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2023 Phantom National Championship at South Caernarvonshire Yacht Club - Overall

by Mark Spruce 17 Sep 2023 22:34 PDT 16-18 September 2023

Well, "That's a wrap" as they say in Pinewood, the Tinsel Town of the south of England. Up here in Abersoch, on the beautiful Llyn Peninsular (which surely, must have been used as a film set in the past?) the lights have been turned off, the dollies dismantled and the scraps of cut tape brushed off the editing room floor.

Luckily, the important tape was safely in the can - 5 races sailed over 2 days of mixed conditions allowing every one to shine for the cameras. No excuses - we had great race management and superb, friendly hospitality from everyone here at the South Caernarvonshire YC.

The fleet rose today to see a glorious 15-18 knots blowing in the bay - massaging sore muscles and ruing that "Just one more beer" the night before. Who could have predicted then, 'THE ONE' "Not normally like this" combination of the Easterly wind direction and high spring tide that made it impossible for the launches to safely come alongside the club jetty to take the race management and safety boat volunteers out to their boats on the offshore moorings?

A postponement for an hour simply delayed the inevitable with large waves still crashing on a totally water covered stone jetty under the club balcony.

"Cut" was called, A over P hoisted and the Prize Giving organised in the cub bar, allowing those who were leaving a more leisurely drive home to the four corners of the UK and N. Ireland.

The results stay the same as the night before with Harry Briddon, after a 2year sojourn from the class, taking a very well earned and popular victory. His score line belies his achievement - it wasn't easy and his races were hard won - even he reported sore legs after yesterday's hiking - hope for us all!

Second was Nick Orman (Note to self - name Spelling?). A previous young firebrand in the class, he displayed immense sailing maturity and consistency to recover from a broken kicker in Race 2 to continue to fight to the silver step of the podium.

On the bronze step of the podium(but standing equally tall) was man-mountain, Martin Watts. I predicted a possible win from him before this event started and he nearly did it - who knows what a further 2 races in 15-18 knots today might have brought?

"Magic" Mike Webster took fourth and the Vets prize along with it and in 5th was rising star from the South-West, Jon Rickard. Extremely fast in the wind when he could utilise his long levers, I'm sure a winter of working on his downwind technique will see him on the podium very soon.

That's it for now - I'm sure there will be a full report with who did what, shift by shift and tack by tack, bar karate but I'm off the SCYC Bar to watch the rugby. The Welsh won last night - now it's time for England to shine in the glow of the Cherry Blossoms - wish me luck!

The show is over for the Phantom Nationals 2023 - long live Sunderland Phantom Nationals 2024!

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

PosSail NoHelmClubR1R2R3R4R5Pts
1st1458Harry BriddonOgston Sailing Club111(OCS)14
2nd1487Nick OrmanCastle Cove Sailing Club3‑1623412
3rd1499Martin WattsNetley Sailing Club52‑62615
4th1496Rob CookNorthampton Sailing Club26‑115316
5th1440Mike WebsterNorthampton Sailing Club4‑534516
6th1472Jon RickardHooe Point Sailing Club‑8781218
7th1495Mike TustinBowmoor Sailing Club‑144571026
8th1370Duncan adamsBurton Sailing Club‑1614411736
9th1498TitchNorthampton Sailing Club68715‑2136
10th1449Adam FroggattChase Sailing Club9‑101010837
11th1446Richard CumberbatchCastle Cove Sailing Club‑2291591346
12th1273Bill TaylorCreeksea Sailing Club1317‑2081250
13th1474Simon HawkesPolice Sport UK213918(DNC)51
14th1465Nigel KingLyme Regis Sailing Club71214‑201952
15th1438Charlie SansomBowmoor Sailing Club11‑2612161554
16th1342Mark SpruceLee On Solent17‑322161155
17th1271Alex CarrTorpoint Mosiquito Sailing Club121519‑26955
18th1484Paul BirbeckWimbleball Sailing Club‑301116222574
19th1278Jon ShawEast Lothian Yacht Club‑252413142475
20th1380John HarrisonRLSC152022‑232077
21st1500Richard NurseNorthampton Sailing Club‑272318271684
22nd1394Nick FavellGYGSWC/WOBSC28‑3425191486
23rd1470Matt BlakestonHPSC2318‑34252389
24th1477John EvansDerwent Reservoir Sailing Club26191729‑3391
25th1455Matt NieldRWYC1021‑40303192
26th1485Clive HarriesYorkshire Dales Sailing Club241328‑372893
27th1393Will WillettLlandegfedd Sailing Club312224‑351794
28th1270Tom HootonBurton Sailing Club18352321(RET)97
29th1437Josh HylandChase Sailing Club19‑3627242999
30th1332George OdlingOxford Sailing Club34‑47371718106
31st1447Richard SimsBurton Sailing Club2027‑333227106
32nd1296Carl GibbonBurton Sailing Club(DNC)DNC261222113
33rd1488Andrew PyettCombs Sailing Club‑4128303326117
34th1427Jonny EveretLlandegfedd Sailing Club38‑45351334120
35th1439Simon LennaneLlandegfedd Sailing Club2939(RET)2830126
36th1443Phil LongleyStone Sailing Club32312944(RET)136
37th1303Dave PatrickBroadwater Sailing Club‑4430423435141
38th1448Tom WhittinghamBowmoor Sailing Club‑4629433139142
39th1377Richard WoodwardCastle Cove Sailing Club37‑41363932144
40th1327Ben HodgesBurton Sailing Club‑4342313637146
41st1481Bill HootonBurton Sailing Club42253942(53148
42nd1264Ben DancerLlandegfedd Sailing Club333332RET(DNC)149
43rd1209Neil CardnoDerwent Reservoir Sailing Club3540‑454036151
44th1482Andrew HuntGuernsey Yacht Club3637(RET)4340156
45th1326Jimmy SandisonEast Lothian Yacht Club39‑43413838156
46th1405Andy SmithBowmoor Sailing Club40463841(DNC)165
47th1423Gregory PhillipsLlandegfedd Sailing Club4538‑464542170
48th1347Brian WeblyShustoke Sailing Club47444446(DNC)181
49th1197Tom Baker MillingtonBallyholme Yacht Club‑4848474741183
50th1250Rob EldridgeSCYC4949RETRET(DNC)200
51st1435Jack HarriesNeyland Sailing Club(DNC)DNCDNCDNCDNC212
51st1414Dave SmithHollingworth Lake Sailing Club(DNC)DNCDNCDNCDNC212

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