Hartley Boats Supernova Nationals 2023 - Runners & Riders
by Alex Reeve 5 Jun 2023 13:14 PDT
30 June - 2 July 2023
Sam Knight © Peter Mackin
The Supernova National Championships is at Paignton at the end of June, and we have a mammoth 92 entrants - amongst the largest entry of any Championships in the UK, and perhaps top adult single hander over the last few years.
But who are the runners and riders with a good chance of standing on the podium?
Bartley contingent - top club last year
Sam Knight was second last year despite it being windy and him weighing less than a packet of Maltesers. He and Matt Thursfield enjoyed an epic David and Goliath battle for the prize, but the smaller guy lost on this occasion. Sam last won the champs in 2018 but is clearly in form as he's the current RS400 national champion helm.
Steve Hawley is one of the fittest guys in the class and likes a breeze. His lanky style of sitting out gives him formidable height and speed. Race winner at previous Nationals, but sixth last year is his best overall performance.
Mike 'Gibbo' Gibson last won the Nationals when Supernovas were still made of wood and had cotton sails, but he remains a force of nature, particularly in lighter conditions. One of the fastest veterans for sure! Freshly recovering from a double hip operation, Mike's expectations will be tempered this year, but never say never when it comes to 'Mr Consistent'.
The impressive strength in depth at Bartley also includes Chris Hawley (sporting a very shiny new boat), Sean Ricketts (an absolute machine if the wind speed hits high teens +) and Jeremy Higson (who is always smiling as he overtakes you) to name but a few of their Gold Fleet sailors. Any of these can trouble the front of the fleet on their day.
Cotswold contingent - they want their top club crown back
Cliff Milliner won last time the champs were at Paignton in 2019, and he hasn't been outside the top four in living memory. He's won the Nationals more often than anyone else and is definitely one to watch. His downwind speed is legendary, and he excels in all conditions. He'll certainly be among the leaders, particularly if we have his favoured line starts.
Gavin Young has equal consistency, with a string of top six results in recent years, including fifth last year. Like his sail, he's apparently unflappable. First Supernova at the recent POSH open (cheeky Nationals practice!) and winning the hotly contested Cardiff Bay open, he has his eye on the top prize.
New boy Will Gifford was inconsistent last year, but still finished ninth. Since then, he's got the boat going very fast, especially in a breeze, often with mast rake and bend so severe the boom is practically on the deck. Open meeting winner this year too.
Other Cotswolders who may hit the front include the Williams brothers, Alex Reeve and youngsters Doug White and Hugo Hansen, although the latter two are students and may still be in bed when the starting gun goes. With some of this crew somehow in the Silver Fleet, we expect to see some chocolates making their way back to the picturesque lake in the Cotswolds.
Bolton contingent - one of the largest fleets in the country
Iain Wilson may not be a regular on the circuit, but he likes the Nationals. He was seventh last year in the consistently fresh breeze, his best result to date, so is on an upward curve. Iain will be doing the wind dance now and crossing his fingers it isn't sub-hiking conditions.
Alex Collins hasn't been seen in the Supernova since he was sixth at Paignton in 2019, but the pull of the class is too strong. Previous winner of multiple travellers' events and one of the few sailors to have worried Milliner at the time. If he's retained his natural speed and can remember how to rig the boat, he could do very well indeed.
Other Bolton contenders include Andrew Flitcroft and the Critchley brothers, who continue to deny the existence of age. The Critchleys will be favourites for the family prize, assuming the Williams and Hawley brothers are their typical inconsistent selves.
Odds and sods
Matt Thursfield is the current national champion, placing in the top two in seven out of nine races last time. He's fast in all conditions, but particularly loves a breeze, so if we get a big easterly at Paignton he could well keep his crown. Upwind speed at Cardiff in the flat hiking conditions was unreal - clean pair of heels to everyone. Downwind speed wasn't quite so good, but better when the mast stayed out of the water.
Alistair Goodwin last competed (and won) in 2021, since when he's more commonly been found coaching or in some other singlehander, the name of which presently escapes me as they keep changing it. Despite his home club lake being the size of a puddle, he's an expert sea sailor and will be hard to beat in waves. He certainly knows his stuff and can deliver consistent results.
Jonny Everett was eighth last year, winning one of the races, and he's been spotted getting some practice at Paignton's POSH open event, so is clearly intent on doing well again. His is the only boat with a 'snodder' (or is it 'snotter'?). Like the bigger guys, Jonny will be praying for stronger breezes and if not, expect to see him spending more time in the bar than on the water.
Peter Mackin has taken a different approach to his training - he's spent the last four Nationals behind a camera taking amazing pictures of the rest of us. Now he feels he knows enough to jump back into a boat and take part. Having moved club to Stokes Bay, he knows how to handle waves.
There are plenty of other sailors that could be in the mix at times, including Martin Roots and David Cann from Cardiff Bay, both of whom demonstrated good speed at the recent open meeting. Richard Lambert always finds himself in the mix at some point through a championships. Dana Church is known for strong first beats, so could be in and around the leaders at times too.
With the Silver Fleet and Bronze Fleet wide open there will be plenty of excellent competition for everyone throughout the fleet.