NSSA Championships at Oxford Sailing Club
by Nigel Vick 31 May 2005 12:24 BST
28-29 May 2005
Windy conditions for the National School Sailing Association Championships held at Oxford Sailing Club © Nigel Vick
There could not have been two days of greater contrast for the National School Sailing Association Championships held at Oxford Sailing Club on May 28th and 29th, there was either too much or too little wind.
Saturday saw it gusting to 30 knots, so we waited. A slight moderation saw crews warned to carefully consider their abilities and two races were run. Very wisely, nearly half the 95 strong fleet took the advice and stayed ashore. Those who sailed had a hard time, but made for a superb spectacle as the burnt or crashed around the course. The 29ers were in a class of their own taking handicap and overall honours, followed by David Ashworth’s 4.7, such were the conditions. In the Toppers Max Robinson and Peter Sands traded first and second positions, whilst the Radials had Tim Ellis of Kent and Ian McKeenan of Oxford in first and second.
Sunday started with a promising breeze, which promptly died as the fleet took to the water. After a long wait a race was eventually started in the afternoon. Once again the 29ers showed their class, coming second and third to Tom Lonsdale, who was sailing a Solo. Despite the extremenly challenging conditions Ellis and McKeenan stayed in there respective positions whilst in the Toppers fellow Kent sailor Ed Cowell took the honours from Max Robinson.
With three races completed there was a discard but it made little difference and the heavy wind experts took the prizes. 29ers were first second and third in both handicap and overall Northamptonshire crews Ed Chapman & Tom Peel and Dylan Fletcher and Nick Hollis taking first and second places from Oxfords Greg Hall and Peter Wathen. In the Toppers Max Robinson’s consistent performance gained him the Oxford Trophy from Peter Sands of Oxford, Ed Cowell was third. In the Radials Tim Ellis took the Carnac Trophy from Ian McKeenan, with Ben Longstaff of Cambridgeshire in third place.
Overall Results:
| Pos | Boat Type | Sail No | Helm | Crew | Club | Pts |
|---|
| 1st | 29er | 6 | Ed Chapman | Tom Peel | Northants School & Youth Sailing | 2 |
| 2nd | 29er | 10 | Dylan Fletcher | Nick Hollis | Northants School & Youth Sailing | 4 |
| 3rd | 29er | 400 | Greg Hall | Peter Wathen | Oxford Sailing Club | 6 |
| 4th | Laser 4.7 | 164739 | David Ashworth | | Cambridgeshire SYSA | 8 |
| 5th | Radial | 173486 | Tim Ellis | | Kent SSA | 10 |