UK National Championships 1997

The Nationals were held at Babbacombe Corinthian S.C. near Torbay, Devon, a popular venue with the Class. Sunshine was plentiful, but the wind, quite frankly, sucked! A variety of changes have been made to different boats with the new rules, but only Dave Roe had managed all the permissible modifications, and no-one has yet completed a new "new rules" boat.
The format of the Nationals was planned to be the now usual 3 races each session, with one session on the first and last days, and two on the middle days. Alas, it didn't quite turn out like that, but the event did confirm everyone's opinion that a 5 knot minimum wind speed was the way to go for future events, and this will now be written in Sailing Instructions.

Day One

A sort of half-hearted sea breeze with enough wind to get fully powered up in the stronger patches.

Race 1

A Windward/Leeward course with 6 to 8 Knots of breeze from the SW. The left hand side of the course right under the cliffs was generally better for tide & breeze, but with some huge holes & shifts. Dave Roe was still rigging up at the start [so what else is new - Editor].
Andy & Alex Paterson took the race comfortably, second were Mike Chalmers & Matt Stobbart, 3rd. Graham Dickenson & Sarah Tindal, with Simon Clifton 4th.

Race 2

Windward/Leeward 10 to 12 knots. Best race of the Nats. Again the cliffs had it by a short margin as the breeze had shifted more into the South so the middle of the course became better. Dave Roe won by several country miles. 2nd. Mike & Matt, 3rd. Andy P., 4th. Robin Russell & Alan Attlebury

Race 3

Windward/Leeward. Ten to 5 knots, dogging out at the end with the wind moving more into the South, going light & shifting in direction. Behind Dravo there were lots of place changes. Dave's win by a country mile. 2nd.Robin Russell 3rd. Andy P 4th. Mike & Matt.

Day 2

Not a wonderful sailing day, with the tide tending to dictate a long inshore tack and a short hitch out into the current. The morning started with a wait for the fog to clear & the breeze to fill - about 2 hours in all. Only three races could be fitted in. Andy Paterson was fastest in these conditions, even though Dave Roe was the only one with the new maximum sail area.

Race 4.

Light & full of holes. 5 to 7 Knots
1. Andy P 2.Mike & Matt 3.Davro 4. Andrew Kinchin & Simon Roberts

Race 5

Just about 5 knots. Light & getting worse.
1. Mike & Matt 2.Andy P. 3. Graham D. 4. Dravo

Race 6

5 knots - Conditions NO COMMENT
1. Andy P. 2.Dravo 3.Mike & Matt 4.Graham D.

And that was about that really. One start was made on the 3rd afternoon, and the race abandoned as the wind faded out, whilst the final day was virtually flat until everyone's boats were packed away, long after the prizegiving, when the sea breeze finally kicked in.

Final Results

2650	Andy Paterson	Alex Paterson	Gurnard SC	Paterson 6a	0.75	3	3	0.75	2	0.75	7.25
2637	Mike Chalmers	Matt Stobbart	Blackpool SC	Bistro +	2	2	4	2	0.75	3	9.75
2660	Dave Roe	Claire Spens	Lee on Solent SC	Pasta Frenzy mod	19	0.75	0.75	3	4	2	10.5
2647	Graham Dickenson	Sarah Tindal	Llangorse SC	Bistro	3	7	5	5	3	4	20
2645	Andy Kinchin	Simon Roberts	Lee on Solent SC	Dog mod	19	5	6	4	6	8	29
2666	Robin Russell	Alan Attlebury	Lee on Solent SC	Pasta Frenzy	5	4	2	9	12	18	32
2642	Will Lee	Sarah Griffith	Aberdeen Uni. SC	Bistro	6	8	10	6	7	6	33
2669	Simon Clifton	Maddie James	Stokes Bay SC	Hardon	4	19	7	8	8	7	34
2522	Phil Alderson	Jamie Hilton	Aberdeen Uni. SC	Easter Beagle	8	10	11	7	5	5	35
2662	Tim Dean	Una-Mary Colclough	Lee on Solent SC	Pasta Frenzy	7	6	8	10	10	10	41
2547	Mike Rolf		Grafham Water SC	Forman 8	9	11	12	11	11	11	53
2652	Neil Cardno	Ken Scott-Brown	Royal Tay YC	Flying Trifle	10	9	9	13	14	12	53
2651	Simon Baker	Tracey Baker	Mayflower SC		19	13	19	12	9	9	62
2648	Paul Berry	Geraldine Rutter	King George SC		11	12	13	16	17	16	68
2612	Brad Bunyard	Staff Glover	Hill Head SC	Ellway	12	14	19	17	16	15	74
2623	Jonathan Garfitt	Andrew Wallis	Ely SC	Paterson	19	19	19	14	13	13	78
2658	Bryan Gadd	Pip Gadd	Mounts Bay SC	Barr	19	15	19	15	15	14	78
2668	Matt Searle	Alex Matthews	Weston SC	Bistro	19	19	19	19	19	19	95