Hunter Formula One National Championship at Rutland Sailing Club

Nick Verdino, Jon Dixon & Paul Heggs win the 2016 Hunter Formula One Nationals © Hugh Neill

The 26th Hunter FormulaONE national championships were again held at Rutland Sailing Club on the 17th 18th and 19th of June. Only five boats finally entered into what proved to be very tight close quarter sailing competition.

Light winds were forecast all weekend and Friday brought a moderate shifty northerly suggesting one side would be more favourable than the other.

Race 1: Whisky Mac, helmed by Colin Spinley and crewed by Hugh Neil and Stewart Snowball took an early advantage of the left handed shifts to take the lead. The one design of these boats proved very close racing and the lead switch on a number of occasions before Whisky Mac took command and won the race.

Race 2 saw much of the same with a tight fleet and close racing. The left again being more favourable, with a little more breeze and only the brave taking the right for that elusive shift. Growler with a much improved start took the win with Tenacious helmed by Mark Felton and crewed by Mary Bancroft and Stewart Cook taking 2nd with Whisky Mac third.

Race 3 with a sustained breeze and more close racing finished with Growler taking the win, Whisky Mac 2nd and Premier Crew helmed by Richard Linley and crewed by Mike Allsop and Will Ashmore took a creditable third.

Saturday dawned with light breeze shifting 15 to 20 deg causing considerable problems for the race committee with left still favourable.

Race 4: Whisky Mac managing the shifts better took the win with Growler 2nd and Premier Crew 3rd.

Race 5: This time it was Tenacious with most of the shifts for the win with Premier crew 2nd (another right hand blinder) Growler and Whisky Mac had their own private battle with finally Growler taking 3rd.

Race 6: A last minute shift before the start gave a huge port hand bias to the line which Whisky Mac and Tenacious took advantage of with port hand flyers. Whisky Mac pulled out a substantial lead which they carried to the finish for the win, Tenacious took 2nd and after a shocking start and the only boat to change to the Genoa Growler powered back to snatch 3rd on the line.

Sunday brought a 9 knot shifting westerly, Genoa weather and game changer. Whisky Mac carrying a 1 point advantage into the final two races.

Race 7: Growler led the fleet up wind taking advantage of a good left shift with Apocalypse 2nd and WhiskyMac struggling at the back of the fleet. Whisky fought hard to recover lost ground to finish 3rd Apocalypse 2nd and Growler taking the win.

Race 8: Growler now had a point advantage but both Growler and Whisky Mac needing the win secure the title.

Apocalypse with improve form led to the top mark with Whisky Mac in close proximity and Growler struggling in 3rd. Whisky Mac nipped past Apocalypse on the second beat whilst Growler was slowly reeling in the leaders. On the last upwind leg with the leaders going right Growler went left and found breeze and lift to bring them within a couple of boat lengths of Whisky Mac. At the bottom mark rounding there was nothing in it, Growler taking a tight line and nearly successful in sailing over the Mac but that was not to be as the Mac pulled away just enough to put an early tack in for the line. Growler stood on a boat length and tacked. Now both boats were neck and neck on a 50 yard dash for the line and the Championship. Whisky Mac to leaward had an unfortunate knock and struggled whilst fortune shone on Growler to windward headed for the gap that had been left at the committee boat end and with a huge luff for the line took the win and the championship.

Congratulations to all boats involved for a fantastic weekend of close one design fleet racing. Anybody that wants to know more about this fantastic one design sports boat please email Nick Bett

Overall Results: