Magic Marine Solo National Championship at the WPNSA - Overall

Wild conditions for day 4 of the Solo Nationals at the WPNSA © Will Loy

Wild conditions for day 4 of the Solo Nationals at the WPNSA © Will Loy

With gale force winds halting any form of racing at WPNSA and beyond on Saturday, the fleet reformed on Sunday for the conclusion to the championship.

I had spent another sleep deprived night in Portland Fudge, kept awake by the strong winds which made short work of finding their way into my room via some dubiously fitted window frames. I rose at 7 a.m. and wetted my face in the luxuriously named en-suite, being careful not to turn the cold tap further counter clockwise than 12 degrees. Earlier usage had left me with water stains down the front of my trousers. I passed the peeling wallpaper in the corridor, cursing under my breath, and headed off to the club.

The PRO had called for an earlier start time of 10 a.m., but with the club's TV screen displaying 24-30 knots, the cafe was running out of sausages, such was the run on fried breakfasts. Finally, the wind abated to a gentle 16-20 knots and the slightly depleted fleet kissed loved ones goodbye and ventured out into the race area.

The breeze was holding at a good 18 knots from 240 degrees and the left side of the course was favoured by much of the fleet. Charlie Cumbley, his leader Magic Marine rash vest clearly visible through the spray punched out of the line just a third up from the pin and pushed his nose ahead as the hulls bucked like broncos in the adverse chop. Solo rigs were being pushed well beyond the parameters of normal stress tests and the sailors bodies were already on the knackered side so the thought of two laps must of been hard to swallow. This is a championship though and Solo sailors are made of strong resolve so they battled their way up the arduous beat to the top mark.

Cumbley led at the top with Shane McCarthy second and Oliver Davenport third. Young gun Finley Dickinson was fourth around from Hopkins and Lucas proving the versatility of the Solo, he is only 72kgs. The competitors tore down the reach, plumes of spray filled my Fujifilm S1 lens and I knew a was standing in a special place... right by the gybe mark. I could not make out their exact expressions but fear and glee pre and post gybe would be my assumption.

Cumbley held off Davenport up the next beat as the breeze increased to 20 knots with some stronger gusts testing the reaction time of those that chose to cleat their mainsheets. Cumbley extended up the second upwind with Davenport rounding second, a healthy distance ahead of McCarthy and Dickinson who were having a battle royal. Hopkins, Davis and Lovering were also in close combat and at the end of the full on run it was Cumbley, Davenport, Dickinson, McCarthy and Hopkins.

Charlie Cumbley wins the Solo Nationals at the WPNSA - photo © Will Loy

In to race 7 and this would prove to be the final race of the championship. In a carbon copy of race 6, Cumbley powered into the lead, taking virtually the same route up to the top and rounding with Davenport this time on his tail. The reach was another awesome experience for the sailors, some going faster than they have ever and some going faster than they would have liked with the kicker of a gybe to negotiate. Lovering, Hopwood, who was clearly excited, screaming like an infant with too much sugar in his bloodstream and Mark Lee completed the top five as the fleet streamed down to the wing. A faint aroma of manure filled my nostrils as competitors made the turn yet I could find no fields of freshly cultivated soil. There were capsizes, and many, Steve, my driver carefully steering the 6 metre rescue/media rib away as my camera lens filled with faces etched with anxiety and the subsequent disappointment. Some seemed at first to be smiling, as does sometimes happen when death is faced but no, they were just crapping it.

17 year old Finley Dickinson finishes 2nd overall in the Solo Nationals at the WPNSA - photo © Will Loy

Cumbley extended on Davenport up the last punishing beat, driving the Winder 2/North P2 through ever increasing waves, while Davenport in the P&B/JP did likewise, clearly enjoying the "fresh" conditions. Guy Mayger has finely come to the party and got himself up to third with Hopkins and Lee completing the top five but with Davis and Lovering right on their tails. Unfortunately all the hard work for these two would be in vain, UFD and poor old Hopwood would also be in that group but to be fair, he had looked a bit too punchy off the start line.

The drama was not over yet, Cumbley lost his footing halfway down the run and tipped it in, letting Davenport move through to the lead...until he ditched it in near the leeward mark. Cumbley recovered quicker than memory foam to retake the lead and with it his fifth bullet from 7 races and the title. Davenport just held off Mayger for second with Hopkins and Lee completing the top five.

With only one discard from the seven races sailed, the results would reflect consistency over a generally windy regatta. Cumbley was exceptional in the strong breeze while Finley Dickinson, at just 17 years old, finished an incredible second overall and first under 25, surely a future Olympic gold medal awaits. Jack Hopkins came to the championship not knowing how he would do, he had sold his Solo after a disappointing event a month ago at the same venue but excelled here with third overall. Andy Davis had a average last day which dropped him to fourth, more time in the single hander will surely mend that, the two bullets in day 1 frank his obvious quality and boat speed while for Jon Emmett, his first time in the Solo has resulted in fifth overall.

Jack Hopkins, third overall in the Solo Nationals at the WPNSA - photo © Will Loy

Richard Lovering was in third overall going into today but the BFD, like Davis, cost him dearly. Tim Law would be first GM in seventh, Mark Lee was first Vet in tenth, John Webster was first Septimus and Ellie Cumpsty, first Lady. Special mention to Justine Davenport who went out in the strongest of breeze to compete and to 16 year old Ben Nicholls who collected a rather nice bottle of Salcombe Gin (to give to his mother) as our youngest competitor sailing the oldest Solo, a Gosling 4239. There was also a bottle of Salcombe Gin given to PRO Paul as a thank you from the class (he also used to campaign Solo 2).

HISC won the Wetherall club trophy and incredibly they had three in the top 6.

Class President Doug Latta thanked WPNSA, especially PRO Paul Kimmens and WPNSA's Sally Reynoldson for the incredible effort the club have put into the regatta. This was echoed by Charlie Cumbley in his speech.

A massive thanks to all our sponsors, Magic Marine (though the courier has lost the big boxes of prizes) North Sails, Milanes Foils, Hyde Sails and Noble Marine for your generosity.

Overall Results: