UK Nordic Folkboat National Championships, Walcon Cup and Sessan Cup at Royal Lymington Yacht Club

UK Nordic Folkboat National Championships, The Walcon Cup and Sessan Cup © Paul French / www.coolhat.co.uk

We welcomed five Danish and one German boat and crew to Lymington, and fifteen local boats made up from the Solent Nordic fleet. Most visitors arrived by Thursday, 15th September and were launched by lunchtime on Friday 16th, all at the Lymington Yacht Haven.

Four of the five Danes went out practising in a light (8-10 knots) NE'ly breeze into Christchurch Bay (CB) on Friday! All without outboards or a RIB and just to get an idea of the conditions!

For tidal reasons Saturday, the first day of the Nordic Nationals, being sailed in CB with White Sails, was an early start for all in lovely sunny, albeit cool conditions, as we needed to be clear of the river entrance by 0715 for a warning signal at 08.45!

UK Nordic Folkboat National Championships, The Walcon Cup and Sessan Cup - photo © Paul French / www.coolhat.co.uk

Three races were held in max 10 knots of North'ly wind, just South of North Head. From an early stage the Danes started well, with great height, boat speed and loose headstays...!

GBR 777, Double O was the quickest UK boat, winning the first race with GBR 707 Madelaine coming in second followed by DEN 873 Cirkeline in third place.

DEN729 Sulajma (the Red boat) had two firsts in Race 2 and 3.

UK Nordic Folkboat National Championships, The Walcon Cup and Sessan Cup - photo © Paul French / www.coolhat.co.uk

Sunday dawned with similar conditions. GBR777 and DEN 745 shared the winning spoils.

The Walcon Cup went to Rio, Anders Sunke and his crew and Double O, Simon Osgood and his crew, winning the UK Folkboat Nationals Trophy. Overall a great start to our White Sail International event in CB. Five of the top six boats were Danish... showing us all a masterclass in Nordic Folkboat racing. Tides, what are they?! The moving carpet was just a question of boat speed, which they had in bucket loads, as well as the wind shifts; there was little place changing downwind!

An enjoyable prize-giving and supper was held at the Royal Lymington Yacht Club on Sunday night. Many thanks to our PRO, Simon van der Byl on a club members boat, Rumpus (for which many thanks) and his team of trusty assistants and mark layers (including our own Commodore!) and our boatmen team on 'We'rehere'.

The UK Nordic Folkboat National Championship and Walcon Cup winners Double O, GBR777, Simon Osgood and Rio, Den 745 Anders Sunke, with the National Nordic Folkboat Association President, Sally Kalis - photo © Paul French / www.coolhat.co.uk

Thankfully, Monday was always going to be a layday, and as it turned out it was the Queen's state funeral. Many facilities were closed, but the writers' guests, Geppeline, led by Per Buch, NFIA Chairman, enjoyed a ferry trip to Yarmouth and a few pints in an open pub, after a walk to Freshwater.

On Tuesday the wind gods departed!! AP's were flown, and eventually N over A was sadly hoisted around 11.30ish! The teams amused themselves ashore!

Wednesday's forecast was similarly light, so the PRO hoisted an AP with instruction to set sail by 1300 into the West Solent. Two short light air races took place, when the wind settled to a light 8/9 knots from the South!

UK Nordic Folkboat National Championships, The Walcon Cup and Sessan Cup - photo © Paul French / www.coolhat.co.uk

Once again, the Danes seemed to get a handle on the up and down tidal situations with Cirkeline and Sulajma taking a win each, and all the Danes in the top five places.

Thursday dawned with a later start as the neap tide moved forward, with a lovely sunny morning and very light airs. Out to CB we went, with some of the UK boats towing the Danes. The breeze filled with 10 knots from the South South West making it a pleasant sail to the starting area. Good square lines were set, and the fleet got away with only one general recall, then starting under a Z flag for subsequent starts.

UK Nordic Folkboat National Championships, The Walcon Cup and Sessan Cup - photo © Paul French / www.coolhat.co.uk

Once again our Danish visitors took the first five places with Madelaine sixth, Crackerjack seventh, Tak eighth and Mistral ninth.

Race 4 and 5 followed a similar results pattern, with the windward mark being shortened to 0.8 nm from the Committee boat, as the wind lightened.

As a two-boat team event, the overall winner of the Sessan Cup was Emma (DEN 634) and Cirkeline (DEN 873), second Sulajma (DEN729) and Geppeline (DEN926), third Crackerjack (GBR718) and Rio (Den 745), fourth Tak (GBR713) and Bonnie (GBR736) with fifth place going to Mistral (GBR732) and Beluga (GER1030).

The Sessan Cup Winners - Den 634 Emma, Jens Thuroe and Den 873 Cirkeline, Soren Kaestel and with the National Nordic Folkboat Association President, Sally Kalis - photo © Paul French / www.coolhat.co.uk

A boisterous prize-giving supper and disco was held at the Royal Lymington Yacht. Huge thanks again to the PRO Simon van de Byl and all his team, as well as all the other club member volunteers. Great thanks were given to the UK Folkboat Association President, Sally Kalis along with Chris Baldwick the Regatta Chairman, and various other class volunteers.

Our Danish and German friends extended their very warm thanks to the race management team, as well as the local hosts and the overall hospitality from the Royal Lymington Yacht Club and the local class members. A special presentation was made to Gillian Poole, the event manager at the club, who had done an excellent job with the logistics. The racing and all shore side social activities were enjoyed by all, especially the party at Monks Pool, Dirk and Sally Kalis's lovely house and garden.

Running events of this nature are always made much easier with the support of sponsors, so many thanks to our prime sponsor, Spencers of the New Forest, together with support from Walcon Marine, Lymington Yacht Haven, SO Resource Management and Folkboats UK.

UK Nordic Folkboat National Championships, The Walcon Cup and Sessan Cup - photo © Paul French / www.coolhat.co.uk

UK National Championships Results:
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