2017 IOM Nationals Form Guide
by GBR IOM Class Association 24 Aug 2017 11:23 BST
26-28 August 2017
The IOM UK Nationals will be held at Datchet Water © Sue Brown
This weekend (26th-28th August) 72 of the country's best radio sailing skippers will descend on the Queen Mother Reservoir, Slough (Datchet Water Radio Sailing Club) to battle for the International One Metre UK National Championship.
Once again, the class boasts an impressive entry with numbers yet again over seventy with skippers in the UK travelling from throughout the country to contend the title.
The 2017 IOM calendar has been wide open to date with three different skippers taking event wins with others making impressive performances to hit the podium.
In attendance will be a total of 6 world radio sailing champions, an International Fireball world champion, a National 12 UK champion, a J/24 UK champion among a fleet of well credentialed and experienced campaigners.
This one may be too close to call, so to help pick a podium have a look at our form guide:
- Rob Walsh - Fleetwood
2013 IOM World Champion,2015 IOM UK Champion
Another fine performance at the 2017 IOM worlds to finish on the podium. Will be hungry for victory and looking to bolster the trophy cabinet with the 2017 title. Will be sailing his yellow Brad Gibson Britpop design.
- Peter Stollery – Guildford
2011 IOM World champion, 2013 IOM UK Champion
With event wins at Castle Semple and Coalhouse fort you can guarantee Peter will be there once the scores have been tallied Monday afternoon. Will be sailing the six-year-old orange Britpop design used for 2011 World glory.
- Colin Goodman - Chelmsford
Past Fireball World and European Champion, 2nd 2016 IOM UK nationals.
A force to be reckoned with over the last twelve months and has showed excellent form at Datchet. Can Colin go one better in 2017? Will be sailing a Britpop design.
- Martin Roberts – Birkenhead
Previous World, European and National Champion
Martin returns after a break from the nationals, vastly experienced and showing good form during the latter part of the 2017 worlds. Will be sailing a Nitro from Australian designer Jeff Byerley.
- Olivier Cohen – Nantes (France)
Past French National Champion
Olivier makes a welcome return to the UK, the Frenchman has finished high in the order at many major championships and will be looking to take the title and bragging rights back across the channel. Will be sailing a Britpop design.
- Graham Bantock – Chelmsford
Past IOM World, European and National Champion
Always one to watch, if the breeze goes light will be difficult to catch. Will be sailing the AKA design from his SAILSetc design stable.
- Graham Elliott – Birkenhead
2017 RG65 National Champion, 3rd 2011 IOM Worlds
Can Graham add the IOM title to the recently acquired RG65 title? You'd be brave to bet against him. Will be sailing the sister ship to Stollery's 6 year old Britpop
- Tony (Tiger) Edwards – Yeovil
2014 IOM National Champion, Past National 12 UK Champion
The 2014 champion last tasted glory at Datchet in 2014 and always shines when the going gets tough. With a good showing at UK ranking events and the 2017 IOM worlds, could winning form be returning at the perfect time? Will be sailing a Britpop design.
Racing will get underway at 10:00 am on Saturday morning and will finish on Monday afternoon.
If you are in the area why not come along, visitors will be made very welcome with the usual Datchet Water SC clubhouse facilities available to all.
Further updates throughout the duration of the event will be available on the IOM class twitter feed @GBRIOM and the class website gbriom.wordpress.com