For the second year running a combined IC National Championships took place at the Olympic 2012 venue at WPSNA. The huge sailing area confined within the natural barrier of Chesil Beach and the breakwaters created for the British Navy forms a huge sailing area protected from the big waves of Weymouth bay. The event is the highlight of the IC racing calendar and this year enthisiasm ran high amongst the fleet.
Day 1
With a forecast of 25mph winds gusting to 30mph, it was no surprise that a two hour postponement was signalled at mid day. The weather was true to the forecast, and with a consistent 24mph across the sailing area, with highs of 28mph,the decision was made during the afternoon to postpone the sailing to another day.
This left the competitors free to catch up on any gossip, maintain the bar profits, or hire out windsurfers. Congratulations to Steve Bowen who nearly managed to juggle all three at the same time, and to Phil Allen who showed that his twenty year old windsurfing skills were still a match for any of the youngsters blasting off the slipway.
With a much better forecast for tomorrow, the fleet is looking forward to getting in four good races
Day 2
With reports of the rest of the country basking in hot sunshine and gentle breezes, the fleet were ‘enjoying’ Weymouth’s local micro climate of sea mist and a cool wind which ensured that there was no visibility and an abundance of fleeces being worn.
By early afternoon, there was enough visibility to make out the gap in the marina entrance, and two rescue boats were sent to escort the fleet to the sailing area. The wind was now a good force four, with a steep chop, and a visibility of 0.4 miles.
Four races were run back to back, with a premium on getting through the tacks without hitting a wave, and finding the windward mark. The majority of the fleet took the opportunity to check uniformity of hull / slot gasket / rudder alignment / centreboard stiffness (delete as appropriate) sometime throughout the races!
The sun did eventually emerge during race 4 and with it some less trying conditions.
Stand-outs for the day were Mark Goodchild and Steve Bowen who started consistently well, hitting the line at speed on the gun, and Richard Hudson who made the most of a port end bias to cross the fleet at the start of the last race.
Results after Day 2:
AC fleet
1st G Caldwell
2nd R Wood
3rd S Bowen + Dave Timpson
IC fleet
1st M Goodchild
2nd S Allen
3rd C Newman
Day 3
A day of contrasts and a nightmare for the OD! Two races were run today, one of which was the Long Distance race which counted as part of the series and also had its own stand alone prizes.
The first race started in a force two, but quickly dwindled to nothing and places were gained and lost depending where the wind filled in from on the course. After two laps, the OD decided enough was enough and the race was shortened with the ACs finishing at the windward mark.
The breeze then filled in as the fleet waited for the Long Distance race to start. The direction constantly changed, the force varied between a F5 and nothing, there was an almighty rain storm, and the rescue boats were on full alert!
Credit must go to Frank Newton’s team for managing to hold a race in such trying conditions, with much replacing of the windward mark and the gybe mark. The wind was varied to say the least, with kites being flown on the ‘beat’, and boats tacking to the leeward mark depending on where you were on the course.
Congratulations to both Robin Wood and Mark Goodchild who made the most of the conditions to record both Long Distance titles and also the AC and IC National Championships respectively.
Overall Results:
Assymetric Canoes
Day 4
The fourth and final day of the IC Nationals again brought blue skies with a force 3… just as ordered the night before. Two races were sailed in the morning, with a steady breeze and steady wind shifts accounting for very close racing in both the IC and AC fleets. There was a fine line between going right on the beats to get inside the wind bend, or going left in more pressure… you bought your ticket and took your chance, as going conservatively in the middle didn’t seem to pay.
The third race of the day was for the long distance sailing challenge trophies. Raced over a course of approximately 15 miles, it was a test of boat speed, handling and concentration for the fleet who were already a little tired. A dropping wind for the first hour made for some interesting decisions on the beats and the wind filled in from different sides, and at different directions. Racing finished after approximately two hours, with boats within seconds of each other at the finish.
The Canoe fleet would like to thank WPNSA for an excellent event, and especially to Frank Newton who ran the races in an efficient and professional manner.
Overall Results:
International Canoe
| Pos | Boat Name | Sail No | Helm | Club | R1 | R2 | R3 | R4 | R5 | R6 | Pts |
| 1st | -5 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 12 | ||||
| 2nd | 1 | 1 | 4 | -6 | 3 | 2 | 16 | ||||
| 3rd | -4 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 16 | ||||
| 4th | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 | -5 | 5 | 24 | ||||
| 5th | 3 | 4 | 5 | 4 | -8 | 4 | 29 | ||||
| 6th | 10 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 6 | 43 | ||||
| 7th | GBR 238 | 6 | 7 | -12 | 9 | 6 | 7 | 49 | |||
| 8th | GBR 264 | 7 | 10 | -11 | 7 | 7 | 10 | 59 | |||
| 9th | GBR 275 | 9 | -11 | 7 | 8 | 11 | 9 | 62 | |||
| 10th | GER 52 | 13 | (DNC) | 10 | 11 | 9 | 8 | 68 | |||
| 11th | GER 74 | 8 | 8 | -13 | 12 | 13 | 11 | 70 | |||
| 12th | GBR233 | 12 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 12 | (RAF) | 86 | |||
| 13th | GBR 158 | 11 | 12 | 8 | 13 | 10 | (RAF) | 88 | |||
| 14th | loon | GBR276 | (DNC) | DNC | DNC | DNC | DNC | DNC | 119 |
Asymmetric Canoe
| Pos | Boat Name | Sail No | Helm | Club | R1 | R2 | R3 | R4 | R5 | R6 | R7 | R8 | Pts |
| 1st | Dreammatcher | GBR 294 | G. Caldwell | Carsington | 1 | 2 | 1 | 3 | -5 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 11 |
| 2nd | Outlaw | GBR 284 | Charles Chandler | Tewkesbury Crusing and Sailing Club | 3 | -5 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 21 |
| 3rd | Twisted Welshman | GBR290 | Stephen Bowen | Aberaeron YC | 5 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 12 | 1 | 5 | (DNC) | 29 |
| 4th | Hurricane | GBR 283 | John Robson | Ullswater YC | (DNC) | 3 | 10 | 7 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 34 |
| 5th | Purble Thrills | 76 | Arne Starhl | 4 | 4 | 3 | 5 | -10 | 7 | 7 | 6 | 36 | |
| 6th | Juice On The Loose | GBR 303 | Dave Timson | Llandegfedd SC | 2 | 6 | -8 | 4 | 2 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 37 |
| 7th | Timewarp | GBR 298 | Rob Bell | EmbertonPark SC | 6 | (DNC) | 6 | 9 | 9 | 6 | 3 | 4 | 43 |
| 8th | Sunshine | GBR299 | Colin Bown | Ullswater YC | 7 | 7 | 11 | -15 | 8 | 5 | 6 | 2 | 46 |
| 9th | Forbidden Pleasure | GBR 282 | Maurice Clarke | Corus SC | 9 | 8 | -12 | 8 | 6 | 9 | 9 | 12 | 61 |
| 10th | Echo | GBR 313 | Max Reid | Oxford SC | (DNC) | DNC | 9 | 6 | 7 | 11 | 10 | 11 | 80 |
| 11th | Stiletto | GBR 256 | Felicity. Robson | Ulswater YC | 10 | 12 | 13 | 11 | -15 | 13 | 14 | 10 | 83 |
| 12th | Mongoose | GBR 280 | Peter McLaren | Loch Lomand SC | 8 | 10 | (DNC) | DNC | DNC | 10 | 11 | 9 | 100 |
| 13th | lights on | GBR 301 | A. Biden | (DNC) | DNC | 15 | 14 | 14 | 12 | 12 | 8 | 101 | |
| 14th | Menace | GBR 300 | Roger Howell | Saltash SC | (RAF) | 11 | 17 | 17 | 16 | 16 | 15 | 15 | 107 |
| 15th | Whoosh | GBR 271 | Bob Clements | Oxford SC | (DNC) | 9 | 16 | 13 | 11 | 15 | RAF | DNC | 116 |
| 16th | Fling | GBR204 | Pete Conway | Lymington Town SC | (DNC) | DNC | 14 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 13 | DNC | 118 |
| 17th | Crunchy Frog | GBR 306 | Tony Robertshaw | Weston SC | (DNC) | DNC | 7 | 10 | 1 | RAF | DNC | DNC | 122 |
| 18th | Loon | GBR 276 | J. Close | Porchester SC | (DNC) | DNC | 18 | 18 | 17 | 18 | 16 | 13 | 126 |
| 19th | Black and Blue | GBR 309 | Robert Stebbing | Saltash SC | (DNC) | DNC | 19 | 16 | 18 | 17 | 17 | 14 | 127 |
| 20th | Jet | GBR 316 | S. Clarke | LLandegfedd SC | (DNC) | DNC | 5 | OCS | DNC | DNC | DNC | DNC | 161 |
| 21st | Red ‘A’ Head | GBR 302 | Martyn Osbourne | Llandegfedd SC | (DNC) | DNC | RAF | DNC | DNC | DNC | DNC | DNC | 182 |
| 21st | Sunset | GBR 273 | Phillip Lee | Lymington Town SC | (DNC) | DNC | DNC | DNC | DNC | DNC | DNC | DNC | 182 |
