Flying Fifteen National Championship at Weymouth & Portland National Sailing Academy

Flying Fifteen National Championship at Weymouth & Portland National Sailing Academy - Day 1

by Christina Moncur 22 Sep 01:12 PDT 21-24 September 2023

Salcombe Gin Race Day

After the majority of competitors arriving on Wednesday had decided the best option was to lash the boats down and retreat inside, Thursday dawned much sunnier and the boatyard was buzzing with activities as all competitors rigged their boats.

At the competitors briefing Mark 'Woodsy' Woods announced that against his better judgment the fleet's first start would be under P Flag rather than his preferred 'U' Flag.

UK Global Flying Fifteen Nationals at the WPNSA Day 1 - photo © Phil Jackson / Digital Sailing

The fleet launched and headed out into Weymouth Bay for their first two races of the championship.

The first race was set up as a windward-leeward course of 2 laps. The fleet behaved and got away clear first tim,e much to the surprise of the Race Committee. During the race a squall came through where competitors were rained on and it got a bit breezy. Jeremy Davy and Martin Huett on 3760 were first with Ben McGrane and Russ Clark on 4002 second and current European Champions Andy McKee and Richard Jones were third.

UK Global Flying Fifteen Nationals at the WPNSA Day 1 - photo © Phil Jackson / Digital Sailing

Between races the wind shifted 40 degrees, so the racecourse was changed and the fleet continued their good behaviour and got away clean on the first attempt. Up the first beat the wind shifted back 60 degrees leading to the entire fleet gybing around the windward mark and reaching down to the gate. Race winners were Richard Lovering and Chris Turner on 4071, second were Ben McGrane and Russ Clark on 4003 and in third were Shane MacCarthy and Richard Rigg on 4085.

With two seconds winners of the day were Ben McGrane and Russ Clark.

UK Global Flying Fifteen Nationals at the WPNSA Day 1 - photo © Phil Jackson / Digital Sailing

The fleet returned to shore for a coaching debrief by Adam Bowers who went through boat set up and start line and windward mark tactics. Following the coaching the fleet enjoyed a curry and daily prize-giving where five lucky competitors received a bottle of Salcombe Gin.

Three races are planned for Day 2 with a North Westerly breeze forecast. Will the fleet continue their good start line behaviour and continue starting under the P Flag.

Results after Day 1:

Pos	Nat	Sail No	Boat Name	Helm	Crew	Club	Division	R1	R2	Pts
1	GBR	4002		Ben McGrane	Russ Clark	Netley SC	Red	2	2	4
2	GBR	4071	Floaty McFloatface	Richard Lovering	Chris Turner	Lyme Regis SC	Blue	4	1	5
3	GBR	4102	Raffi	Andy Tunnicliffe	Ian Hopwood	Bassenthwaite SC	Blue	6	4	10
4	GBR	4085	Mr Potato Head	Shane MacCarthy	Richard Rigg	Greystones SC	Green	8	3	11
5	GBR	4005	Fiery Chariot	Andy McKee	Richard Jones	Dovestone SC	Red	3	10	13
6	GBR	4004	Fourwinds	Charles Apthorp	Charlie Apthorp	HISC	Red	7	8	15
7	GBR	4017	carbon footprint	Dave Lucas	Harry Lucas	GWSC	Blue	11	6	17
8	GBR	3760		Jeremy Davy	Martin Huett	Draycote Water SC	Red	1	17	18
9	GBR	4021		Steve Goacher	Tim Harper	Royal Windermere YC	Red	5	15	20
10	GBR	4060	Ffil the Greek	Andrew Jameson	James Grant	HISC	Red	9	12	21
11	GBR	4112	Maurice	Greg Wells	David Tulloch	HISC	Green	10	13	23
12	GBR	4078	B' of the Bang	Mike Preston	Keith Jamieson	Royal Windermere YC	Red	23	5	28
13	GBR	3793	Fantasy II	Pete Allam	Jo Allam	Parkstone Yacht Club	Red	22	9	31
14	GBR	4061	#Sparks	Chris Waples	Simon Hunt	HISC	Red	14	18	32
15	GBR	3904	Flying Buttress	John Cooper	Ben Cooper	Lymington Town Sailing Club	Blue	28	7	35
16	GBR	4082	Fformark 3	Terry Scutcher	Chris Hewkin	Dubai Offshore Sailing Club	Blue	13	23	36
17	GBR	4115	Team Effort	Ian Linder	Mike Barton	Parkstone Yacht Club	Red	26	11	37
18	GBR	4080	Windbreaker	Simon Patterson	Simon Thompson	Draycote Water SC	Blue	18	19	37
19	GBR	4055		Ian Cadwallader	Si Forbes	Chew Valley Lake Sailing Club	Green	12	26	38
20	GBR	4029		Matt Mee	Chris Robinson	Red Wharf Bay SC	Green	15	24	39
21	GBR	4033	Sparks & Bubbles	Justin Waples	Jackie McKellar	RCYC	Blue	27	16	43
22	GBR	4113	Angels‑one five	Simon Kneller	Jake Stow	Grafham Water	Red	21	22	43
23	GBR	3844	True Luff	Duncan Matthew	John Chalker	Aldebugh	Green	24	21	45
24	GBR	4069	Quindici	Bill Chard	Josh Preater	Chew Valley Lake Sailing Club	Red	33	14	47
25	GBR	3795	Quaff	Tim Johnson	Dan Johnson	Chew Valley Lake Sailing Club	Red	19	29	48
26	GBR	3884	Flossie	Mark Nicholson	Steve Culpitt	HISC	Green	30	20	50
27	GBR	4030	Agatha	Alastair Stevenson	David Culpan	HISC	Red	17	36	53
28	GBR	4110		Phil Snewin	Mark Thompson	RWYC	Blue	25	28	53
29	GBR	3918		Paul Busby	Neil Barford	Northampton Sailing Club/HISC	Blue	16	38	54
30	GBR	4101	Fancy Free	Crispin Read Wilson	Steve Brown	Parkstone Yacht Club	Blue	32	27	59
31	GBR	3940	Forced Family Fun	Richard Jordan	Matt Armstrong	WYC/RTYC	Blue	29	31	60
32	GBR	3736	Wavebreaker	Peter Bannister	Simon Weatherill	Hayling Island Sailing Club	Blue	38	25	63
33	GBR	3726	RiffRaff	Duncan Grindley	Jon Mortimer	Grafham Water	Green	35	30	65
34	GBR	4111	Ffizzbizz FFizz	Mervyn Wright	Ron Elliot	Parkstone Yacht Club	Blue	36	32	68
35	GBR	4088	Parkstone Penguin	Geof Gibbons	Nick Gibbons	Parkstone Yacht Club	Red	20	RET [49]	69
36	GBR	4091	Very Stable Genius	Jeremy Arnold	Richard Hope	HISC	Green	34	37	71
37	GBR	3850	Ffoenix	Peter Hoyle	Stephen Moncur	Parkstone Yacht Club	Blue	37	35	72
38	GBR	4027	Vacquero	Michael Clapp	Paul Tasker	Parkstone Yacht Club	Red	39	34	73
39	GBR	3914	Defying Gravity	Adrian Tattersall	Glyn Morgan	Parkstone Yacht Club	Blue	31	44	75
40	GBR	3912	Dark Side of the Boom	Charlie McKee	Simon Montague	HISC	Green	RET [49]	33	82
41	GBR	3820		Russell Abrahams	Julien Smith	Chew Valley Lake Sailing Club	Green	43	39	82
42	GBR	3536	Fizzbuzz	Angus Scott	Philip Snowdon	DWSC	Green	41	42	83
43	GBR	3765		Chris White	Roger LePla	Northampton Sailing Club	Green	44	40	84
44	GBR	4041	ffido	Simon Cooper	Alastair Cooper	Bewl Sailing Association	Blue	40	45	85
45	GBR	4084	Ineffable	Tim O'Brien	Colin Burns	GWSC	Red	42	43	85
46	GBR	4103	Wonder Years	Julian Clarke	Nick Hampson	RWYC	Red	45	41	86
47	GBR	3927		John Thornley	Megan Thornley	Ullswater Yacht Club	Green	RET [49]	DNC [49]	98
47	RSA	4009	RandHedge	Graham Dibb	Bridget Dibb	Royal Southern Yacht Club	Blue	DNC [49]	DNC [49]	98