Harken UK Musto Performance Skiff National Championships

Harken UK Musto Performance Skiff National Championships - Day 1

by Jamie Hilton 15 Aug 2014 10:48 BST 14-17 August 2014

Harken UK Musto Performance Skiff Nationals day 1 © Tim Olin / www.olinphoto.co.uk

With hurricane Bertha safely out the way, 57 boats descended on Stokes Bay for the 2014 Harken National Championships with sailors travelling from as far away as Switzerland and Germany.

The forecast predicted 10-12kts SW, however race 1 started in 16kts and built throughout the day. The skiffs were reveling in these conditions and it was current European Champion Frithjof Schwerdt who headed left up the first beat and led round the windward mark from current World Champ Bruce Keen. The top two held their positions to the finish and spearheading the chasing pack was Richard Pelly to take 3rd.

By the time Race two was underway the wind was now blowing a fruity 23kts, and with the tide slackening the Solent was beginning to throw up a challenging chop. Dave Poston dominated the first beat starting out of the middle of line and heading out into the channel for the best of the tide. Downwind conditions proved a challenge for all and positions changed continually throughout the race. Dave Poston was pushing it hard and succumbed to massive pitch pole so ferocious that it catapulted his rudder clean of the cassette. It was Stenhouse however who mastered the conditions best to lead round the leeward mark with Bruce Keen climbing into 2nd with an early gybe to bank a big gain. The race for third was owned by a number of boats with many enjoying their turn in the soup. Surviving the downwind ride was making the difference with a few choosing to not fly their kites. It was Alex Cooper though who made the most of the conditions to take 3rd behind Bruce and Sten.

With thunder and lightning moving down the Solent and the wind now gusting 29+ knots, the race officer choose to cancel the 3rd race with many boats limping ashore. Once ashore a great show of team spirit and camaraderie ensued to catch boats as they reached the beach to lift them clean out of the water and onto waiting trolleys.

So after two races, Bruce Keen is leading from Richard Stenhouse, but a big shout to Mike Palfreman – all 72kgs of him – who makes up the overnight leaderboard.

Last night the fleet enjoyed a welcome beer and a BBQ.

Results after Day 1: (two races)

Pos	Sail No	Helm	Club	R1	R2	Pts
1	469	Bruce Keen	Stokes Bay SC	2	1	3
2	442	Richard Stenhouse	Rutland SC	5	2	7
3	409	Mike Palfreman	Stokes Bay SC	9	4	13
4	444	Jamie Hilton	Datchet Water SC	7	7	14
5	484	Frithjof Schwerdt	Potsdamer YC	1	14	15
6	200	Ian Trotter	Derwent Reservoir SC	4	11	15
7	461	Alex Cooper	Weston SC	13	3	16
8	487	Ben Schooling	Datchet Water SC	15	9	24
9	470	Nicolas Duchoud	SCOW	10	20	30
10	305	Richard Pelley	Stokes Bay SC	3	30	33
11	372	Alex Knight	Castle Cove SC	29	5	34
12	228	Ron Barnes	Thorpe Bay YC	17	17	34
13	160	Jon Simpson	Blackwater SC	11	25	36
14	384	Stuart Keegan	Derwent Reservoir SC	8	29	37
15	495	Iver Ahlmann	Kieler YC	24	13	37
16	446	Ben Clegg	Brightlingsea SC	25	16	41
17	294	Tom Conway	Derwent Reservoir SC	21	21	42
18	482	Matthew Holden	Locks SC	19	26	45
19	168	Daniel Trotter	Derwent Reservoir SC	39	8	47
20	169	David Annan	Grafham Water SC	28	19	47
21	373	Paul Molesworth	Datchet Water SC	23	24	47
22	220	Ben Yeats	Chanonry SC	34	18	52
23	178	Ian Marshall	Oxford SC	42	12	54
24	64	Jason Rickards	Datchet Water SC	26	28	54
25	369	Kit Stenhouse	Rutland SC	41	15	56
26	74	Alastair Gould	Whitstable YC	35	22	57
27	419	Richard Smith	Wilsonian SC	30	27	57
28	456	Serega Samus	Datchet Water SC	DNC	6	64
29	354	George Hand	Stokes Bay SC	6	DNF	64
30	476	John Archer	RORC	33	31	64
31	520	Dave Poston	Datchet Water SC	DNC	10	68
32	525	Christian Reynolds	Locks SC	12	DNC	70
33	248	Mark Haine	Prestwick SC	14	DNC	72
34	364	Andy Rice	Stokes Bay SC	40	32	72
35	467	Luke Draper	King George SC	16	DNC	74
36	414	Andrew Gould	Emsworth Slipper SC	18	DNC	76
37	260	Mark Cooper	Datchet Water SC	20	DNC	78
38	130	Sam Barker	Castle Cove SC	22	DNC	80
39	113	Ed Wilkinson	Stokes Bay SC	DNF	23	81
40	502	Rick Perkins	MPSCA	27	DNC	85
41	289	Andrew Whittle	Blackwater SC	31	DNC	89
42	483	John Evans	Derwent Reservoir SC	32	DNC	90
43	521	Iain Morton	Chanonry SC	OCS	33	91
44	230	Giles Williams	Lymington Town SC	36	DNF	94
45	283	Mick Keates	King George SC	37	DNF	95
46	474	Alastair Conn	Derwent Reservoir SC	38	DNF	96
47=	516	John Reekie	Bassenthwaite SC	OCS	DNC	116
47=	186	Andrew Stickland	Essex YC	DNC	DNC	116
47=	311	David Ayre	Thorpe Bay YC	DNC	DNC	116
47=	376	David Rickard	Datchet Water SC	DNC	DNC	116
47=	501	Chris Wright	Carsington SC	DNC	DNC	116
47=	61	Nicholas MacWhirter	Locks SC	DNS	DNC	116
47=	355	Nick Logan	Rutland SC	DNC	DNC	116
47=	181	Kevin Holliday	Chanonry SC	OCS	DNF	116
47=	375	Steve Wright	Stokes Bay SC	DNC	DNC	116
47=	333	Tim Chapman	Rutland SC	DNC	DNC	116
47=	287	Martin Keegan	Derwent Reservoir SC	DNC	DNC	116