2009 Musto Skiff Nationals at East Lothian YC

After an excellent pre-event training camp, run by GBR 49er Coach Harvey Hilary the event was scheduled to start. With 53 entries the class and the club were very happy with the level of support the fleet had given to this the first UK Nationals Championships to be hosted by a Scottish Club.

Day 1.

The first day of the MPS Nationals was greeted with high winds. Race officer Jim Sinclair ventured out into the bay in the RIB and measured 42knots with the reading never dropping below 30 knots.

After consultation with the fleet a delay was agreed. After some waiting the racing was scheduled to start at 5pm with the wind still holding in excess of 30 knots.

In order to maintain safety the sailors were split into small groups competing against each other in a qualifying series.

During the qualifying series some of the high winds favourites seemed to be lacking pace with some of the light weight teams showing impressive pace in the gnarly conditions.

After the first set of heats the leaders were grouped into final fleets for a second set of races.

The form book at this point had been turned on its head with usual high wind experts and World Champion Richard Stenhouse down in the E fleet after a big wipe out at the first turn.

Further races continued into the evening as the wind still remained strong but most importantly the rain held off for the key races.

In the top A fleet many observers were surprised to see the A fleet packed with some of the lighter sailors.

At the start Dan Henderson lead but after a considerable amount of bumping and boaring Iver Ahlmann from Rutland SC carved through the fleet to take the chequered flag ... we had a great afternoon at the go-kart track!

In the evening the fleet enjoyed the hospitality of East Lothian YC with a generous buffet laid on by the clubs members and some live entertainment in the bar.

Day 2

Unfortunately after a full day of waiting still no racing has been possible at the Musto Performance Skiff Nationals at East Lothian YC.

The race officer reported that the wind did somtimes lull to 32 knots when it was monitored on the committee boat whilst moored in the harbour!!

Time has not been wasted though as the fleet organised a game of rounders that was declared a win by both teams after some dubious counting of scores ...

After the rounders match the sailors then took a route march up to the top of North Berwick Law (a big volcanic plug just south of the town) ... after enjoying the view and getting blown around the sailors decended back to the foot of the Law by a number of innovative routes.

A North v South football match was played out followed by a pub quiz.

Day 3

After two days of very strong westerly winds, the fleet were keen to get underway this morning in the early morning 8 knot breeze.

Race 1
The fleet got away at the first gun and Tom Offer from Chew Valley led at the first windward mark, closely followed by Richard Stenhouse (Rutland Water) After two laps Stenhouse pulled through Offer to take the win from Daniel Henderson (Thorpe Bay) and Paul Clements (Chew Valley).

Race 2
Starting in 8 knots the breeze increased to 15 knots; Andy Peake (Whitstable Yacht Club) sailed a superb race to take the win from club mate Rick Perkins.

Race 3
Martin Boatman (Sunderland Yacht Club) led from start to finish followed by John Reekie (Largs Sailing Club) and local club member Gavin Homer taking a well deserved third place.

Race 4
Daniel Henderson, who had been sailing consistently all day, scored his first win, leading from the first windward mark from Scotland’s finest, Ian Renilson, from Dalgety Bay.

Race 5
Five races and five different winners, this time it was Iver Ahlmann (Derwent Reservoir) who won after pulling away from Martin Boatman and Tom Wright (Rutland Water) Overall the 51 boat fleet found consistency hard to find, and this is reflected in the results. In what looks like becoming a high scoring regatta, the most consistent so far have been Daniel Henderson and Iver Ahlmann with current World Champion Richard Stenhouse lurking ominously in third place.
Everybody is looking forward to the final day where hopefully two races will earn them a discard.

Day 4

Following a postponement for the sea breeze to stabilise, the fleet left the shore in 8 knots of wind.

Race – 6
After a postponement & black flag, the fleet got away on a second black flag in 10 knots of breeze. Ian Renilson led around the windward mark closely followed by a large pack. Sailing consistently and tactically clever, Renilson took the win from Daniel Henderson closely followed by Andy Peake and Richard Stenhouse. This meant that Daniel Henderson held the lead overall going into the final race from Richard Stenhouse.

Race – 7
In an increasing breeze the fleet got away at the first start, and Andy Peake led around the windward mark followed by a group including Tom Wright and Richard Stenhouse.
Peake maintained his lead around the three laps until the very last metres of the final downwind leg, where Stenhouse managed to overhaul him. Wright finished 3rd with Daniel Vincent (Stokes Bay) in 4th place. A hard charging Henderson recovered from 18th at the first windward mark to finish 8th.

The 7th race meant the discard came in to place which enabled Richard Stenhouse to overtake Daniel Henderson in the overall results to take the win.

A big thanks to East Lothian Yacht Club and its members for organising and running the event, and to class member Gavin Homer from the home club as principal liaison.

Each year at the major championships the MPSCA rund age category sections and a Gold, Silver & Bronze Fleet to make sure everyone has somthing to aim for ...

Grand Master (over 50)

1st Paul Clements
2nd Nigel Walbank
3rd John Evans

Master (Over 45)

1st Ian Renilson
2nd Sergi Samus
3rd Hans Zuurendonk

Youth (under 21)

1st Dan Henderson
2nd Tom Wright
3rd Matt Hollis

Bronze Fleet

1st Mark Haine
2nd Tim Chapman
3rd Sergei Samus

Silver Fleet

1st Ian Turnbull
2nd Gavin Homer
3rd Andy Hooten (also 1st Probationer; i.e. 1st MPS Nationals)

Overall:

1st Richard Stenhouse
2nd Dan Henderson
3rd Andy Peake
4th Ian Renilson
5th Tom Wright
6th Iver Ahlmann
7th John Reekie
8th Rick Perkins
9th Martin Boatman
10th Tom Offer

Full results >>>