Astral Azure 2000 class Nationals at Castle Cove Sailing Club

by Pete Vincent 26 Aug 2022 13:58 BST 14-19 August 2022

Astral Azure 2000 class Nationals at Castle Cove © Rich Bowers

Castle Cove showed how to run a National Championships when they laid on champagne conditions, tremendous race management and wonderful relaxed shore back up for the Astral Azure 2000 Nationals. A very healthy fleet of 57 boats showed yet again the 2000 class is on the up and this year featured a marked step up in quality with a number of new faces at the front of the fleet. We also welcomed back a number of 2000 sailors who were returning to the Class after long absences.

One of the great things about the 2000 is that it caters for everyone regardless of age, gender and size. So this year the racing featured 6 year old Ben Pascoe winning three races, 89 year old Ernie Hatton nearly getting round a windward mark in the top five, an Olympic gold medallist from 2012, people who only started sailing two years ago, a very healthy number of parents racing very competitively with their children and an increase in the number of female helms.

The week started with very gentle winds with 6-8 knots for the first three races. An extremely sensible decision to move the lay day from Wednesday to Tuesday allowed racing to take place on Wednesday in nice medium winds and easily catching up the lost race. One of many great calls made by PRO Bill Barker and his excellent team. Their rapid laying of the alternative windward mark during races kept true courses throughout.

Astral Azure 2000 class Nationals at Castle Cove - photo © Rich Bowers

The final two days racing then took place in total champagne conditions of blue skies, sunshine and glamour winds of 13-20 knots. Literally something for everyone. Another genius move was to have an ice cream van at the club after racing on the hottest day when we tallied off; free ice creams for all competitors thanks to Astral Azure.

Sam Pascoe was Castle Cove's main coordinator for the event and he had the ideal preparation for the event by catching an over night ferry from Cork where he had just finished second overall at the 505 Worlds to arrive home at 04.00 the day the Championship started. Luckily his son Ben was up to the task and guided Sam through to win the first three races by big distances. How Sam hung on up wind in the breeze later in the week to still score numerous top ten results I will never know. His second overall was remarkable.

The class act though was Lijia Xu (Lily) and Callum Farnden who put in a near faultless display to record results never outside the top seven, using a borrowed boat. Always getting glorious starts it was very hard to remember them missing a shift upwind. You may recall that Lily was the women's Laser Radial gold medallist at the 2012 Olympics. She has now made Weymouth her base/home and Castle Cove is her home club.

Talking to her afterwards, the 2000 Nationals is the first event since 2016 Olympics in Rio where she had finished the full series of races due to ongoing shoulder injuries. It is also the first time she has done an event in a boat with shrouds and the first time in a two-person boat. Rumour has it was Thursday before she told Callum they were tacking in advance!

Defending champions Rob and Sarah Burridge were one of the few boats able to consistently challenge Lily but frequently finally lost very close tussles to eventually finish third overall. Just behind in fourth were their club mates Paul "Spanner" Cullen and Richard "Fresh" Abendstern who showed real speed in the fresher condition.

Fifth overall was another Weirwood boat father and daughter Jonathan and Louisa Ching who scored a fine race win on Wednesday and earning Louisa a Champagne Moment for her first win.

In sixth place was newcomer to the fleet Pete Vincent with last minute stand-in crew Sophie Bentley who he had never met until Monday's race. Just behind were previous National Champions Simon and Katie Horsfield in seventh with first youth helm Johnny Sargent eighth overall.

Astral Azure 2000 class Nationals at Castle Cove - photo © Rich Bowers

Events like these are not possible without the sterling efforts of the Castle Cove Sailing Club volunteers and the generosity of our sponsors:

Astral Azure Ltd,
Noble Marine Insurance,
Rooster Sailing,
Cerne Abbas Brewery and
Fernhurst Books.
The 2000 Class Association is supported by RS Sailing

If you want to know more about 2000 Class sailing then contact Mark Foley on or 078 3333 2055.

Class websites are: 2000class.org / facebook.com/2000classassociation

Astral Azure 2000 class Nationals at Castle Cove - photo © Rich Bowers

Overall Results:

Pos	Sail No	Boat Name	Helm	Crew	Club	R1	R2	R3	R4	R5	R6	R7	R8	R9	R10	Pts
1	22674	Resilience	Lijia Xu	Callum Farnden	CCSC	2	2	‑7	1	1	‑6	1	1	4	1	13
2	2190	Cat boy	Sam Pascoe	Benjamin Pascoe	CCSC	1	1	1	4	3	3	2	‑11	6	‑7	21
3	2458	Wet n Wicked	Rob Burridge	Sarah Burridge	Weir Wood SC	5	6	4	2	2	‑12	3	6	(UFD)	4	32
4	22607	Just One More	Paul Cullen	Fresh Abendstern	Weir Wood SC/ RDNBYC	6	4	5	6	‑11	‑14	5	3	2	3	34
5	22722	2 Peachy Cheeks	Jonathan Ching	Louisa Ching	Weir Wood SC	3	3	3	‑14	4	1	10	12	‑16	8	44
6	22713	The Good the Bubbles and the Ugly	Peter Vincent	Sophie Bentley	Bristol Corinthian/ Llandegfedd	‑13	‑21	9	5	5	10	6	4	3	6	48
7	22658		Simon Horsfield	Katie Horsfield	Thorney Island SC/ ASA	16	‑19	6	8	10	‑23	12	2	1	2	57
8	22700	No name	Johnny Sargent	Matt Sargent	ASA/Emsworth	‑21	7	‑12	9	8	8	7	5	7	10	61
9	22631	Rarely At front	Simon Greenhalgh	Bonny Greenhalgh	RAFSA	4	5	2	‑17	12	‑28	15	7	14	13	72
10	22098	Wolverine	Jonathan Bailey	Matthew Bailey	Weir Wood SC	‑22	9	11	‑37	6	2	4	18	20	11	81
11	2355	Zoomy	Gwen Sargent	Clare Sargent	ASA/Emsworth	14	16	10	7	7	4	8	(UFD)	26	‑27	92
12	22675		Stu Williams	Alice Powell	ASA	9	13	‑36	10	‑40	34	11	8	5	5	95
13	2411	Freedom	Skip Atkins	Julia Botten	Stone SC	19	15	15	‑23	14	5	(RET)	19	17	18	122
14	22268	Wiley Coyote	Chris Doe	Peter Doe	Thorney Island SC	10	25	18	11	‑30	‑39	9	17	13	21	124
15	2854	Jumpin Jack Splash	Tim Hulley	Linda Hulley	Weir Wood SC	8	23	8	3	9	25	26	23	(UFD)	‑29	125
16	22361	Hawks	Miles Wade	Anderley Wade	ASA/Weir Wood SC	11	12	23	18	16	‑26	16	‑25	23	17	136
17	2947	Serefe	Andy Bayliss	Carmel Royston	Stettisham Beach	‑34	10	13	19	‑24	21	18	16	22	22	141
18	22676	Stan	Matt Hartley	Merry Richards	ASA	‑32	18	17	25	17	‑42	17	13	18	19	144
19	21103	Juliette / 21103	Adrian Stell	Roz Stell	Hayley SC/ Llandegfedd	‑41	26	26	‑28	13	13	13	10	27	RDG	149.9
20	2882	Lightfury	Nic Barnes	Freddie Barnes	Stone/ Corinthian Otter	12	8	‑37	20	27	9	21	24	36	(DNC)	157
21	22064	The Last Jedi	Matt Larkin	Oliver Larkin/ William	Weir Wood SC	7	20	19	‑39	21	16	23	33	25	‑34	164
22	21650	Cool Luffings	Ben Richardson	Peter Bell	CCSC	29	‑39	24	26	34	17	(UFD)	15	10	9	164
23	22340	Imp	Matthew Wright	Alex Pepper	Keyhaven YC	‑42	22	‑41	27	26	31	29	9	11	14	169
24	22547	Surprise	Mark Foley	Laura Short	Snettisham	27	11	25	33	20	7	14	‑48	35	(DNC)	172
25	21394	Bit of Blue	Martin Boyde	Carrie Boyde	Guernsey YC	40	38	20	13	25	‑43	‑42	20	8	12	176
26	2204	Dr Lavender / 2204	Iain Yardley	Sarah Yardley	2000	20	‑40	30	‑35	32	11	19	21	30	23	186
27	21555	AMYGO	Amy Hulley	John Dasey	Weir Wood SC	18	17	(UFD)	21	37	37	24	‑39	19	15	188
28	22619	Rooster	Joe Gallivan	MikeMcEwing	Weir Wood SC/ RAFSA	‑45	37	21	24	‑41	36	32	14	9	16	189
29	22694	Bunwoo 2	Alistair Rose	Gemma Burridge	Ullswater SC	‑36	29	‑40	15	23	29	30	27	12	24	189
30	22564	Swordfish	Helen Phillips	Andrew Phillips	Cardiff Bay	23	‑30	29	12	‑33	27	25	22	29	26	193
31	22612	Peachy Cheeks	Paul Jenkins	Amy Ching	Weir Wood SC	24	14	14	(OCS)	35	22	28	31	33	(DNC)	201
32	22527		Laurie Dengate	Joanne Norrington	Herne Bay SC	26	‑34	28	30	22	‑38	20	32	15	30	203
33	2248	Mercury Rising	John Best	Tom Callan	Lee on Solent SC	17	33	22	22	28	30	27	‑40	31	(DNC)	210
34	2615	Recycled Harp	Emily Elms	Martin Elms	Thornbury SC	31	32	(UFD)	‑36	19	24	22	26	28	28	210
35	2057	Toros4	Martin Roots	Paula Foscarini‑Craggs	Cardiff Bay	30	‑36	33	‑38	36	15	35	29	21	20	219
36	21285	Wave Hopper/Shifty Lifty	Matthew Botten	Richard Botten	WWSC	25	‑41	35	16	18	32	‑44	38	34	31	229
37	22558	Hurricane	Jonathan McVey	Ben Hawkes	RAFSA	35	‑42	27	41	15	‑44	33	28	39	32	250
38	248	Jaffa / 248	Charles Felgate	Cledwyn Griffiths	Cardiff Bay	37	‑47	44	32	‑50	46	36	30	24	25	274
39	21072	Boss	Trevor Bradley	Rachel Guest	Thornton Stewart SC	‑55	27	39	‑47	39	40	34	35	40	37	291
40	2741	Rhapsody	Ernie Hatton	Colin Hatton	Weir Wood SC	38	28	31	29	38	RET	31	(DNC)	RET	(DNC)	305
41	2234	Jammy Dodger	Robert Boyden	Penny Boyden	CCSC	43	45	42	‑53	48	18	45	(DNC)	32	33	306
42	2817		Valerie Hague	Paul Hague	Bowmoor SC	‑50	31	32	43	45	19	48	45	‑50	RET	309
43	21663		Dirk Meyer	Leif Meyer	Hunts SC	33	‑48	38	45	46	20	‑53	44	46	42	314
44	22642		Jen Kehoe	Isaac Lucas	ASA	51	‑54	34	31	42	48	40	36	37	(DNC)	319
45	2374	Buffalo	Jonny Hepworth	Lou Duffy	Emsworth SC	39	43	43	34	43	45	39	(DNC)	43	(DNC)	329
46	2587	Dragonfly	Guy Boswell	Julie Boswell	Llandegfedd SC	‑54	‑55	47	46	44	41	37	47	38	38	338
47	22139	New X‑perience	Sally Fielding	Martin Fielding	CCSC	47	51	‑53	40	31	49	38	(DNC)	45	41	342
48	21914		Andy Hockey	Jane Lambert	Wilsonian	46	‑49	45	44	‑47	47	43	41	41	36	343
49	22677		Stephen King	Darren Kirkham	ASA	49	44	46	51	29	35	47	46	(DNC)	(DNC)	347
50	21669	Zingalong / 21669	Chris Ninham	Oscar Hickman	CCSC	48	‑52	‑52	42	49	50	46	34	44	39	352
51	22653		Adie Parry	Adi Kenn	ASA	‑53	46	49	50	‑52	52	41	37	42	35	352
52	22656	Ship Faced Again	Natalie Johnston	Neil Roach	Royal Navy SA	15	35	16	(DNC)	(DNC)	DNC	DNC	DNC	DNC	DNC	356
53	21405	Equinox	Janina Wallis	Christopher Wallis	Wilsonian	44	‑50	48	48	(DNC)	33	49	43	48	43	356
54	21646	Duck and Dive	Peter Barfoot	Jeremy Dobbs	CCSC	52	‑56	50	49	(DNC)	53	51	42	47	40	384
55	2198		Sam Barker	Grace Thorne	CCSC	28	24	(DNC)	(DNC)	DNC	DNC	DNC	DNC	DNC	DNC	400
56	2523		Zoe Ralph	Jane Drummond	Wilsonian	‑57	57	54	52	51	51	52	(DNC)	49	RET	412
57	22630		Will Stubbs	Izzie Hodgens	ASA	56	53	51	54	53	54	50	49	(DNC)	(DNC)	420