.boatographic.co.uk

A third race was attempted but the late afternoon breeze proved too fickle and the start was aborted as the breeze flicked again, rendering a fair course impossible.

Saturday's forecast was much the same as the light North Easterly dominated, and no sign of a sea breeze. The efficient race team again held the Finns ashore until the breeze filled in at midday, who were swiftly launched down the club's steep slipway by an army of volunteers and an excellent Beach Master who stood in the water up to his chest to hold boats whilst sailors fitted their rudders - a godsend for single handers!

When the breeze arrived it was more South Easterly, coming in over the Brixham headland. With a windward mark under the shore, the right hand side paid, with Hector Simpson reading the shifts best to finish first, ahead of the Japanese Hajime Kokumai, currently campaigning in Europe for Olympic selection. James Skulczuk pulled up to third, Allen Burrell a strong 4th and Callum Dixon 5th. Dixon and Skulczuk had flown back from Kiel Week especially for the event and with their boats already in Italy for the U23 World Cup in Anzio, were kindly lent boats and masts by BFA members - a typical example of the friendly and generous nature the Finn Class is renowned for worldwide.

GAC Pindar UK Finn Nationals at Brixham - photo © Gareth Fudge / www.boatographic.co.uk

Race 4 was set for three laps, which looked a lap too far as the six knot breeze gradually died away on the second run. Another ex British Sailing Team member, Pete McCoy had dug out a huge lead and was somewhat surprised not to see a shortened course flag as he rounded the gate. As the fleet crawled back up the beat, those on the seaward side were gifted a new wind with greater pressure, that saw a group of boats reach into the final windward mark, much to the dismay of those who had spent an hour painstakingly working their way into the top six positions! However, McCoy, Dixon and Yuki Nishio, (JPN - another Olympic contender) still had enough of a buffer to hold off the latecomers.

Again a third race was attempted, but after a long wait for the new breeze to settle the start was aborted as the breeze finally died and the fleet headed home for the Championship dinner, an excellent meal hosted by the Brixham Yacht Club.

With the most promising forecast of the weekend set for Sunday, racing was able to start on time, after the BFA's AGM where members expressed their deep concerns over the questionable actions of World Sailing in dropping the Finn from the Paris 2024 Olympics and the RYA's lack of support for a Class that has delivered them every gold medal for the last five Olympiads.

Sunday's breeze was straight into Torbay from the east, so hopefully more stable a direction. The left hand side initially looked favourable with stronger pressure on the Torquay coast, but the early leaders from the left had their hopes dashed as the breeze headed by the top mark and the boats on the far right romped in. Those that then tried the hard right route on the second upwind where further dispirited, as the left seemed to pay! However, the cream rose to the top as usual, and the most practiced and in-form sailors dominated, with Skulczuk stamping his authority on the series with two wins. To prove how easy it was to get caught out by the narrow bands of pressure and unpredictable direction, Callum Dixon could only climb to 13th.

Experience is also worth a lot in such conditions, and Olympic campaigners from earlier generations showed their skills are never lost. Lawrence Crispin climbed the final standings with a 3, 8, 1 and GGM John Greenwood posting his best day's score of 4,6,2. Harwich Town's Ady Pels also dramatically improved his previous score, with an 8,4,8, after previous days in the 30's.

UK Finn Nationals - photo © Gareth Fudge

Laser Radial sailor Iona Dixon borrowed her brother’s old boat for the second year to prove that you don’t have to be a heavyweight to sail a Finn, recording a remarkably consistent score line to finish in the top half of the fleet – who says the Finn cannot be a gender equal class!

With three races completed in quick succession, it was a great job done in challenging conditions by PRO Sean Semmens and his well drilled race team, who smoothly shifted the course during racing and turned the races around swiftly.

Supporting sponsors Allen, North Sails and Helly Hansen provided some great prizes allowing everyone that completed all races to go home with a prize. The perpetual silverware for each race is enshrined with an amazing who's who of British Finn sailing talent - to have you name in the same trophy as Giles Scott, Ben Ainslie, Andrew Simpson, Chris Law, David Howlett, Vernon Stratton and many more is something to savour for the rest of your life. James Skulczuk can now add his own name to the famous Sunday Times Gold Cup and join that elite band, as he and Callum Dixon head to the Silver Cup in Anzio to take on the rest of the world's top U23 Finn sailors.

Top 5 finishers. From left John Greenwood, Hector Simpson, James Skulczuk, Callum Dixon, Pete McCoy. - UK Finn Nationals - photo © John Heyes

Andrew Pindar commented, "Our logistics team at GAC Pindar is very proud of the support we have given to the BFA U23 squad. Over the last few years, seeing young 17-18 years olds transform from outgrown youth Laser sailors into fully formed international Finn athletes and now a National Champion is fantastic. Since the decision was made to remove the Finn as an Olympic equipment, we're sticking by the U23 squad as they work out their revised sailing plans; it's just brilliant to see them performing so well at this National level event when focus and morale has clearly been knocked. On behalf of all our staff at GAC Pindar we wish James, Callum and all who continue to support them, huge congratulations."

Overall Results:
If you finished in the top ten at the Finn nationals then enter your Gear Guide information here

Pos	Sail No	Cat	Helm / Club	R1	R2	R3	R4	R5	R6	R7	Pts
1	GBR 81	U23	James Skulczuk WPNSA/MYC	2	2	3	‑4	1	1	4	13
2	GBR 38	U23	Callum Dixon Docklands Sailing & Watersports Centre	5	1	5	2	‑13	2	5	20
3	GBR 96	O	Hector Simpson Yorkshire Dales SC	1	8	1	5	6	‑9	9	30
4	GBR 5	GGM	John Greenwood West Kirby SC	‑23	5	10	11	4	6	2	38
5	GBR 29	O	Pete McCoy ESSC	16	‑17	6	1	11	5	7	46
6	GBR 635	M	Simon Percival Christchurch SC	8	11	13	7	7	3	‑14	49
7	GBR 74	GM	Lawrence Crispin Stone SC	20	4	‑25	16	3	8	1	52
8	GBR 2	GM	Allen Burrell Thorpe Bay YC	6	9	4	14	14	‑18	10	57
9	GBR 28	U23	Jack Arnell Christchurch SC	13	3	8	‑28	2	21	16	63
10	JPN 6	O	Hajime Kokumai Hayama SC	10	‑28	2	10	9	11	28	70
11	GBR 567	GGM	Martin Hughes Warsash SC	11	12	9	9	18	‑19	11	70
12	JPN 7	U23	Yuki Nishio Wakayama Medical University	18	6	7	3	‑22	22	15	71
13	SWE 14	GM	Stefan Nordstrom KKF	3	18	‑28	19	5	13	22	80
14	GBR 86	GM	Fergus Allan Loch Earn SC	17	‑27	17	8	16	7	26	91
15	GBR 728	M	Ady Pels Harwich Town SC	9	‑38	32	31	8	4	8	92
16	GBR 100	M	Matthew Walker Mengeham Rythe SC	22	10	26	6	15	14	(DNS)	93
17	GBR 750	GM	Ivan Burden Porchester SC	27	13	20	18	‑29	12	6	96
18	GBR 581	M	Alex Atkins Christchurch SC	‑29	26	12	17	26	20	3	104
19	GBR 21	GM	Michael de Courcy Mengeham Rythe SC	28	7	16	26	21	10	(DNS)	108
20	GBR 61	GM	John Heyes Mengeham Rythe SC	4	‑37	31	13	10	27	25	110
21	GBR 20 JA	U23	Jack Acton Christchurch SC	‑30	22	27	12	19	15	17	112
22	GBR 707	U23	Iona Dixon Docklands Sailing & Watersports Centre	26	20	18	25	12	16	‑27	117
23	GBR 564	GGM	Peter Vinton Warsash SC	14	21	23	27	25	‑34	18	128
24	GBR 1	GM	Sander Kooij Thorpe Bay YC	15	36	‑38	20	23	29	12	135
25	GBR 80	L	Ray New Christchurch SC	12	30	22	32	17	‑37	23	136
26	GBR 681	GGM	Garry Phare Royal Torbay YC	‑39	23	19	24	32	17	24	139
27	GBR 34	GGM	Peter Blick Christchurch SC	‑33	33	29	21	20	24	13	140
28	GBR 93	GM	Tim Simpson Yorkshire Dales SC	24	24	24	29	30	‑35	21	152
29	GBR 4	GM	Russ Ward Mengeham Rythe SC	40	29	15	15	24	31	(DNS)	154
30	GBR 13	M	Roman Khodykin Mengeham Rythe SC	21	15	33	37	27	23	(DSQ)	156
31	GBR 19	GM	Simon Hoult Hayling Island SC	7	14	11	33	(DNF)	DNC	DNC	159
32	GBR 691	L	Didge Everett Harwich Town SC	31	16	34	‑43	33	25	29	168
33	GBR 40	M	Russell New Christchurch SC	19	41	36	‑42	31	39	19	185
34	GBR 37	M	Steve Hayles Christchurch SC	38	19	14	23	(DNF)	DNC	DNC	188
35	GBR 16	GM	Tim Harper West Lancashire YC	44	25	30	‑45	35	26	32	192
36	GBR 575	M	Simon Philbrick Christchurch SC	25	39	‑44	35	34	28	35	196
37	GBR 42	GGM	Richard Phillips Christchurch SC	35	‑40	39	38	36	33	20	201
38	GBR 30	GM	Ian Frayne Mengeham Rythe SC	36	31	43	‑44	28	36	31	205
39	GBR 619	M	Chris Barbary Warsash SC	37	‑42	35	34	39	30	34	209
40	GBR 17	GM	Simon Petit Mengeham Rythe SC	(OCS)	35	21	22	DNS	DNC	DNC	219
41	GBR 58	L	Paul Brown Notts County SC	32	‑45	42	36	38	38	36	222
42	GBR 699	GM	Richard Crane	42	‑43	41	39	37	32	33	224
43	GBR 22	GGM	Andrew Wylam Mengeham Rythe SC	‑41	34	40	41	40	40	30	225
44	GBR 48	L	Ant Walker Mengeham Rythe SC	34	32	37	30	(DNS)	DNC	DNC	227
45	GBR 66	GGM	Robin Grange Mengeham Rythe SC	43	44	45	40	(DNS)	DNC	DNC	266
46	GBR 73	GGM	Martin Ibbotson Beaver SC	45	46	46	46	(DNS)	DNC	DNC	277