UK 5O5 Class National Championships 2022 at Brixham Yacht Club

UK 5O5 Class Nationals 2022 at Brixham © James Read

A highly talented fleet, including multiple Olympic Medallists and World Champions assembled at the lovely Brixham Yacht Club for the UK 5O5 Class 2022 National Championships.

The four-day event between 9th and the 12th of June was superbly run by the race and shore team at the Brixham Yacht Club and the whole exercise of launching and recovery from the narrow slipway was super smooth and very well organised.

The first 3 days were raced in very similar conditions with predominantly Westerly breezes building during the day from the low teens up to the mid to high 20's, giving some high speed and exhilarating racing. Day one had 2 races, fast out of the blocks were the US team of Mike Holt and Rob Woelfel taking two wins to set out their plans for the week. This team like several others had just returned from the Euro Cup in Riva del Garda where they had taken the win, so were well practised and dialled in. Behind them several teams had their moments, Ian Pinnell and Charles Dyer scoring and 2/5, for 3rd overnight, Alex Barry and Harry Briddon with a 3/2 to be in 2nd.

Day 2 with very similar conditions saw Holt and Woelfel pushed harder by the chasing teams, particularly Nathan Batchelor and Sam Pascoe, who took a race win as did Roger Gilbert and Ben McGrane. However at the end of the day the Americans had extended their lead.

Day 3 and conditions were looking like another repeat and so it proved. However, to make life interesting Holt and Woelfel had a wobble and capsized at the leeward gate. Allowing Barry and Briddon to get a win and open up a glimmer of hope to the fleet. It was short lived though as they took back full control to win the next 2 races to take the event with a day and 2 races to spare. The battle for the podium spots though was stil very tight!

UK 5O5 Class Nationals 2022 at Brixham - photo © James Read

So, to the last day of an excellent championships, much more moderate conditions prevailed, Batchelor/Pascoe finished with 2 wins to take 2nd and Barry/Briddon pipped Gilbert/McCrane to 3rd on a tie break. On to Cork in August now for the World Championships!

Overall Results:
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UK 5O5 Class Nationals 2022 at Brixham - photo © James Read