Allen 29er GP1 at Weymouth & Portland National Sailing Academy

by Louis Hiscocks & Claude Young 24 Sep 02:40 PDT

Brought to you by Allen

This GP season marks the UK 29er Class Association's 29th season of racing. It's an exciting moment for the class as we look forward to sharing many amazing moments with our sailors and followers throughout the coming year.

Allen 29er GP1 at Weymouth & Portland - photo © Phil Rydin-Orwin

Day 1

As the fleet drifted across Portland Beach Road and into WPNSA, a dull feeling swept across the boat park. High winds, overcast skies and a lack of enthusiasm, combined with the risk of no racing, unfortunately led to the inevitable decision: no racing on Day 1.

Those new to the class, making up a large proportion of the 50-boat fleet, stayed ashore, while class and RYA coaches ran unofficial training and racing sessions for those more experienced in the class.

In sailors' words, the wet and wild racing went as follows: "In general, it was a boat speed race because of the high winds. The top left of the course was also a lot more sheltered, providing flatter water where it was easier to increase boat speed and make gains on the fleet."

Dominant performances in these unofficial races came from Jac and Ben, looking for redemption after a disappointing Nationals as they build towards the World Sailing Youth Worlds. They were one of the only boats able to keep the stick in the sky throughout the conditions, moving into Sunday's racing with plenty of confidence.

Though racing had wrapped up for the day, the evening was only just beginning. Music Bingo stepped into the spotlight, with new and old members of the fleet competing through multiple rounds of bingo, music and plenty of weird and wacky challenges!

Allen 29er GP1 at Weymouth & Portland - photo © Phil Rydin-Orwin

Day 2

Sunday saw an early start, as the fleet launched beneath a vibrant amber sky.

Races 1-3 were held in a more consistent and windier breeze, where line bias and pre-start strategy played a major role in deciding the results.

While each race was different, the top right always seemed to work for Claude and Lila: "Each race was different, but it seemed that the top right was often the easiest place to make gains, but not every beat."

Other sailors highlighted speed-driven solutions to the tricky conditions. Downwind legs were largely driven by pressure, with sailors looking to keep their VMG high through tough angles and tight patches of wind.

As races 4 and 5 got under way, shrouds were spinning as the fleet wound down on tension, sailing high on the wires and light on their feet. Shift-driven racing and random pressure created some unpredictable results, with starts becoming increasingly important as sailors searched for consistency around an inconsistent racecourse.

Allen 29er GP1 at Weymouth & Portland - photo © Phil Rydin-Orwin

Overall Results:

Pos	Sail No	Helm	Crew	Club	R1	R2	R3	R4	R5	Pts
1	3224	Will Stratton‑Brown	Finlay Lloyd	Frensham Pond SC	2	‑8	2	5	1	10
2	6	Jac Bailey	Ben Sinfield	Port Dinorwic SC	1	1	‑7	7	5	14
3	3606	Lila Edwards	Claude Young	Parkstone YC	‑8	5	3	2	4	14
4	2915	Jonny Rogers	Will Ahlheid	Royal Lymington YC	4	2	5	‑12	10	21
5	9	Ben Greenhalgh	Tom Sinfield	Port Dinorwic SC	7	‑27	1	4	11	23
6	2700	Rachel Elms	Nicola Richards	Hayling Island SC	11	4	6	‑13	2	23
7	3579	Joe Wimpory	Izzy Johnson	Hayling Island SC	12	6	‑15	3	6	27
8	3589	Alex Saunders	Scarlett Gladman	Warsash SC	6	10	9	8	‑21	33
9	2275	Jasper Focardi Dolling	Joel Tidey	Dovey YC	‑26	11	10	1	13	35
10	3512	Tom Whitehead	Daniel Whitehead	Filey SC	14	3	13	‑18	9	39
11	33 5	Cassius Day	Louis Hiscocks	Royal Victoria Isle of Wight	‑17	15	12	6	8	41
12	3426	Freya Hutchinson	Joanna Macalister	Royal Lymington YC	3	‑22	4	20	16	43
13	3260	Dirk Rogers	Will McEwen	Royal Lymington YC	5	13	18	10	‑19	46
14	2898	Isla Hutchinson	Livi Macalister	Royal Lymington YC	16	12	‑17	16	3	47
15	2914	Monty Ross	Jo Walker	Netley SC	13	‑24	20	9	7	49
16	2788	Andrew Perratt	Alex Vollmer	Helensburgh SC	10	18	‑22	11	15	54
17	2539	Polly Scott	Alex Coles	Starcross YC	‑25	7	21	14	14	56
18	3607	Eliana Edwards	Maisie Butler‑Smith	Parkstone YC	9	9	14	‑32	24	56
19	3489	Scarlett Maclennan	Jaro Hoffman	Royal Hospital School	18	‑23	8	15	17	58
20	3217	Patrick Di Salle	Rory Armstrong	Gurnard SC	‑23	14	11	21	18	64
21	2947	Phoebe Greenhalgh	Megs Gowers	Port Dinorwic SC	22	‑29	16	23	12	73
22	346	Millie Smith	Thea Miller	Parkstone YC	20	19	‑26	17	23	79
23	2882	Amelia Kent	Zac Windibank	Hayling Island SC	21	‑28	24	19	22	86
24	2344	Will Fenton	Noah Helm		27	17	19	25	‑29	88
25	3351	Ben McEwen	Ed Lee	Royal Lymington YC	15	26	‑33	29	20	90
26	254	Finn Ramus	Laura Jubb	Hayling Island SC	19	‑30	23	22	26	90
27	2880	Kate Charlesworth	Anna Elms	Hayling Island SC	24	16	‑30	24	27	91
28	2343	Isla Hill	Freddie Wilson	Hayling Island SC (tbc)	‑31	20	27	26	25	98
29	2879	Callum Aldridge	Mils Laker	Hayling Island SC	‑46	25	29	27	28	109
30	2025	Felix Gladman	Wilbur De La Haye	BSC	30	21	28	‑36	32	111
31	3007	Pippa Paley	Ollie Wilson	Sidmouth SC	‑34	32	25	28	31	116
32	2478	Lizzie Hudson	Sophia Johnson	Lymington Town SC	‑33	33	31	30	33	127
33	3334	George Scroggie	Harry Scroggie	Parkstone YC	28	37	‑39	38	30	133
34	2981	Ella Lightbody	Isabelle Tonks	Lymington	29	38	35	33	‑41	135
35	3490	Matthew Boatman	Archie Denley	Ullswater YC	32	40	‑44	31	36	139
36	1385	Toby Colls	Dylan Pritchett	Chew Valley Lake SC	(DNS [53])	31	37	40	34	142
37	3079	Ava Stoddart	Thomas Pringuer	Frensham Pond SC	‑39	39	34	35	35	143
38	2721	Luke Keighley	Tom Solly	Avon SC	40	36	32	41	‑44	149
39	3410	Rafe Bradley	Harry O'Callaghan	Gurnard SC	41	34	36	‑42	38	149
40	2042	Fallon Day	Phileas Rousselle	Gurnard SC	37	‑43	38	34	40	149
41	2900	Beth Llewellyn	Abi Llewellyn	Hayling Island SC	35	35	40	‑43	43	153
42	2203	Matthew Willcox	Henry Ross	Netley SC	38	‑41	41	37	39	155
43	2849	Emily Franklin	Alex Murray	Parkstone YC	‑47	42	42	39	37	160
44	2924	Jacques Kent	Tom Keegan		36	‑44	43	44	42	165
45	2937	Robin Hailey	Henry Lambert	Grafham Water SC	42	‑47	45	45	47	179
46	2627	Becca Wharmby	Berenice Rydin‑Orwin	Royal Lymington YC	43	46	‑49	47	46	182
47	2816	Tessa Hammal	George Garner	Hayling Island SC	44	45	‑50	48	48	185
48	1157	Cicely Blair	Amber Gulley	Dalgety Bay SC	48	‑49	47	46	45	186
49	2873	Pippa Wilton	Freya Perry	Parkstone YC	45	48	46	‑50	49	188
50	2493	Henry Jones	Daniel Sparkes	Lymington Town SC	(RET [53])	DNS [53]	48	49	50	200
51	2903	Samuel Machell	Will Scott	Hayling Island SC	(DNC [53])	DNC [53]	DNC [53]	DNC [53]	DNC [53]	212