GBR Class Update by Ben Schooling
After 14 events across the UK from March until November, the 2022 UK circuit title came down to a nail-biting finish! The Viking Jono Shelley had been notching up some open meeting wins on home turf at Ullswater and in the Highlands at Chanonry, whilst Dan Vincent was chipping away at the score card with a line of 2nd places at Stokes Bay, Weymouth and Lee on Solent. The rivals even finished within 2 points of each other at the Nationals in 3rd and 4th!
Going into the penultimate round, Jono scored a 3rd at the Scottish Championships in Dalgety Bay, which gave him a slender lead of 1 point in the series. Dan could still clinch it at the final event of the year, the Itchenor Firecracker, but only a win and 100 points would do it.
With strong winds forecast and the big guns of Pascoe, Greenhalgh and Tarboton all rolling out, Vincent had a job on his hands! All that training and racing at Stokes Bay (Dan has been a stalwart campaigner on SBSC WhatsApp group this season) paid off, however, and Dan sailed an excellent event to take the win in the final race, and with it, claimed the coveted half scale model of the Musto Skiff – huge congratulations Dan! See where everyone finished up at the close of the 2022 season in the final 2022 Musto Skiff UK Circuit leaderboard.
As the sun sets on the 2022 season in the UK, it’s worth noting the Musto Skiff class is in great shape with no less than 81 individual competitors over an impressive 14 event series. The number of active participants in UK events has been growing steadily over the last decade from 70 to over 80 boats, and the distribution of North and South based boats has also evened out.
After nearly a decade at the helm, I’ve also decided it is time to handover the GBR Chairmanship baton, and I was thrilled to hand over to Bill Maughan back in September after the class voted him in at the GBR AGM at the 2022 UK Nationals in Eastbourne.
I took over from Jon “The truck” Simpson back at Highcliffe in 2013 when Stenhouse ruled the waves and you had to be 100kgs to sail a Skiff! I’ve loved being part of the class, I’ve sailed the boat at some amazing venues, Blairgowrie in Australia, Lake Garda in Italy and Portoroz in Slovenia and all over the UK – and I’ve made some great friends along the way.
In the last couple of seasons, I’ve sailed borrowed boats at events more than my own, which goes to show just how supportive the fleet is. I’ve really enjoyed my tenure as Chairman, from the earlier days with Rick Perkins and Paul Manning who did a huge amount of work in establishing the Musto Skiff as the professional, world-renowned class that we all know and love, to the more recent years where amongst others, Jamie Hilton and Natalie Hilton have stood forward and done a fantastic job in maintaining the legacy that Rick and Paul created. Thanks to all the support from the rest of the committee, Ovington boats, Musto, Noble Marine and of course all the competitors over the years.
I’m confident that Bill will do a fantastic job in the GBR Chairman role for the years to come. There are some big decisions to be made about the future of the international class with regards to the Mainsail, but I’ve every confidence that Bill can represent and guide the GBR fleet through this, whatever the outcome.
I’m sure the class will remain in great shape and continue to grow and attract new sailors into our very open and welcoming fleet.
Ben Schooling
Musto Skiff Class GBR Chairman (2013 – 2022)
Featured photo: GBR Fleet – 2022 Musto Skiff UK Nationals (Photo – © Tim Olin, 2022)
