Superspars Solo UK Nationals at Plas Heli - Day 4

Race day 4 sponsored by P&B

Let me take a moment... breath in, breath out. Quite a day on the water, 6 hours on the water and just 1 race completed. The fleet had been released from the beach and hopes were high for the day as the sun and westerly breeze welcomed the fleet to the race area. The PRO for the day Henry Wright stood atop "Banzei" calculating wind bearings and wind speed data.

Race 7 (first one of the day)

The direction was 210-230 and was forecast to move west through the day, this resulted in a righthand favoured end and standard recall. The black flag was hoisted and the line reset with some port bias. The grouping at the pin end was something Eric Bristow would have been proud of but the PRO was not impressed. The breeze was holding at 12-14mph and with the Welsh mountain range as a backdrop we went into the countdown. With 20 seconds to go there were numbers over and at the gun 14 unfortunate souls were slain. The remainder were recalled. Another start sequence and a large contingent still pushing the PROs patience envelope. There should have been numbers taken but the fellow on the congested pin end boat fell down and so no BFDs but another general recall.

Pete Mitchell on day 4 of the Superspars National Solo UK Championship - photo © Will Loy

The fleet lined up for the fourth attempt, still port biased and busier at the pin end than a strawberry seller at Wimbledon. While the reported wind shift at the committee boat was 9-10 degrees, there was a much larger shift everywhere else and at the gun a synchronised tack onto port. Andy Davies and Mike Sims popped out of a gaggle and lead into the top mark in a very one sided beat. Behind there was a massacre and no way back into the race. The wind stayed left resulting in a tactless starboard reach to the righthand leeward gate mark. Davis extended on Sims who was now mounting a comeback following his lacklustre start to the campaign. Steve Denison was up to third with Ian Hopwood, Peerke Kortikaas (HOL) and junior Alex Corby 6th and Grand master Ray Collins was a commendable 7th. The second beat and downwind leg remained one sided but, with the PRO on knees and looking for absolution, it finally went right to provide a square beat and run. Davis won by a convincing four and a half minutes from Sims, Denison and fast finishing Peter Ballentine. Steve Ede was next to finish from Kortikaas, Ian Hopwood, Mark Lee, Pete Mitchell and Alex Corby.

Chris Brown on day 4 of the Superspars National Solo UK Championship - photo © Will Loy

Those who had been black flagged included Vanda Jowett, Tom Gillard and Ollie Wells, all who were front runners in the championship race.

Race 8

This is where things get a bit hazy and my will to live starts to waiver. Despite repeated attempts and more black flags than there are sheep on the lush green landscape that surrounds this neck of the woods, we could not get the race started. The fog that had blighted the start of the regatta snuffed out the breeze and pulled the direction through many compass bearings and with only 3 knots recorded across the course and a couple of hours of waiting, a large part of the fleet elected to go towards the beach. With no foreseeable breeze on the horizon the PRO cancelled racing for the day. In a final twist, and as the fleet were towed in, the wind increased to 12 knots and inflicted a low blow.

Ashore we were kept busy with protests but with the cold facts confronted and analysed by Commodore Bob Lowe, Class President Will Loy and awesome Jury man David Battye, the race would stand.

So Andy Davis leads the event from Steve Denison, Peter Ballentine, Pete Mitchell and Mike Sims.

The bar in the evening was packed with competitors, all hoping to win the P&B 50% discount voucher (worth £450) which would be put towards a brand new P&B mainsail. Andy Fox was the worthy and extremely excited winner. Andy Bayliss and Andrew Hyland won two awesome P&B sail bags worth over £70 each.

I will now retire with a pint and a cold flannel and dream of clean starts, happy sailors and Kylie Minogue.

The NSCA is sponsored by Noble Marine who keep us on the water 365 days of the year.

Results after Day 4: