Craftinsure National 12 Inland Championship at Northampton Sailing Club

Craftinsure National 12 Inlands at Northampton © Tom Stewart

What a great event at Northampton Sailing Club. Despite the light and drizzly forecast, 24 boats travelled from as far as Loch Tummel in the North, Salcombe in the South and Ipswich in the East - no dampening of enthusiasm in the National 12 fleet.

The Inland Champions are Graham and Blue Camm from Burghfield Sailing Club in 3530, their scoreline included 3 firsts, 2 seconds, and a 5th to discard: a fantastic consistent scoreline, but they were pushed hard by the competitive fleet. Ian and Alex Gore (3525) from Up River Yacht Club found the drifty conditions on Saturday tricky but the extra knot or two on Sunday suited them. Their scoreline of 5,4,3,2,1 (to count) which matched John Meadowcroft and Jax Jacobs was enough to win them second place on the last race sailed tie break.

The fiercely fought youth prize (Under 21) was won by Chris Hampshire and Finn (3484) from Ripon SC. Chris and Finn were sailing a borrowed Paradigm with a retro-fitted foil showing just how competitive well sailed older boats can be when brought up to date.

Rob and Harley Ford won the prize for the first boat without a winged rudder, finishing 11th, seven places ahead of the next non-foiler.

Craftinsure National 12 Inlands at Northampton - photo © Tom Stewart

The Vintage Prize was won by Ed Willett and David Harris (1833) from the fast-growing Whitefriars Sailing Club Fleet. Ed's lovingly looked-after boat is 64 years young and belonged to his family in the 1960's and 70s. She showed her beautiful transom to more than half the fleet in Saturday's lighter winds.

Our thanks to Northampton Sailing Club, the race team turned the races around in double quick time, set excellent courses and start lines, the food as always was good and plentiful and the firework display, if rain affected, was very impressive as always.

Overall Results: