707 Sprint event at Port Edgar Yacht Club
by Lewis Smith 16 Sep 2024 21:48 PDT
14-15 September 2024
Thirteen short course races challenged the 18-strong fleet of Hunter 707s on the Forth. Eddie Batchelor's Tsunami II made it two event wins in a row after the team finished atop the Hunter 707 Sprint event.
The event, hosted by Port Edgar Yacht Club, was a two-day event with 13 short course races of 20 minutes each. Teams sailed in two fleets of equal size and ability on Saturday which served as qualification for Sunday's final series.
Upon Saturday's conclusion, the top half of each fleet progressed to the yellow fleet with the bottom half sailing in the blue fleet.
With points resetting completely on Sunday, it was all to play for. Each of the nine teams in the yellow fleet had a chance of victory. Stringing four race wins together, among a fourth and a pair of seconds, was Tsunami II.
Winning helmsman Gillies Munro said: "We're really chuffed. The Sprints is an excellent event with an excellent format. The crew and I really enjoyed the racing today."
Ripon Sailing Club's More T Vicar got the better of the 2024 Vice National Champions Monarch with a five-point lead to take second place overall with Monarch in third.
Among the yellow fleet was Leeds University who put in some superb results including a well-earned second place.
Commodore for the Leeds University Sailing Club and the team's pitman, Nathan Fox said: "We had some great sailing, always trying to improve. I think we slowly improved during the day, so it felt good to get out there with everyone else in the fleet in the top cut. Nothing beats it."
When asked about the team's top result Fox said: "It felt amazing. We are in a national fleet with some great, experienced sailors. To make the right decisions and get on the right side of the course, there's no better feeling than crossing that line. I'm really proud of everyone that came, we enjoyed it."
Meanwhile, topping the tables in the blue fleet was Port Edgar's Will Normand, helming Racing Demon, "Yeah good day today, we had good boat speed and sailed some good races."
When asked what makes the Sprints such a great event, the software engineering director said:
"The number of races is great; it feels quite different from any other event. Here you finish one race and it's straight into the next. Every manoeuvre you do 20 times in a day, maybe even more. It's great practice for crew work, it really shows and pays."
The class association thanks Port Edgar Yacht Club, Port Edgar Watersports and Stewarts Brewing for their continued support.
In his closing remarks, Tsunami II helmsmen Gillies Munro threw forward to the next event on the class association calendar, "The next event is the Scottish Championships over in Largs in the middle of October, so we're looking forward to that."
The windfarm project manager went on to say: "I'd encourage everyone to come along, it should be a great event."
Overall Results:
| Pos | Boat | Sail No | Bow Number | Helm | Club | R1 | R2 | R3 | R4 | R5 | R6 | R7 | Pts |
|---|
| Yellow Fleet |
|---|
| 1st | Tsunami 2 | 7031 | 31 | Gillies Munro | PEYC | 1 | ‑4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 8 |
| 2nd | More T Vicar | 7052 | 52 | Ben Williamson | RIPPON SC | 4 | 2 | ‑5 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 15 |
| 3rd | Monarch | 7035 | 35 | Kenny Watson | Royal Tay YC | 2 | ‑6 | 6 | 3 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 20 |
| 4th | Valhalla | 7003 | 3 | Andrew Lawrie | PEYC | 5 | 3 | 2 | 6 | ‑7 | 4 | 4 | 24 |
| 5th | Racehorse | 7032 | 32 | Rudi Barman | Scarborough YC | 6 | 7 | 3 | 5 | 4 | ‑9 | 5 | 30 |
| 6th | Jetstream | 7102 | 102 | Justin Venton | PEYC | 3 | 1 | 7 | ‑8 | 6 | 8 | 6 | 31 |
| 7th | Isbean | 7068 | 68 | Richard Gibson | PEYC | ‑9 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 8 | 7 | 9 | 37 |
| 8th | Poimandres | 7055 | 55 | Guy Mitchel | Leeds Uni SC | 8 | 8 | ‑9 | 7 | 2 | 6 | 7 | 38 |
| 9th | Mojito | 7042 | 42 | Guy Neville | PEYC | 7 | ‑9 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 5 | 8 | 46 |
| Blue Fleet |
|---|
| 1st | Racing Demon | 7084 | 84 | Will Normand | PEYC | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | ‑3 | 3 | 8 |
| 2nd | Beluga | 7033 | 33 | Helen Cowie | Royal Findhorn YC | 2 | ‑7 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 13 |
| 3rd | Thin Ice | 7043 | 43 | Nicky Medley | PEYC | ‑4 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 13 |
| 4th | Bella Luna | 7028 | 28 | Martin Crook | PEYC | 3 | 5 | ‑8 | 6 | 3 | 6 | 7 | 30 |
| 5th | Freya | 7096 | 96 | Sandy Robertson | Burntisland SC | 7 | 3 | 7 | 4 | 7 | ‑8 | 4 | 32 |
| 6th | Rocinante | 7089 | 89 | Greg Mosgai | PEYC | ‑6 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 4 | 6 | 32 |
| 7th | Synchro | 7070 | 70 | Mike Miller | PEYC | ‑8 | 4 | 6 | 8 | 8 | 5 | 5 | 36 |
| 8th | Old School | 7037 | 37 | Walter McDonald | PEYC | 5 | ‑8 | 4 | 7 | 5 | 7 | 8 | 36 |
| 9th | Fandango | 7063 | 63 | James Watson | PEYC | ‑9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 54 |
The Scottish Championships, hosted by Largs Sailing Club, will take place from 12 to 13 October. Entries are still open, and more information can be found on the host Club website, webcollect.org.uk/largssc/event/707-regatta