After the recent cold and windy weather, 38 Finns were greeted by glorious sun and temperatures in the late 20s when they arrived in Torquay for the 2013 National Championships
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| All photos by Jean Border |
Two races were completed on Friday in a steady 8-9 knots south-easterly breeze on a race course in the middle of the bay, just a short sail out from the harbour. Neil Robinson hit the right-hand side of the track and rounded the windward mark first, chased hard by Allen Burrell, Mike de Courcy and Howard Sellars.
The order of the first two was reversed for the second race, this time a windward - leeward course with Burrell switching on to the tidal advantage on the right as the east going flood tide circled around the bay, creating a foul tide on the left of the beat but a positive lift for those on the right. With the light breeze dying away in the late afternoon, the race officer made a welcome call to shorten the race after the second upwind leg, to give Burrell the win, Robinson second and Marc Allain Des Beauvais (FRA) third.
That evening the Royal Torbay club hosted an excellent hog roast dinner and Junior sailor Jack Arnell celebrated his 16th birthday with an impressive 10th place in the first race. The age range within the fleet of some 58 years proved not only the ageless appeal of the Finn, but also the level playing field it provides for sailors from 16 to 74 years. Richard Hart raced the Nationals, and has competed almost every year since he first won the trophy in 1965.
The wind on Sunday was even lighter, with crews forced to sit in the middle of the boat at times but the full schedule of three races was successful achieved. With a similar tidal situation to the previous day, most of the fleet had now picked up on the ‘right is good’ strategy despite the PRO tempting boats down to the pin end of the line with port-end bias. Time and time again sailors were drawn left by the prospect of more wind in-shore or a ‘ left must pay some time’, strategy but predominately the leaders all came from the right.
Up and coming Finn sailor George Cooper showed his light airs expertise and the benefits of European experience last year to claim his first win, followed by a fantastic result for Great Grand Master and long time Finn supporter Anthony Walker with third place going to Irish sailor Robert O’Leary.
Burrell was one of those tempted to the left and was rewarded with an 11th place, whilst Robinson was more conservative and pulled up to 6th.
Robinson made no errors in the third race, banging right and working hard to keep his speed up in the fitful and patchy breezy, with Burrell never far away on his heels to come in second, ahead of the lightweight Cooper who was clearly on a roll.
In race 5 Allen Burrell sailed back from the favoured pin end with seconds to go, determined to start at the unfavoured Committee Boat end to take the right-hand side. This time it was Robinson’s turn to be tempted left – never one to give up a port-end bias. Rounding the windward mark in the 20s, he smashed left again under the Torquay cliffs in a desperate search for more wind. His speed pulled him up to 12th but it was not enough to stop Burrell’s march to the top of the leaderboard. George Cooper capped off a great day with a second to catapult him to third overall with French Finn Class President Marc Allain Des Beauvais completing a consistent day of 8, 4, 4 to climb to fourth place.
Sunday dawned very hot and very light, with a north-easterly gradient breeze fighting a fickle south-easterly sea breeze. The fleet put to sea at 10.30 am with a promise of 6 knots at the windward mark but Torbay’s unique microclimate conspired to thwart the sea breeze developing. By 1 pm it was clear nothing was going to happen and Robert Llewellyn fired off the abandonment signal to a grateful and sweltering fleet, gently roasting in the sun.
The most grateful was Allen Burrell, an acknowledged master in the breeze; he was particularly pleased to overcome the tricky light airs to win the prestigious national title. He now adds his name to the illustrious Sundaay Times Gold Cup that dates back to 1956. Allen had in fact won the National Championship trophy two years previously at Christchurch, but was beaten by a couple of overseas entrants in the Open event and felt the title a little hollow. Burrell said, “I am especially pleased to win the event outright on the water this time, ahead of all the international sailors.”
At the prize giving he thanked the club for their great hospitality with the championship dinner and excellent organisation – principally orchestrated by Paul Hiles.
Results
|
Series Place
|
Sail No
|
Helm
|
Category
|
Series Points
|
|||||
|
1
|
2
|
Allen BURRELL
|
M
|
6
|
2
|
1
|
11
|
2
|
1
|
|
2
|
679
|
Neil ROBINSON
|
GM
|
10
|
1
|
2
|
6
|
1
|
12
|
|
3
|
GBR7
|
George COOPER
|
13
|
7
|
13
|
1
|
3
|
2
|
|
|
4
|
99
|
Allain Des BEAUVAIS
|
GM
|
19
|
17
|
3
|
8
|
4
|
4
|
|
5
|
708
|
Michael de COURCY
|
M
|
24
|
3
|
5
|
17
|
10
|
6
|
|
6
|
642
|
Adrian BRUNTON
|
GM
|
24
|
6
|
8
|
4
|
6
|
25
|
|
7
|
61
|
John HEYES
|
GM
|
29
|
5
|
6
|
20
|
8
|
10
|
|
8
|
77
|
Howard SELLARS
|
L
|
38
|
4
|
10
|
19
|
5
|
21
|
|
9
|
567
|
Martin HUGHES
|
GM
|
38
|
16
|
9
|
12
|
9
|
8
|
|
10
|
635
|
Simon PERCIVAL
|
M
|
40
|
12
|
7
|
16
|
23
|
5
|
|
11
|
100
|
Matthew WALKER
|
47
|
21
|
11
|
33
|
12
|
3
|
|
|
12
|
6
|
David WALKER
|
M
|
48
|
9
|
14
|
26
|
18
|
7
|
|
13
|
924
|
Fred van ARKEL
|
GM
|
49
|
15
|
12
|
5
|
17
|
28
|
|
14
|
581
|
Vince HAYTER
|
M
|
51
|
14
|
23
|
7
|
21
|
9
|
|
15
|
1
|
Sander KOOIJ
|
GM
|
54
|
11
|
18
|
23
|
11
|
14
|
|
16
|
656
|
Graeme MACDONALD
|
GGM
|
55
|
13
|
19
|
10
|
19
|
13
|
|
17
|
IRL7
|
Robert O'LEARY
|
56
|
8
|
22
|
3
|
33
|
23
|
|
|
18
|
48
|
Anthony WALKER
|
GGM
|
58
|
20
|
16
|
2
|
20
|
39
|
|
19
|
28
|
Jack ARNELL
|
J
|
65
|
10
|
24
|
25
|
14
|
17
|
|
20
|
695
|
Mark PETTY-MAYOR
|
M
|
71
|
32
|
29
|
14
|
13
|
15
|
|
21
|
20
|
Andy DENISON
|
GM
|
71
|
24
|
25
|
13
|
15
|
19
|
|
22
|
9
|
Valentin NEDYALKOV
|
75
|
31
|
27
|
30
|
7
|
11
|
|
|
23
|
611
|
Tony LOCK
|
L
|
75
|
35
|
17
|
22
|
16
|
20
|
|
24
|
65
|
David POTTER
|
M
|
77
|
22
|
15
|
18
|
22
|
39
|
|
25
|
12
|
Dan BELTON
|
M
|
78
|
19
|
26
|
9
|
24
|
27
|
|
26
|
631
|
Richard Hart
|
L
|
88
|
27
|
20
|
29
|
25
|
16
|
|
27
|
665
|
Martin SCOBIE
|
GGM
|
94
|
29
|
35
|
15
|
28
|
22
|
|
28
|
17
|
Paul BLOWERS
|
M
|
100
|
18
|
4
|
39
|
39
|
39
|
|
29
|
80
|
Ray NEW
|
GGM
|
101
|
26
|
21
|
24
|
30
|
31
|
|
30
|
22
|
Andrew WYLAM
|
GM
|
105
|
33
|
32
|
28
|
27
|
18
|
|
31
|
699
|
Julian SMITH
|
GM
|
106
|
23
|
31
|
39
|
26
|
26
|
|
32
|
4
|
Russell WARD
|
GM
|
108
|
28
|
28
|
21
|
31
|
39
|
|
33
|
26
|
Michael WEBSTER
|
GGM
|
115
|
30
|
30
|
31
|
32
|
24
|
|
34
|
526
|
Nick CLARENCE
|
122
|
37
|
38
|
27
|
29
|
29
|
|
|
35
|
30
|
Ian FRAYNE
|
GM
|
134
|
34
|
37
|
35
|
35
|
30
|
|
36
|
13
|
John De LEEUW
|
GM
|
136
|
25
|
33
|
39
|
39
|
39
|
|
37
|
75
|
John BARNES
|
GM
|
138
|
36
|
34
|
34
|
34
|
39
|
|
38
|
670
|
Garry PHARE
|
GM
|
145
|
38
|
36
|
32
|
39
|
39
|
