SAILING NEWS
News 7
on their way to the very top of the sport
of tomorrow
CREST OF A the bronze fleet we came 5th, ‘very compli-
WAVE: Drew
cated’! Richard Eastugh and Simon Potts of
Nickless
speedsails won the nationals overall, showing
shares his
Ian Dobson and Tunnicliff how it’s done.
experiences
Towards the end of the summer I competed
with Sailing
in another championship, travelling to Ireland
News readers
with Justin Jones to sail the GP14 Irish
Nationals.
At the prize-giving of the nationals in
Mounts Bay, he asked me if I would crew for
him at the Irish nationals and it was an oppor-
tunity I knew I couldn’t miss. We double
stacked with Carl Jeffs and Jim Toothill and
travelled over on the ferry, we were among of
six boats travelling from the mainland. The
championship was a three-day event with
seven races at Sutton Dinghy Club just across
the bay from Dublin.
We went into the first day getting a 2nd and
a first out of 45-plus boats leading the first
day, closely followed by Ian Dobson the
world champion!
Following that we got another 1st in the last
race and second overall. On the second day
laughed at by the speedsails guys - so Andy day. About 20 boats took to the water out of flying, both of us out on the toestraps just
after the second race we managed to put a
Hately kindly lent us his boat. 45 with only 15 finishing the two races. The about holding on with our toes, waiting for
huge hole in the boat while waiting for the
This was a great experience for me, I had swell out there was the biggest I had ever the gusts to stop so we could breathe because
third race to start, we both had our heads
never helmed a double-handed boat and only seen, in the bottom of a wave you couldn’t see of the spray. We managed to bag an 11th and
down opening the bailers, and the other boat
crewed in one once before, for Simon Potts. the boat’s mast in the bottom of the wave in 14th that day, so that made our championship,
didn’t see us either. Ireland was an amazing
We started off the week with some terrible front, plus there was fog at one point and you considering we were in bronze fleet. I ended
experience, being at the front of the fleet and
results but gradually got better with 18 boats couldn’t see as far as 10 metres ahead. up winning the ‘first championship trophy’
beating the world champions. I owe a big
behind us at one point. On the Wednesday In between the races was the worst time for newcomers, the ‘junior trophy’ and we
thanks to Justin, he was great to crew for, and
winds were gusting force 7 hitting 8 at some because you’re not concentrating, and going came 27th overall with the following bronze
I am grateful to him for giving me the oppor-
points but the OD didn’t have much of a from the bottom of a wave where it was blow- fleet boat 10 places behind. We didn’t win the
tunity, and a big sorry to Michelle for putting
choice but to send us out, as he had already ing about a force 5 to the top were its blowing bronze fleet though, because although we
a huge hole in her boat.
moved the lay day so couldn’t lose another a force 6-7-8 catches you off guard. We were were the first bronze boat in the main fleet in
Topper champ on top of world
WELL that was ‘interesting’,’ was the first
Mike Woods
was ready for that as it was what I had been expect-
thing I said in my acceptance speech for the ing. It did give me another day’s rest - not really a
‘
Topper Worlds at Lake Garda – how true that 29er. Then, when I should have been at North rest as we spent day at the sailing club rigged,
was. Last year I was delighted to be able to Berwick in the Topper I found myself being driven changed and ready to race.
stand in third place on the podium and I across Northern Europe (in the pouring rain) to com- Then came the news that no one wanted to hear,
thought to myself how pleased I was to be there but pete in the German Youth 29er Championships the PRO changed the SI’s to state that we would
also how much I wished that I could be standing in where we finished second in our first regatta. Then launch at 7am the next day with the first starting
the middle!! on to Sweden for the 29er European Championship, sequence at 7.55am.
I still am finding it hard to believe that last year my followed by a long drive back to the UK and on to So Tuesday was going to be a big day. I was about
wish came true. It was my goal at the beginning of North Wales for the 29er Nationals at Llandudno. the 10th boat to launch at 07:00 - some holiday!
the year, but so was to challenge at the Topper This was what we needed to do to give ourselves a Wednesday, Thursday and Friday were all final
Nationals in North Berwick. My plan, therefore, was chance for being selected to the RYA National Youth series races. We did six in total.
to make a real challenge for the major Topper Class Squad in the 29er Class. We arrived on Friday to find that the wind was too
prizes in 2007. This meant that for three months I had not sailed strong (averaging over 30 knots) and sat around on
We were well organised, having arranged accom- my topper once!! the beach and waited and tried to stay focused on
modation in North Berwick with friends, booked the As my parents were going to Garda anyway for a what we needed to do.
ferry, paid for the campsite, and the entry fees for the holiday, they asked if I wanted to take the boat. Of We got one race in but then the wind died while
topper Worlds in Malchesine on Lake Garda at the course I jumped at the chance of a free holiday - I silver fleet were trying to finish their race. I assumed
end of August. said yes straight away. After the 29er nationals, I that that was the end of the regatta but suddenly it
However, all my plans changed after receiving an went to Stansted airport and flew out to Garda were happened.... the wind started to blow from the south
invite from the RYA to train alongside the 29er Youth I met my family. It was mid-Saturday afternoon and and eventually the race officer set his course and
Squad at a weekend session at Weymouth and I had only managed three hours’ sleep in the previous soon we were racing towards a windward mark
Portland National Sailing Academy. The weekend 24 hours. Not the ideal preparation for a world cham- which was placed south of the start line for the first
went really well and I was asked to have a trial sail pionship! I rigged the boat on Saturday afternoon and time. After a tense final race the results were only
in the 29er with a couple of top crews. As a result I went sailing early on Sunday morning. The thermal confirmed after we came ashore and I was delighted
decided to make the move into the 29er class. effect was not working too well due to the thunder- and proud to be named as the World Champion.
So instead of competing at Topper Nationwide storms that had been in the area over the previous I would like to thank the RYA for all the support
Travellers, and the Nationals my boat remained few days, so I had a feeling they might race us in the they put into the topper fleet. Plus Dave Cockerill,
upside down (the only way to store a Topper) in my more constant morning breeze. Kirsty Bonar, Neil Marsden and Paul Mullan and
Granddad’s garage. Meanwhile I trained hard with Sure enough, the first day’s racing was cancelled indeed all the coaches who have helped me, over the
Picture: Andy Billowes
my new crew at Draycote Water Sailing Club in the due to lack of consistent wind, the good news was I past three fantastic years.
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