Scorpion National Champs at Royal Yorkshire Yacht Club

by Rob Smith 21 Aug 2007 18:30 BST 11-17 August 2007 After a number of years on the South Coast, Scorpion fleet headed ‘up North’ to the enormous sandy beach, marquee village and ‘slightly colder climate’ of Bridlington – under the dinghy burgee of the Royal Yorkshire Yacht Club.

After almost the whole 56 boat fleet checked they could be over the line in the practice race, the real action coincided with the real wind – as Sunday dawned bright and force 4-5. This immediately became 6 as the fleet blasted and flogged on Starboard up a massive shift only to be abandoned at mark 1. After that was through, races 1 & 2 saw Speed Sail’s Tom Jeffcoate and Andy Smith show their intent with first and second as the breeze stayed well above 20 knots. Paintcraft's Nigel Potter and Simon Hibbert led almost throughout in race 2, to add to their 6th, with P&B’s Dave Wade and Ben Rayner also in the frame with a 2 & 3. John Mursell & Nick Keast posted good series starts as did Richard & Sarah Mason and Catherine Putt & Simon Maguire.

Monday’s started controversially with an aborted lap of a long course due to another big shift. Wade & Rayner put the practice to good use and scored their first bullet in the lightest race of the week, from Jeffcoate & Smith with Potter & Hibbert in third.

It was probably fortunate that Tuesday was blown off (even the Fastnet was postponed), as we’d all had our day of exercise on the marquee dancefloor infront of Monday’s fab band – The Scorpions!

Although Wednesday evening left questions as to the fleets male tendencies, in a legendary cross-dressing Miss Bridlington competition – the days breezy racing started really sorting men from boys. Mursell & Keast scored a first and fourth putting them right in the hunt, Wade and Rayner hit the top of the leaderboard with a 2 & and 1, and Jeffocate & Smith posted two thirds. Tim Parsons & Sarah Maguire had a cracking day with a 2 & 4 to add other top 10’s, the Masons were also consistently good and John & Joyce Henderson starred with a 5th.

As the Fotoboat pictures testify, Thursday was big – with an absolutely full-on westerly 5-6. Spectacular wet close action provided a new race winner in the shape of Dave & Mike Hannan with a masterclass of heavy weather kite reaching at one point. Overall Mursell & Keast (1 & 3) & Jeffcoate & Smith (2 & 2) won the days honours setting up a three horse final day with Jeffcoate & Wade on equal and Mursell only 6 points adrift.

The long and short shifty breezy final races saw Matt Potter & Olly Wells show late form with a 3 & 4, and Kevin Gosling & Max Hayman had their best day including a 5th. Where the points really mattered, Mursell & Keast did all they could with two excellent wins, Jeffcoate helped the sums by scoring a discard and a 3, but having done their maths – Dave Wade and Ben Rayner’s 4th and 2nd secured their second hard fought title by just 1 point.

First Lady Helm - Catherine Putt 8th First Lady Crew - Sarah Maguire 4th First Junior Helm - Alex Hayman - 25th Under 18 crew - Andrew Rose - 11th

Thanks go to the event sponsor – Everbuild Building Products.

Overall Results:

Pos	Sail No	Boat Name	Helm	Crew	Club	Pts
1st	2008	Box 'something'	Dave Wade	Ben Rayner	Northampton	14
2nd	1936	Bottyburp The Barbarian	John Mursell	Nick Keast	Castle Cove	15
3rd	1986	Secret Squirrel	Tom Jeffcoate	Andy Smith	Notts County	15
4th	1962	In The Bag	Tim Parsons	Sarah Maguire	Lyme Regis	43
5th	1997	Peaches	Richard Mason	Sarah Mason	Notts County	50
6th	1970	Custart Tart	Kevin Gosling	Max Hayman	Sidmouth	53
7th	1930	Optimus Prime	Dave Hannan	Mike Hannan	Netley	56
8th	2001	Zephyr	Catherine Putt	Simon Maguire	Lymington	61
9th	1998	Paintcraft	Nigel Potter	Simon Hibbert	Notts County	62
10th	1934	Moonlight	Terry Flanaghan	James Barr	Pwlheli	70