F16 Nations Cup & Stealth Nationals at Mumbles Yacht Club

Action from the Formula 16 Nations Cup and Stealth Nationals © Colin Jenkins

Action from the Formula 16 Nations Cup and Stealth Nationals © Colin Jenkins

Action from the Formula 16 Nations Cup and Stealth Nationals © Colin Jenkins

The Gower coast is a stunning area of beauty, add into the pot a friendly race orientated club, sun and varying breeze of between 5 and 15 knots, 12 F16s and 12 races over 3 days and you have a superb weekend of racing. Without doubt this inaugural event coupled with the second year of a nationals for the Stealth’s was a great success and our hope is that this will be the start of many such events to come.

Saturday was a late 2.00 start allowing for all those travelling in and those already there to ooh and aah about the wide variation and permutations of the Stealth’s and the 2 Blades. Four races then straight off with about 7 knots in the first race building to about 12 in the last. John Pierce showed his class with consistent wins on a borrowed boat but with many others all vying for that important 2nd to 5th position. Down the fleet the not so fast were having the same battles all swapping places. Day 1 completed then, great sailing together with the sun and, post race, the roof top bar overlooking the bay, really was just the icing on the cake.

Day 2 on Sunday was just more of the same, 12.30 start with a freshening breeze building up to about 15 knots by the end, maybe a little more at times, certainly enough for the F16’s to strut their stuff. John Pierce decided to really swap about on the boats giving the scorer a real headache but enough to reduce his holeshots to affect the overall outcome at the end. Lots of spills and a few wet feet but no real damage apart from 1 dagger board which hit a small buoy at speed. No real winners again today as the double handers came into play in the higher winds and the solos winning in the first races. A great bar fest with Warren the DJ doing his entertainment bit, a mega good curry to finish and lots of tired bunnies all going home to bed thinking it just can’t get much better than this. Pierce, Alani, Warren and Presdee were all pretty equal on points at this stage

Day 3 was just more of the same, 4 races, 5 knots building to about 12 or so in the last race, an early 11.30 start which a few of the boats missed, great low wind race to start with building up to the “ medal “ race at the end in a fresh 15 knots. So much fun was being had that we all went around 5 laps instead of 4 in the medal race and all because we couldn’t count our laps. Good, exciting racing was had by all, with everyone having their own personal battles against other, equally paced, boats and crew.

Mark Pressdee of Mumbles Y C takes the title of F16 Nations Cup Champion as well as that of Stealth National Champion. John Pierce took second overall in this combined event with Paul Warren (first Blade) taking 3rd in the Cup and John Alani the final Stealth podium position.

As to boats, here was the first real head to head battle of the new kid on the block, the Blade, and the older more experienced hand the Stealth. Well at the end of the day we can still say pretty categorically that the best sailor will win, so close are the boats. The event was won by the oldest design there including narrow beams, but with a new fat head sail. The skipper’s consistency won the event and not the boat. From a personal observation point of view, the Blade single handed in very light air is very fast, in heavy air even twin wired it was the only boat to have a pitch pole in the 3 days (interestingly with John Pierce on it as crew), my guess is its optimum wind range is probably 3 – 4 knots lower than the Stealth which when you look at the hull design, one being a little more traditional and the other a planing hull, is probably correct.

At the end of the day this was a stunning event and I’m sure will be well remembered by all those attending, a particular thanks to the Mumbles Yacht Club for hosting the event in the manner they did.

Overall Results: