Please select your home edition
Edition
RYA Membership

Qualifier 1 of the RYA Match Racing Series 2024 at Queen Mary Sailing Club

by British Keelboat Sailing 23 Jan 2024 22:09 GMT 20-21 January 2024
First qualifier of RYA Match Racing Series 2024 - © Natasha de la Fuente

Skipper Ben Tylecote and his team claimed the first event of the RYA Match Racing Series 2024 at London's Queen Mary Sailing Club.

A sell-out Qualifier 1 saw nine teams #rockupandrace in RS21s across a range of conditions ahead of the arrival of Storm Isha (20-21 January).

Saturday started lighter with the breeze building through the day, enabling the race team to start on time and complete the round robin series by around 4pm.

Ollie Meadowcroft was beaten by Matt Greenfield in his first match but from then on won all seven his remaining races in the round robin to top the leaderboard overnight.

Greenfield, Tylecote and Patrick Croghan meanwhile each claimed six race wins in the round robin to result in a three-way tie for second.

Breeze on

A prompt start on the Sunday in a race against time before Storm Isha came in saw the teams launching with reefed mains and the breeze already up at 15-18 knots.

Both semi finals were concluded with a 2-1 scoreline, with Tylecote beating Meadowcroft and Croghan winning from Greenfield.

The petit final was unable to run after a crew member from Greenfield's boat fell overboard; with a concern over concussion, the team withdrew, which saw Exeter University's Meadowcroft and his team finishing third overall.

With the wind now building quickly, Tylecote won the first race of the final and was then leading up the beat in the second when the jib halyard broke on Croghan's boat.

As the breeze hit 30+ knots with the arrival of Storm Isha, Tylecote was declared the overall winner.

Moving up

Play-offs down the fleet saw 8th racing 9th, then the winner racing 7th and so on. Oli Hale, who finished the round robin in 5th, consolidated his position.

Exeter University's Heather Quinn, the only female skipper, finished last in the round robin but won the 8th/9th and 7th/8th matches to advance to 7th overall.

Full breakdown of results

Event Director David Campbell-James said: "We were worried the whole week about Storm Isha so went ahead on the basis that Saturday would be a good day and Sunday we'd get maybe half a day. We had five more experienced teams and four less experienced teams, so some of the races on the Saturday were quite close and some were less so, but everyone was having fun.

"The racing was then really good on the Sunday but we did have to stop around 12.30 and it turned into a bit of a frantic day. But overall everyone seemed to enjoy themselves, with good-spirited racing from all of the teams."

The prize-giving included thanks to the club for hosting and all of the volunteers who supported the event, including Robert Owens, completing his first weekend as a match racing umpire.

Teamwork

It was a good start to the season for skipper Ben Tylecote, who was Down Under racing in Sydney Harbour in December at the Youth Match Racing Worlds and a pre-event championship.

Sailing with Issy Leetch, Matt Wright, David Bromilow and Will Martin for this event, Tylecote said: "We hadn't all sailed together before so that's always an interesting experience but we started really coming together as a team towards the end when it mattered the most.

"I think coming into this event as a skipper after two weeks of international match racing against some pretty good teams helped, along with everyone in the team having some experience of keelboats and also bringing their skills from other classes like the 470."

Both Tylecote and Issy are members of Rutland Sailing Club, which benefits from having two RS21s for training thanks to a John Merricks Sailing Trust legacy grant.

Tylecote added: "The conditions on the Saturday were pretty manageable but shifty and patchy, so if you weren't close covering someone they could come from behind and overtake you.

"Then on the Sunday, it became so windy that even with reefed mainsails, we were having to dump the jib in the gusts and we had a couple of broaches along with some of the other teams. It meant that managing the gusts and not tripping up and slipping sideways was a big factor but it was a lot of fun and it's always good to get the RS21s going fast in the wind!"

Join in

RYA Match Racing offers a warm welcome for both new and experienced teams with support on hand at events for those wanting to give it a go for the first time.

Next up in the series this Spring is the RYA/BUSA Women's Winter Match Racing Championships at Weymouth & Portland National Sailing Academy, 17-18 February.

RYA National Match Racing Qualifier 2 is then at Royal Corinthian Yacht Club, Burnham-on-crouch, 9-10 March, with Qualifier 3 at WPNSA, 20-21 April 2024.

Find all the information and entry for upcoming events at www.ryamatchracing.co.uk

Related Articles

Skippers announced for 2025 CDS Series Finale
Long Beach Yacht Club set to host the fourth and final stop of the 2025 series The Long Beach Yacht Club has announced the eight skippers that will compete in the final stop of the 2025 California Dreamin' Series at LBYC on April 5 - 6. Posted on 15 Mar
60th Anniversary Congressional Cup preview
Defending champion leads world-class line up at anniversary event The prestigious Long Beach Yacht Club Congressional Cup, this year celebrating its milestone 60th Anniversary, today confirmed the line-up of ten skippers from seven countries to compete at the anniversary event from 30 April-4 May. Posted on 13 Mar
2025 Toyota Youth Match Racing Cup - Final
Waitemata Racing, led by skipper Josh Hyde, emerged victorious after four days of racing After four days of thrilling competition, Waitemata Racing, led by skipper Josh Hyde, has emerged victorious at the 2025 Toyota Youth International Match Racing Cup, successfully defending their title in a two race final at the RNZYS. Posted on 3 Mar
US selection process for Youth Match Racing Worlds
Set to take place from July 21-27 in Gdynia, Poland US Sailing has released the athlete selection procedures for the 2025 World Sailing Youth Match Racing World Championship, set to take place from July 21-27 in Gdynia, Poland. Posted on 28 Feb
Registration open for 2025 Rolex Big Boat Series
This legendary regatta rewards the best in West Coast racing The Notice of Race is posted and registration is open for the 61st edition of Rolex Big Boat Series, hosted by St. Francis Yacht Club. Posted on 27 Feb
2025 Toyota Youth Match Racing Cup preview
Top youth match racers set for battle The world's top youth match racers are gearing up for the highly anticipated 2025 Toyota Youth International Match Racing Cup, taking place from February 27 to March 2 at the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron (RNZYS). Posted on 26 Feb
Six weeks before the SRS Community Events set sail
With the WA Women's State Keelboat Championship on 5th & 6th April There are only 6 weeks left before the WA Women's State Keelboat Championship takes place in East Fremantle waters. Registration closes on March 7th! Posted on 25 Feb
Hellenic Match Racing Tour a resounding success
Event has met high expectations, with a renewed and even more exciting circuit The Hellenic Match Racing Tour (HMRT) has entered a new era with its 2025 edition, offering a renewed and even more exciting circuit. Posted on 21 Feb
WMRT celebrates 25th Anniversary season
The 2025 season features a 16-event schedule across 10 countries The World Match Racing Tour (WMRT) today announced its complete 2025 championship season, which started at the inaugural Macao Match Cup last month. Posted on 21 Feb
RYA National Match Racing Series qualifier 2
Hosted in Sonars at Royal Thames YC The second qualifier of the RYA National Match Racing Series 2025 saw two days of close racing hosted by the Royal Thames Yacht Club in London. Posted on 19 Feb