2022 International Etchells Class Pre-Worlds at Cowes - Overall
by Louay Habib 13 Sep 2022 01:34 EST
10-12 September 2022
The 2022 Etchells Pre-Worlds came to a spectacular conclusion with two races held in the Eastern Solent. A shifting south-easterly breeze, piping up to 14 knots, produced a highly complex race track for the final day of racing.
In the final race, several teams went aground, cheating the strong tide up the mainland shore, which ultimately affected the final results.
Lawrie Smith's Mila (GBR 1502) scored a 1-3 on the final day to win the regatta by three points. "Thanks to everybody for a great warm up for the Worlds, and especially Paul (Jackson) and the race team that did a great job in difficult conditions. I hope everyone had a great time and we are all looking forward to a bit more wind for the Worlds." commented Lawrie Smith.
Peter Duncan's Oatmeal (USA 1453) finished runner-up for the regatta. Duncan confirmed that Oatmeal was one of several teams that went aground in Race Four. However, Oatmeal got out of trouble and went on to win the final race. Ante Razmilovic's Swedish Blue (GBR 1438) was leading the regatta going into the last race but retired after going aground.
"I would say that was a ten out of ten difficulty race track, especially Day Two when it was really shifty and hard to read the tide; I had low confidence in a lot of the calls," commented Mila's tactician Ben Saxton. "Day Three was not as tricky on strategy, but in the last race you had to go left and tack up the shore; without a depth sounder that was quite hard! We decided to be low risk and not be the furthest in, and that seemed to work."
Shaun Frohlich's Exabyte (GBR 1459) scored a 4-9 on the final day to take final podium place, just a point ahead of James Markby's Arena (GBR 1470). Mark Thornburrow's Racer Smithy (HKG 1496) scored a 3-5 on the final day to finish fifth.
"It feels like this is a group of really great sailors, the Etchells Class does attract the world's best," commented Shaun Frohlich. "Margins are really small, even if you get a great start at full speed, if you lose concentration for just a second, you drop your lane. There is no fresh air; a slight mistake can cost you ten places. I bet our visitors to The Solent were surprised to be tacking inside a dinghy fleet in the last race. I have bever been that close to the beach!"
Best Youth Team was Ted Blower's Ada (GBR 1409), and Top Corinthian team was Barry Parkin's Bungee Smuggler (USA 1424). "I have raced in The Solent many times in the past but not for last 15 years, and I think it is the hardest place in the world to sail. If you want to test yourself you come to Cowes. We are happy to be the top Corinthian team, but we want to be nearer the front for the worlds, we love racing against the top guys." commented Barry Parkin.
Overall Results:
| Pos | Bow No | Sail No | Yacht Name | Skipper / Crew | R1 | R2 | R3 | R4 | Pts |
|---|
| 1 | 2 | GBR 1502 | Mila | Lawrie Smith / Richard Parslow / Gonçalo Almeida Ribeiro / Ben Saxton | 13 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 18 |
| 2 | 45 | USA 1453 | Oatmeal | Peter Duncan / Andrew Palfrey / Mark Mandleblatt | 1 | 7 | 12 | 1 | 21 |
| 3 | 59 | GBR 1459 | Exabyte | Shaun Frohlich / Duncan Truswell / Ed Wright | 3 | 14 | 4 | 9 | 30 |
| 4 | 70 | GBR 1470 | Arena | James Markby / David Bedford / Ben Paton | 7 | 5 | 13 | 6 | 31 |
| 5 | 96 | HKG 1496 | Racer Smithy | Mark Thornburrow / Mark Thornburrow / Mal Page / Mike Huang / Duncan Gregor | 17 | 8 | 3 | 5 | 33 |
| 6 | 15 | AUS 1505 | Lisa Rose | Martin Hill / julian plante / mat belcher / sean o'rourke | 8 | 13 | 14 | 2 | 37 |
| 7 | 60 | GBR 1460 | MBF | Paul Brotherton / Hannah Peters / James Fawcett / Alain Sign | 10 | 10 | 9 | 8 | 37 |
| 8 | 38 | GBR 1438 | Swedish BLUE | Ante Razmilovic / Brian Hammersley / Noel Drennan | 6 | 3 | 2 | DNF | 45 |
| 9 | 67 | GBR 967 | Moonlight | George Downer / Mark downer / Alex downer | 2 | 29 | 10 | 11 | 52 |
| 10 | 93 | GBR 1493 | Eat
| Paul Ward / Charlie Cumbley / Ruaridh Wright | 12 | 20 | 7 | 14 | 53 |
| 11 | 66 | AUS 1466 | Tango | Chris Hampton / Elliot Hanson / Sam Haines | 28 | 4 | 5 | 19 | 56 |
| 12 | 41 | GBR 1441 | Highlife | Peter Rogers / Ben Cooper / Duncan Yeabsley | 5 | 19 | 22 | 10 | 56 |
| 13 | 56 | USA 1456 | Freedom | D Craig Mense / Evan Aras / Madeline Gill / Fred Strammer | 22 | 16 | 6 | 12 | 56 |
| 14 | 99 | NZL 1499 | New Order | Anatole Masfen / Dirk Kneulman / Simon Cooke | 25 | 17 | 11 | 4 | 57 |
| 15 | 7 | HKG 1407 | Macho Grande | Jamie McWilliam / Jamie Boag / Oliver Boote | 30 | 2 | 20 | 15 | 67 |
| 16 | 27 | USA 1427 | STELLA BLUE | Stephen Benjamin / Augie Dale / Ian Liberty / Dave Hughes | 4 | 28 | 19 | 16 | 67 |
| 17 | 24 | USA 1424 | Bungee Smuggler (Corinthian) | Barry Parkin / Adrian Owles / Taylor Walker | 15 | 12 | 29 | 13 | 69 |
| 18 | 71 | CAN 1072 | Ziggy (Corinthian) | Sam Thompson / Connor Mackenzie / Jack Porter / Erin Sauder | 20 | 26 | 8 | 22 | 76 |
| 19 | 78 | USA 1378 | The Martian | Marvin Beckmann / Ezra Culver / Eddie Adams | UFD | 9 | 16 | 17 | 76 |
| 20 | 51 | GBR 1351 | Audrey (Corinthian) | Jon Warwick / Will Bedford / Tom Harrison / Adele Young | 9 | 15 | 27 | 26 | 77 |
| 21 | 95 | GBR 1495 | Louise Racing | Grant Gordon / Luke PatiencegREG sIEGWART / Greg Siegwart / James Williamson | 18 | 18 | 23 | 18 | 77 |
| 22 | 32 | GBR 1432 | Desperate | Rob Tyrwhitt‑Drake / Ben Cassford / Rupert Anderson | 14 | 23 | 21 | 21 | 79 |
| 23 | 30 | SUI 1430 | Tquila | James McHugh / Luis Doreste / David Vera / Leonora Ramia | 24 | RET | 17 | 7 | 82 |
| 24 | 19 | USA 1419 | Rebel | Scott Kaufman/Alec Anderson/ Reed Baldridge/Chris Grube / Alec Anderson / Reed Baldridge / Joachim Aschenbrenner | 16 | 24 | 26 | 20 | 86 |
| 25 | 39 | GBR 1439 | Rocketman (Corinthian) | Rob Goddard / Will Morris / Mike O'Donovan | 21 | 30 | 15 | 25 | 91 |
| 26 | 9 | GBR 1409 | Ada | Ted Blowers / Robby Boyd / Ed Lebens | 11 | RET | 25 | 24 | 94 |
| 27 | 52 | GBR 1352 | Jolly Roger | Tom Abrey / Matt Reid / James Diamond/Azat Ulutas | 19 | 22 | 28 | 27 | 96 |
| 28 | 33 | SGP 1333 | MATATU (Corinthian) | Nils Razmilovic / Andrew cooper / Steve Girling | 26 | 6 | DNC | DNC | 100 |
| 29 | 14 | GBR 1014 | Palavar (Corinthian) | Kai Hockley / Jaydon Owusu / Christopher‑Joel Frederick | 29 | 31 | 18 | 23 | 101 |
| 30 | 90 | GBR 1490 | No Dramas (Corinthian) | Andrew Lawson / Dave Kelly / Billy Russell | 31 | 11 | DNC | DNC | 110 |
| 31 | 57 | GBR 957 | Currigee | Angus Galloway / Matias Sabate / Ben Hazeldine / Celia Wilison | 23 | 21 | DNC | DNC | 112 |
| 32 | 17 | GBR 1417 | China Wight | Nicholas Stagg / Simon Spraggs / Harry Blowers | UFD | 27 | 24 | 28 | 113 |
| 33 | 92 | GBR 927 | Shamal (Corinthian) | Anthony Parke / Ross Mackley / Ali Grant / Josie Meredith | 27 | 25 | DNC | DNC | 120 |
With the Etchells Pre-Worlds done and dusted, the International Etchells Class will regroup for the 2022 Etchells World Championships, hosted by the Royal Yacht Squadron from the 18-24 September. Measurement for the regatta starts Tuesday 13 September. The level and intensity of competition bodes well for an outstanding regatta.
Find the 2022 Etchells World Championships Entry List here.