A Class Cat GBR National Championships at Weymouth

USA National Champion Bruce Mahoney foils upwind to the top mark - A Class Cat GBR National Championships at Weymouth © Paula Kopylowicz Exploder

After two days of not sailing due to high wind limits, the thoroughbred competitors of the GBR Nationals, or Britnats, as the Aussies call it, where starting to get rather twitchy. But on day 3, Weymouth finally delivered, albeit with a few jellyfish the size of dustbins floating around, having blown in during the previous few days South Westerly storms.

Racing out in the bay so that David Campbell-James, the event PRO, could get a long course set in the higher winds. Both Classic and Open fleets sailed on the same course, with the Open fleet off first and sailing 3 laps to the Classic fleets 2. This proved to be the perfect solution for the fleets, as there were some 51 or so boats entered, but several no shows. The Open leaders tended to do their races in 35 mins, the Classics in about 45.

All the races got away first time with minimal fuss and only a couple got the dreaded UFD designation for being across the line within the last minute before the go.

The wind in the first race was a pleasant 14-15knots pretty much Westerly, although it started to swing left and right as the race progressed leaving the sailors trying to guess the correct side of the course. Mischa Heemskerk NED 7, Bruce Mahoney USA 311 and Stevie Brewin AUS 4 was the finish in the Open. Scott Anderson AUS 31, Micky Todd ESP 7 and Alberto Farnessi SWE 59 in the Classics. No score was recorded for the jellyfish, but it was thought that they took out several competitors rudders.

The start of the ‘A' Cat Classic Division race 2 - Alberto Farnessi SWE 59 nails the pin - A Class Cat GBR National Championships at Weymouth - photo © Paula Kopylowicz Exploder

Race 2 was similar but with the wind sneaking up to 16 with 20 knot gusts. The fleet, slightly depleted by the sea fauna casualties, again set off. One or two more boats fell over now as the wind got up. The swinging looked less of a problem now, as the racers slowly switched towards survival mode. Stevie won that one, with Misha second and Dave Shaw NZL 230 in third, despite coming into the bottom mark rather hot and hard, finding no way around the classics in the way, elected to do an emergency stop by leaping into the air and crashing down in spectacular manner, mere yards from your correspondent who had just rounded on his Classic old DNA. The Classics were again won by Scotty, with Alberto following and Bruno Biedermann SUI 56 in third.

Then the wind got up more again. The fleets set off into 20-24knot gusts. Survival mode for many, life affirming for others. Being overtaken downwind on a Classic by a foiling 'A' Cat doing 27.5 knots is quite eye opening. The tactics by now were just to stay on the top part of the boat and finish. Again, Stevie beat Mischa with Dave following up in third. The Classics had Scotty and Alberto, but with GBR sailor Owen Cox in third.

But again as ever, the best winds were saved for the sail back home. This was some great sailing, other than the arcade game of dodging the jellyfish part. But a great way to get the first races of this regatta on the board.

Race 3 became survival mode as the wind increased to 20 knots, 2 knots short of the class limit - A Class Cat GBR National Championships at Weymouth - photo © Paula Kopylowicz Exploder

The second day of racing at the GBR Nationals brought much lighter conditions, 7-8 knots was the form. This also created wind holes in parts of the course, and together with wind shifts, created conditions more familiar to lake sailors. Often though, a sea breeze can develop in the afternoons here, but today it would added maybe a knot or two this time.

The race format was the same as day one; three races, two starts, one course. Only this time, the conditions were much more a Classic boat day. With the three lap Open and two lap Classic division format put the boot on the other foot with the Classics having to wait between the races for the foilers to finish for a change.

The shifts meant that on one lap one side was favoured, and maybe on the next it had moved to the other. This was very much a tactical experts day.

All the starts for off first time, possibly leading to the PRO having a misguided belief now that the 'A' Cats are the pussycats of all the fleets, as they are so well behaved at the line. Maybe he'll be in for a rude awakening though at the Worlds this weekend as the bigger fleets fight for positions on the line. The decision to run both fleets at the same time, albeit on different starts, proved to be a very workable mode, presenting few problems, and the finishing times were comparable with the differing lap numbers

Racing inside Portland Harbour this time, partly to reduce jellyfish encounters and partly because the lower winds can require a shorter top mark distance. The jellyfish were still at the party though, however fewer in number and they were hit less hard if you did get one. They will hopefully be gone in a couple of days, and seem to sink down when it's sunny.

Oscar Lindley-Smith closes in on the bottom mark in the Open Division - A Class Cat GBR National Championships at Weymouth - photo © Paula Kopylowicz Exploder

In the Classics, the form of the previous day was still Scott Anderson AUS on the Exploder AD3 and Alberto Farnessi SWE on his old Marstrom battlecruiser, fighting for positions and with Bruno Biedermann SUI chasing in third. First blood of the day went to Scotty, but Alby showed great skill over the former World Champ by getting the final two bullets so he finished just 2 points behind in the end. GBR sailor Owen Cox was in his element on his newly acquired DNA. Owen is a lake sailor and sails at Bala Lake in Wales, so can handle shifts and the light stuff with ease, and became GBR National Champion as a result, and finished a very creditable 5thoverall.

In the Open division, the 'early foilers', so called because they can get on their foils in lighter winds earlier, were the winners here. This may well be a skill needed at time next week because so far, the forecast is at the lighter end of the window. Stevie Brewin AUS, sailing his spare Exploder Ad3 just managed to fend of a strong challenge from Mischa Heemskerk NED on the bright green DNA F1x, and an even stronger challenge from Bruce Mahoney USA on his British Racing Green F1x, we all assumed had been painted specially in honour of this event! The Junior GBR sailor Oscar Lindley-Smith was the top Brit in this strong field and thus becomes GBR Open National Champion.

So, now with the dress rehearsal over, all thoughts turn to the big one. A couple of days visiting Monkey World, Portland Bill and the Tank Museum or drinking local cider, then Saturday at 1pm for the practice race. Race one of the 2019 Worlds starts 11am Sunday, with two races in the Open division followed by two in the Classics at 1PM on the same course.

We all watch with anticipation, as a few are yet to show their hands.

The start of the Open Division race 4 - A Class Cat GBR National Championships at Weymouth - photo © Paula Kopylowicz Exploder

Classic Fleet Overall Results:

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Foiling Fleet Overall Results:

Olympic medallist and former A Class World Champion Scott Anderson closing in on the top mark - A Class Cat GBR National Championships at Weymouth - photo © Paula Kopylowicz Exploder