49er FX and 49er UK National Championship 2024 at the Weymouth & Portland National Sailing Academy

49er FX and 49er UK Nationals 2024 at the WPNSA © Optical Marine / Noah Fitzgerald

The phoenix arises from the ashes as the domestic 49er FX and 49er fleet host the first National Championships in a significant number of years.

A real resurgence has emerged in the last months or so, following on from a number of initiatives, the Crew for Gold Programme run by the RYA and British Sailing Team has injected a number of female FX teams, whilst a strong 29er fleet has pushed a number of talented and keen young sailors in to the void that might be said existed in the post-youth arena.

Fifteen FX teams and thirteen 49er teams, including a number of Irish visitors and one from the USA who had chosen to train from Portland for the Autumn, or to keep it in context the fall, had gathered at the National Sailing Academy for four days of racing.

However, as is often the case at this time of year, the weather wasn't always destined to play ball and so it would be, with the first two days cancelled with excessive wind speeds. Saturday however proved to be significantly different with an unstable Northerly between 5 - knots.

Racing didn't wait for anyone with a prompt start to affairs. Quickly a pattern was established with Ellie Keers and Jess Jobson sailing away to a strong victory. Will Pank and Tommie Grit took their chances in the corners to win the first 49er race from Aled Llewelyn Jones and Sam Webb in an old rig 49er.

49er FX and 49er UK Nationals 2024 at the WPNSA - photo © Optical Marine / Noah Fitzgerald

This form book continued into Race 2 with Ellie and Jess once again wining from Simon and Amelie Hiscocks, whilst Will and Tommie took another win this time from Aaron Holman and Freddie Lonsdale.

Race 3 saw a change of order starting to form, Simon and Amelie taking the win, this time from Ben O'Shaugnessy and Ethan Spain, Ellie and Jess being relegated to third. On the 49er side Will and Tommie slipped down to seventh with the win being taken by Team USA's Andrew Mollerus and Trevor Bornath from the emerging force that is Finn Armstrong and Ewan Gribbin.

49er FX and 49er UK Nationals 2024 at the WPNSA - photo © Optical Marine / Noah Fitzgerald

Now the wind gods were once again coming in to play, every one knew that Sunday's forecast was for more wind than any other day, so it was likely that there would not be any racing on the final day. The regatta had already entered the final stages and the next few races would likely determine the end result.

In the FX fleet it was the Irish team of Ben and Ethan who worked the left shifts the best and took the win from Flo and Felicity Brellisford. How did that change the order? Well behind them the battle for the overall lead was being fought out between Simon / Amelie and Ellie / Jess in 4th and 5th respectively. There were now single points between the top three teams and the fifth race was likely to decide the championship.

49er FX and 49er UK Nationals 2024 at the WPNSA - photo © Optical Marine / Noah Fitzgerald

Will and Thommie came back in the 49er battle with a third just behind Fin and Ewan who were just behind Aaron and Freddie. This was also now poised with single points of separation.

The burning question of this phoenix becomes what happens next, and again the wind once again played its part - this time with a shut down and an on trend radio message that 'the race committee had failed the wind limit' the fleet returned to the shore. It looked like Will and Tommie and Simon and Amelie would be crowned champions.

49er FX and 49er UK Nationals 2024 at the WPNSA - photo © Optical Marine / Noah Fitzgerald

However there is a twist, Sunday was sailable! Well it looked sailable for a while... long enough to launch and start a race. What a race this proved to be, a real test of endeavour and tenacity to battle the boats around the race course. The wind, as forecast, continued to build and the tales from the second lap will go down in many a bar chat for years to come. Not that there were so many left to tell this tale. Crossing the finish line there were just three FX teams and two 49ers.

The fifth race certainly did decide the championship with worthy winners in Ellie and Jess, as well as Ben and Ethan also getting past Simon and Amelie to complete the top three. Will and Thommie also struggled to finish as Fin and Euan made their mark with what turned in to a capsize recovery race. Notable second finishers in the 49er fleet were Leo Wilkinson and Ben Bradley, but no-one else did enough to get past Will and Tommie, who held on to take the runners-up spot from Finn and Euan.

49er FX and 49er UK Nationals 2024 at the WPNSA - photo © Optical Marine / Noah Fitzgerald

So what a start to the resurgence, a class meeting was held during the event to re-establish the Class Association with a new committee and grand plans to continue the building of the FX fleet. Dates are already in the diary for 2025 and a plan to continue and develop the circuit this season. A big thank you to all the generous sponsors, Allen, Ovington Boats and Marlow Ropes, who gifted many prizes which were distributed throughout the fleet. Check out the UK 49er Facebook page for regular updates.

Overall Results: