Unicorn Nationals at Weymouth & Portland Sailing Academy
by Phil Chester 22 Aug 2002 00:51 PDT
The Unicorn National championships were held this year between 9th - 11th August at the Portland Sailing Academy with large triangle courses set in Portland Harbour.
With seven races to be sailed the first two on Friday morning were raced in light winds and rain, a contrast to the hot week before.
William Dawson mastered the conditions to win with Gary Piper second and Mike Harrison third. The second saw a cloud burst over the fleet with torrential rain for several minute, it was again won by Dawson who managed to slip past Dan Jarman on the approach to the finish line with Keiron Powell third. The afternoon race saw the wind settling in the north and strengthen making good trapezing conditions. The race was led from start to finish by Jarman with Phil Chester climbing to second with Powell third. Saturday saw a shifting NE to NW force 3-4, again Jarman completed a hatrick winning both races with Chester close behind in second on both occasions, Powell scored another third with Harrison.
The wind was at it's peak on Sunday, another grey day but at least no rain, Chester led from the start with Jarman close behind on the longest 5 lap course of the event, Jarman was unable to steal a win this time allowing Chester a win to follow close behind after some exciting fast racing with Dawson finishing third.
The last race saw wind speeds touching 30 knots in the gusts as many of the regatta dinghies that shared this day capsized. Not the Unicorns! without the need to race the last race with the title clinched for the third successive time, Dan Jarman set out with a reduced fleet to tackle some howling gusts. He won comfortably as he mastered these difficult conditions with Chester second and Powelll third.
These results were reflected in the overall results with Dawson fourth, Piper fifth and Harrison sixth.
Next year's venue was set as Stone Week.