The 2019 Noble Marine MUSTO Skiff GBR Nationals hosted by Largs Sailing Club – 5 to 8 September 2019.
GBR EuroCup Leg 2
Report by Ben Schooling
Day 1
Largs are hosting the 2019 National Champs with 36 boats entered. The forecast was looking punchy and didn’t disappoint with the fleet launching in 18-22kts with some of the older and wiser heads decided to stay ashore.
The PRO made the logical call to hold the racing in Largs channel rather than the North face of Cumbrae but that meant the windward marks were squeezed tight up on the shore making for some challenging approaches.
Race one got away promptly and local hero Jono Shelley rounded first with Ian Turnball who then gybe-set and took off in a gust. Jamie Hilton threaded his way up the shifts on the second beat to overtake the two front runners and hold on for the win with Andy Turbo Tarboton second and Shelley third.
Race two and the wind had abated a little. Stu Keegan was first out the blocks and headed left picking a great lay-line to lead round the windward from Dan Vincent. At the finish Keegan had extended for his first Nationals bullet with Shelley second and Dan Trotter third.
Race three and a few of the wiser heads were coaxed off the beach right in time for the wind to show its true colours with +30kt gusts. Marking his return to the fleet, Brian Greensmith led round the windward but overshot the lay-line to let Turnbull through. Some spectacular pitch-poles ensued round the next two laps including Turnbull and by the finish Shelley took the gun from Turnbull and Tarboton.
As the sun set over Largs, the fleet enjoyed a hearty Scottish dinner and a few beers before an early night with another full on day in store for tomorrow.
Day 2
The fleet woke nursing aches and pains to a bright morning and an appealing 12kts. As the first boats launched the rain squall arrived right on cue and we settled in for another challenging day!
Race 4 got under way in a gusty 15-24kts Westerly with a similar race course to yesterday across the Largs channel. Ian Turnbull rounded first but got stuck in a hole on the run leaving the door open for Dan Trotter who gybed set into a mega gust. Those who hooked the gusts prospered well with Turnbull dropping to 10th by the leeward gate. The leading Trotter then extended round the next couple of laps but binned it at the final gate before the finish letting Alastair Conn through for the bullet. A quick recovering Trotter secured second with an on form Jamie Hilton 3rd.
Race 5 and the breeze had picked up a notch with mean wind of 23kts and gusts approaching 30. Jono Shelley revelled in the conditions and had a healthy lead by the windward. Weighed down with a Gold Medal in Japan, Team GBR Pro 49er sailor Fynn Sterrit was able to swing it down into second but both he and Shelley swam on the second run handing the initiative to Hilton who lead through the leeward gate and up the final beat. The downwind ride again proved the difference where only Ian Turnbull was able to keep it upright in another monster squall taking four places and the bullet down the final run. Hilton righted quickest for 2nd second with Vincent in 3rd.
Day 3
A more different day there could not have been! The fleet awoke to a calm, beautiful morning showing the West coast of Scotland.
After much waiting and 2 aborted races the fleet finally got under way for race 5 at 16:00 in a gentle 4-6kts. After a General Recall the fleet got away under U flag. Serega Samus nailed the start line to lead out the blocks and round the windward from Andy Tarboton. Down the run Schooling found a band of pressure to pull through to second. By the shortened course 2 lap finish Schooling had pulled through for the win from Tarboton with Jamie Hilton recovering from a poor start to rounding out the podium.
Race 6 was then fired off quickly with the breeze holding. The right side favoured and Jamie Hilton first from Dan Trotter and Fynn Sterritt. The leeward gate was tight but the right side then was then favoured again allowing Sterritt to extend away for the bullet with Tunbull second and Trotter third with Tarboton being UFD. By now it was 6pm and the fleet had been in there wetsuits for 9 hrs!
With seven different race winners the racing is extremely close going into the final day. Jamie Hilton still holds a narrow lead from Turnbull and Shelley with a planned 2 races to get a second discard into the series.
Day 4
The day dawned mirror flat allowing the fleet to enjoy a second cup of tea and take in the Largs scenery in all its breath taking glory. By 10:30am a gentle southerly breeze had filled in as per forecast and the race officer lowered the postponement.
Race 8 got under way just before noon in 5-8kts with bands of pressure filling down the shoreline. The fleet were away cleanly and split up the beat, the 10 or so going left hooking into the pressure off the shore and making large gains over the pack that went right. Pin end Paulo Molesworth made the most of the favoured left side to lead round the windward from Sean Thijsse and Ian Trotter. Weekend Warrior Paul Rigg showed his light wind prowess to pull through to second on the next run but Molesworth kept a cool head to take his first Nationals bullet with Ian Trotter holding off Fynn Sterritt for third.
After some mark shuffling and course relaying it was clear that race 9 was going to be the last in the series before the 14:30 cut off but with the second discard kicking in there were still 4 boats in contention. After a pressurised start it was Andy Tarboton who made the most of the shifts to round the windward mark with a slim lead over Dan Vincent. The pair gybed set into pressure and pulled out a comfortable gap which they held to the finish. The chasing pack included Sterritt, Hilton & Turnbull. Hilton managed to hold his nerve up the second beat and squeeze into 3rd despite the light wind gurus of Schooling and Rigg pressing hard with Tunbull and Sterritt slipping back to 7th and 8th.
With the fleet heading for shore it was uncertain who had secured the title after the second discard but once the results were posted it was clear Jamie Hilton had done enough and taken the Noble Marine National Championship title for 2019 by a 2 point margin over Andy Tarboton and Daniel Vincent.
With 9 different race winners over the 9 race series and the title coming down the wire this 2019 event was one of the tightest in recent history.
Huge congratulations to Jamie Hilton and massive thanks to Largs Sailing Club for hosting a fantastic event.
Full Results by Category:
OVERALL:
1st place – Jamie HILTON
2nd place – Andy TARBOTON
3rd place – Dan VINCENT
4th place – Ian TURNBULL
5th place – Fynn STERRITT
6th place – Ben SCHOOLING
7th place – Dan TROTTER
8th place – Jono SHELLEY
9th place – Alastair CONN
10th place – Stuart KEEGAN
YOUTH:
1st place – Euan HURTER
2nd place – Kieran GRAHAM
3rd place – Callum ESCRITT
MASTER:
1st place – Dan Vincent
2nd place – Robbie WILSON
3rd place – Brian GREENSMITH
4th place – Ben YEATS
5th place – Tom CONWAY
6th place – Stewart WALKER
GRAND MASTER:
1st place – Ian TROTTER
2nd place – Serega SAMUS
LEGEND:
1st place – John EVANS
2nd place – Ron BARNES
3rd place – Ian ESCRITT
4th place – Nigel WALBANK
5th place – Martin KEEGAN
Full results below:
