Tsunami II take 707 National title for the second time

After one final race in strong conditions, Eddie Batchelor’s Tsunami II came out on top ahead of five-time former champions SeaWord.

The final day brought tricky conditions, with the race committee fighting to lay a course in the strong tide on the Firth of Forth. One race was sailed with Tsunami II wrapping their regatta up with a bullet, followed closely by Watson’s Monarch and Rammie, helmed by Callum Calder. 

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The former helm, turned trimmer, on Tsunami II, Lewis Smith, said: “It’s been breeze on all week. It’s been really tough and hard work.”

When asked what the key to the team’s success was he said: “The crew work around the course was really important. Keeping the sails in the air and out of the water paid a lot, we managed to do that which was great.

“We also had Jimmy filling in for our owner Calum who unfortunately couldn’t make it. I think Jimmy was our wee good luck charm this event, he was great to have on board.”

It’s the team’s second title snatch after winning it in 2022 with the same core crew under the boat’s former name of Crhu.

Tsunami II glide into a gybe following the windward mark

Alongside Tsunami II’s win the prizegiving was also cause for celebrating the volunteers and their hard work. Margaret Tait, a long-standing member of Port Edgar Yacht Club and its race management team, was presented an RYA Scotland Impact Award.

Margaret Tait accepts here RYA Scotland Impact Award from Communications Officer Philippa Howie

Another title up for grabs was the top university boat. The award, a plate painted by host yacht club member Dale Sandercock, was won by Leeds University racing the 707 class association boat, Poimandres. 

Rebecca Handley, bow onboard, said: “We didn’t come in with high expectations, so to be winning out of the uni boats feels great.”

“We can go back to uni and hopefully inspire some other people to come along next time and get involved. We’re really proud of ourselves.”

Leeds trimmer, Libby Murray went on to say: “It’s really great how welcoming it’s all been. We get to use the class boats which is obviously very useful. Overall, everyone’s happy to have us, it’s been great.” 

Newly elected class chairman, Eddie Batchelor, said: “It’s been a fantastic event. Port Edgar Yacht Club and its team of volunteers have been working very hard behind the scenes to make this event a success, and it’s paid off.

“I’d also like to say a massive thank you to the far travelled teams from Yorkshire, Birmingham and Neyland. As well as the event sponsors, Stewart Brewing, Harken, Sail Doctor, Ethigen, Riggerous Rigging, Coast to Coast Rigging and Port Edgar Marina. Without them, the event would not be possible.”

The winning bowman went on to say: “Myself and the team from Tsunami II are looking forward to racing again in September for the 707 Sprints.”

The Sprint event is a staple in the 707 calendar, with teams enjoying tight, 20-minute races around short courses on the Forth.

The racing rewards good boat-on-boat tactics and efficient crew work. Entries are still open, and more information can be found on the Port Edgar Yacht Club website: https://peyc.org.uk/event/peycpew-707-sprints-event

707 National Champions: Tsunami II

Helm: Gillies Munro, tactics: Nick Kirk, trimmer: Lewis Smith, pit: Jimmy Cliff, bow: Eddie Batchelor.

Vice National Champions: Monarch

Helm: Kenny Watson, tactics: Mike Gomme, trimmer: Dave Philp, pit: Craig Rodgers, bow: Paddy Eves

Third Place: SeaWord

Helm: Andy Marshall, tactics: Hugh Watson, trimmer: Richard Higgins, pit: Nick Elder, bow: Dara O’Malley

Top University Team: Leeds University, Poimandres

Helm: Guy Bishop, tactics: Ted Gaukroger, trimmer: Libby Murray, pit: Nathan Fox, bow: Rebecca Handley

Four races close the gaps on penultimate day

After two days of 20 knot winds, ever so slightly calmer conditions allowed four races to be sailed on day three of the 707 National Championship at Port Edgar Yacht Club. 

The more manageable conditions brought the fleet closer - with many places being hard-fought all the way to the line.

A standout performer of the day was Kenny Watson’s, Monarch, who have nudged themselves up the leaderboard after two convincing bullets in Inverkeithing Bay.

Helmsman Kenny said: “Great day. The secret to that was getting off the start line quick and making sure we had clear lanes.” 

The Dundonian joiner went on to say: “The starts got us out of the fleet and made sure we could pick up the wind shifts and drive the boat on.” 

He was quick to nod to the tough conditions that had been experienced in previous days: “We’ve done quite a lot of broaches this event, which we managed not to do today which was a success.”

Another great performer was former Olympian, Dave Kitchen, and his team sailing Turbulence.

The South African helm said: “It was a great day sailing. Yesterday was really full-on breeze, today was much more manageable.”

Commenting on his team’s second place, the best result for Turbulence at this event, Kitchen said: “The racing was great. I think it’s like everything else, you do your best and some races are better than others.”

Dave raced for his nation in the Flying Dutchman Class at the Barcelona Games in 1992. He was humble, but went on to tell us about his experience at the Olympics: “You go to a regatta like an Olympic Games and it’s not the same as a world championship.”

“You‘ve got people in the Olympic village doing different sports, the whole camaraderie experience was quite exceptional.” 

The active Finn sailor had some great advice for any youngsters aspiring to go to an Olympics: “The important thing is not to be shy to ask. Don’t be shy to ask questions.”

“People that have got the experience actually are really willing to help.”

Elsewhere, the battle for top university boat is still alive. However, Leeds University sit atop sailing the 707 class association boat, Poimandres. 

The Team’s helm, Guy Bishop, said: “I think we’ve extended our lead on the other uni boats. We had a really close race between us and Glasgow. It’s been going well.”

After a superb set of races, Seaword’s Andy Marshall was quick to radio and thank the race committee on behalf of the fleet.

The championship sits two races behind schedule with one more day to go. Tsunami II lead going into the final day with Seaword a close second.

Following a lengthy evening for the protest committee and teams getting comfortable in the protest room, the Saturday night was cause for get together.

Port Edgar Yacht Club supported a superb three course meal for competitors at Outboard by Scotts, a local restaurant in the Marina.

Teams challenged in punchy Forth conditions

The 707 National Championship rolled into its second day of racing, hosted by Port Edgar Yacht Club, on the Firth of Forth.

Stiff conditions greeted the fleet for three races, but it wasn’t easy. The Race Committee logged an average wind of 21 knots across the three races with gusts of up to 30 knots.

The anemometer that sits on one of the Firth of Forth bridges logged some fruity gusts, hitting up to 40 knots.

However, it was no match for today’s top performer Tsunami II.

The team’s helmsman, Gillies Munro, said: “Today was overall really good, we got a 1, 2, 1. However, it was super tricky conditions with huge gusts that came through across the course.”

Despite a consistent day, the former British Sailing Team 49er helm went on to admit how tough a day it reallywas.

“The teamwork on the boat was top notch and we managed to sail very consistently, but certainly at times, we were really struggling in the breeze. Everyone had to keep their bums on the rail and hike out hard.”

A team also keeping their bums on the rail was Valhalla. The team, skippered by Andrew Lawrie, stayed consistent today – but put in a superb fifth-place finish in today’s final race. The team’s best result in the championship so far.

Trimmer Emma Robertson said: “Yeah we’re really happy, we were all quite exhausted by that point of the day – it’s been hard work.

“We had a great start in the last race and just tried not to broach downwind because it was pretty wild at times. Each race is slowly getting better and better.

When asked about Emma’s favourite thing about the 707 class she said: “It’s very competitive, you’ve always got to be on the ball.

“Everyone is very welcoming and willing to help each other out. It’s a great balance.

 After yet another big breeze day, Port Edgar Yacht Club hosted all competitors in the evening with some Indian food following the association’s annual general meeting.

Squally conditions all but dampen spirits on day one of 707 National Championship

The 707 National Championship got off to a roaring start on a wet and punchy Thursday afternoon in Scotland.

The fleet clocked its first three races of the championship in Inverkeithing Bay, a short sail east of Port Edgar Marina under the three famous Firth of Forth bridges.

Chris Banner’s Mad Dog was the standout performer of the day logging 1, 1, 6 in today’s races and sitting proudly overnight in first place with a six-point lead to Tsunami II in second.

Banner said: “The conditions today suited us. We like the breeze – so yeah, a very good day.

“We always try to be consistent and sail the averages and not push any stupid calls or decisions. We’ll probably just try and do the same tomorrow.”

When asked how the Welsh weapons will celebrate their win tonight, Chris said: “Overnight leader, you have to have a beer. Can’t sit in the corner with a coke.”

Elsewhere in the fleet, three university teams have had the joy of battling it out in close quarters on the racetrack thanks to support from the 707 Class Association.

Glasgow, Dundee and Leeds University Sailing Clubs all utilise the 707 events calendar as a key offering in their university sailing programmes.

Izzy O'Farrell, Commodore of Glasgow University Sailing Club and part of today’s runner-up university team said: “We’re trying to get into a bit more of the yachting events, we’re quite dinghy dominated.”

“The 707 racing is open to all of our club members and anyone can sign up for a weekend.”

After racing, Port Edgar Yacht Club hosted all competitors in the evening with a hog roast dinner and drinks supplied by event sponsor Stewart Brewing.

For more information visit the event website at: https://peyc.org.uk/event/707-uk-national-championships

Twenty-nine 707s set to hunt for national title

A twenty-nine-strong fleet of Hunter 707s is set to compete for the 2024 UK National Championship in Scotland this week.

Hosted by Port Edgar Yacht Club, located in South Queensferry near Edinburgh, the championship will take place over four days from Thursday 15 August until Sunday 18 August.

14 races are scheduled and will be sailed against the stunning backdrop of the three Firth of Forth bridges.

Reigning national champions, Swordfish, are absent from the entry list for this year's edition. However, there are various strong contenders poised to take the trophy.

Multiple-time national champions, SeaWord, are obvious candidates. Although the team have shown chinks in their armour in recent years, it would be foolish to rule them out of contention.

Newly branded Tsunami II are in fine form, being runners-up to Swordfish in the first event of 2024 and taking a convincing win at the Jura Scottish Series on Loch Fyne most recently.

The Dundonian team of Monarch and Northern nippers of Reposado serve as worthy challengers, both clocking convincing race wins this season.

The host yacht club also boasts a whopping 16 entries who will look to use their local knowledge to prevail.

Class Chairman and crew of Valhalla, Mark Robertson, said, "I'm very excited for this year's National Championship.

"It's going to be one of the biggest fleets we have seen for a few years and the team at Port Edgar have worked hard to ensure good racing is matched by a great social programme.

"Port Edgar Yacht Club run top-quality events, and I'm looking forward to some very close racing. Hopefully, the weather holds out for us."

Head to the event website for more information: peyc.org.uk/event/707-uk-national-championships

HOSTING MY FIRST ESPORTS EVENT AS LEAD COMMENTATOR

The Nations Cup is a great concept. It looks to bring the World Cup format we see in so many competitions to the virtual waters, a place that is incredibly accessible to a wide range of people.

I was fortunate enough to be asked to host one of the events of the 2023 edition as lead commentator. Something I hadn’t done before other than previous experiences as a co-commentator.

It was brilliant and something I’m keen to do more of. It was a joy to sit alongside some great blokes in Oscar and Arthur to chew the fat and watch some great battles. Watch the full match below.

Communicating what I love to audiences around the world is a privilege and something I don’t take for granted. If you’re looking for someone to host an upcoming event feel free to get in touch through the link below.

CHANGE OF TACK

In the world of adult life, jobs can take up a big chunk of your time. You spend time with the people you work with, you spend time in your place of work, and you spend time getting on with your work.

It’s important to get it right.

I think I’ve got it right… So far anyway.

It’s fair to say that my two years at the People’s Postcode Lottery was full of surprises.

Travelling the length and breadth of Britain, gathering content on winning doorsteps, the countless calls with journalists, storytelling of some fantastic charitable work, and the laughs along the way.

After two brilliant years at the Postcode Lottery, it does feel like a bit of a surprise that I’ve moved on, but it’s for an opportunity that I just couldn’t let pass.

I’m now well into my stride in my new role as Digital Communications Lead at World Sailing in London.

It’s a job and sport that I’m incredibly passionate about and I’m excited for what’s to come. It’s not without its challenges - but if it was all plain sailing it wouldn't be fun right?

For those at People’s Postcode Lottery who will probably never read this. You’re all amazing and made my time there a blast. You know who you are. I’ll see you when you come knocking on my new flat door.

NATIONAL CHAMPIONS

It wasn’t all sunshine and rainbows…

707 National Champions. Ecstatic. A championship that was decided all the way down to the last race, by a point. A thoroughly enjoyable four-day regatta that was wide open for the top boats until the end. This is how it panned out.

I’m from the British Isles, so what better place to start than complaining about the weather? It’s August for crying out loud, surely complaints can be held until the depths of winter. But no, the championship was littered with good old Scottish rain with some downpours loud enough to wake you up.

Day 1

CRHU - 7 pts

SEAWORD - 13 pts

MADDOG - 15 pts

Nevertheless, we were there to sail. And who cares, you get wet anyway. We kicked day one off with a flying start. A six point lead counting 1st, 1st, 4th, 1st in the first four races. A job well done it was fair to say.

However, it wasn’t all plain sailing as Findhorn rivals ‘Swordfish’ battered in a whopping four straight race wins in a row on day two to rocket themselves into contention. A seriously impressive showing.

Meanwhile, we scored averagely in comparison on day two scoring 2nd, 2nd, OSC, 4th. We picked up our first discard - fair to say we weren’t best pleased with that one.

The championship race just turned up a notch.

Day 2

CRHU - 15 pts

SWORDFISH - 20 pts

SEAWORD - 22 pts

Day three was a tough one. A stiff 20 knot breeze and short, sharp, choppy waves on the Clyde, it was a tricky racecourse. We struggled to get our foot in and it showed in our results, ultimately picking up or second discard of the regatta. We scored 2nd, 8th, 5th, 1st. Putting us out of the lead with it all to play for on the final day

Windward mark rounding on day three with SeaWord

It wasn’t just above us that we had to think about. Among the jostle for the top spot was reigning nine-time national champions ‘SeaWord’ who were hot on the tails and just four points behind.

Day 3

SWORDFISH - 21 pts

CRHU - 23 pts

SEAWORD - 27 pts

Six points separated the top three with just two races yet to sail. The championship was far from over.

The first of the two races on the final day called for a committee boat start. Swordfish had the same idea. Fortunately for us, we executed the start well and were able force Swordfish into a poorer start.

Windward mark rounding on day three

Despite the good start from us we were caught in the mid fleet after lap one and were unable to stretch our legs into the fresh breeze.

Frustrating is an understatement.

Especially after seeing Seaword battle it out at the front of the race. It looked like a secure 2nd place finish for them which would close the gap in the overall standings.

After some dicey moves to wiggle our way through the mid fleet, and endeavouring to keep our nose clean while keeping Swordfish behind, we crossed the finish line in 4th place.

We worked out the scores. It was enough for the lead, but it was tight… two points in it kind of tight.

Final Day - Scores after the penultimate race

CRHU - 27 pts

SEAWORD - 29 pts

SWORDFISH - 31 pts

It all came down to the last race. Now only four points between the top three boats.

The race course called for a committee boat start again.

But I was hesitant.

The fleet looked to be on the same wavelength and lined up early to do their best to secure a lane at the favoured end.

I didn’t like the look of the traffic and made the decision to favour cleaner breeze and less congestion. We started below the bunch, in the middle of the line.

The start gun sounded. We were off.

Leeward mark rounding on day two

After 30 seconds of being in the groove I glanced over my left shoulder to take in what had unfolded at the busy end of the line. Swordfish were stalled. They hit the committee boat and were in the middle of exonerating themselves with a penalty turn. Jackpot.

Seaword were slow off the mark too but had clean breeze and looked to be heading towards the right-hand, favoured side of the course.

We tacked to cover them.

It was apparent that the right-hand side was paying dividends as three or four boats crossed in front of our bow. Seaward was one of them and three places ahead of us. Enough of a gap to hand them the championship.

The race was on.

Seaword needed to keep climbing towards the front but keep two boats in between us. It was tight.

The downwind leg proved crucial to the championship and saw some big place changes.

Seaward sailed into first place with us weaving through the front runners to nestle just behind them in second place.

All we had to do was stay there to win. But with Seaword having such a consistent scoreline there was always the risk of them sailing us down the fleet and using up their discard to give us a bad race.

707 National Championships

CRHU - 29 pts

SEAWORD - 30 pts

SWORDFISH - 40 pts

Fortunately for us they were forced their hand as the wind swung 30 degrees to the right for the remaining legs and neutralised the racing.

It was a precession from there on and we were able to somewhat enjoy the cruise to the finish line.

What a feeling. For it to come down to the wire like that made it all the more special.

Some top racing with some brilliant sailors.

707 National Champions!

MY TRIP WITH THE ELLEN MACARTHUR CANCER TRUST

I don't think anything could have prepared me for how special a trip with the Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust really is. I'll do my best to put it into words.​​​​​​​

The trip I attended was an under 18 first time trip sailing out of Largs. The trust also offers trips out of Cowes aswell as over 18 trips including return trips for those who catch the bug.

The trip was made up of 18 young people and 15 crew. I was aboard one of the trust's own boats 'Caledonian Hero' which was purchased thanks to Postcode Lottery players 5 years ago.

We got up to a lot.

We sailed from Largs to Port Bannatyne and back and managed to include rounders, bowls, crabbing, a dessert competition, a water fight, a karaoke party and a lot more - all into the 4 days.

I've not giggled as much as I did during the Karaoke in a long time!

The purpose of the trust really became apparent to me when I was putting away some of the dishes that the young people had kindly washed up. I paused as I heard them chatting above me on the foredeck.

This was the moment they started to discuss their cancer with each other, with young people their own age - something they all had never experienced before. 

This was only the start of a flurry of conversations between them.

The karaoke party fueled an extra special moment with giggles and laughter where all the young people shared their funny and amusing stories from their cancer journeys. Something they've never been able to do because of the awkwardness that can arise and lack of understanding from those who haven't been through it themselves.

One young person said: "I'd never met anyone else with Hodgkin's disease before until I met Reuben. We were able to laugh and share our different experiences of our treatment."

Another young person said: "My best bit was being able to share our stories. You can't really do it with others because people can get awkward and it makes them uncomfortable. But here we've been able to openly talk about it and relate to one another. It's just been really nice."

The trips are always wrapped up with the young people and crew coming together in a big circle to share their best bit, worst bit and funniest bit. A fantastic way to say all the goodbyes and share the memories everyone's made.

So in the spirit of the trust, here are mine.

Best bit

My best bit was definitely meeting everyone involved. Putting a face to the names of everyone behind the scenes at EMCT and of course getting to know the young people and their stories. It's a special atmosphere and taught me a lot more than I was expecting.

Worst bit

It's more of the worst bit for everyone else than for myself. My rendition of California Girls by Katy Perry was definitely a sound for sore ears during the karaoke.

Funniest bit

My funniest bit was when Connor and Rueban pranked Callum during the hunt for dessert competition ingredients. Callum was in sheer horror of the lack of ingredients and amenities in Port Bannatyne - very different to Callum's usual Manchester city centre. After giving a long shopping list of snacks for 2 minutes after Connor and Rueban said they were going to the supermarket the look on Callum's face when he was told there was only a post office was a picture.

It's fair to say the trip has taught me a lot. It's amazing to see the sport that I know and love be used as a vehicle for something so rewarding and meaningful. 

Tarbert Regatta

If you told me three weeks ago that my June bank holiday would consist of the previously cancelled ‘Scottish Series’ I would asking you for your lottery numbers. Even more so if you told me the event would have champagne conditions and the championship would be decided by the last race.

It’s fair to say this year’s trip to Tarbert had a different feel to it than my last trip to the seaside town in 2018.

The sought after and commonly known ‘Scottish Series’ was cancelled just three weeks out for issues unbeknown to the competitors. After some quick movement from the local residents and the competitors the event was eventually reinstated as the ‘Tarbert Regatta’.

Despite the issues, much remand the same… Stiff competition in the form of an 18 strong Hunter 707 fleet, a fantastic social programme with live music and catering, and the faces of Scottish sailing all coming together with great camaraderie all round.

Tarbert also delivered its usual weather. An entire long weekend of sunshine and wind allowed us to complete 10 races - just one short of the full scheduled series.

The event was closely fought with four boats all fighting for the lead. SeaWord, Tata, MadDog and our team Crhu were all vying for the top spot throughout the regatta.

Eventually, the decider came down to the final race of the regatta with the top four all in contention. Just four points apart.

A frustrating third day put us down to fourth place going into the final race.

We were left with a lot to do.

We needed to win the final race with enough of a gap to the other contenders to do enough for the overall win. The team knew it would be a lot to manage in what were tricky and different race conditions.

It was a tight fight between us, overnight leaders SeaWord, Old School, and Partial Pleasure. After lap one we were third with SeaWord one place behind.

It was not enough for the overall win.

Lap three saw some fresh wind on the left side of the course. We positioned ourselves to capitalise on it as best as we could.

The breeze came in and we propelled into the lead with Seaword, Tata and Maddog getting caught up in the mid-fleet.

It was a tense final leg.

After a long and stressful push to the finish we lead over the line with enough of a gap to secure us with the overall win. A stressful race to end on but a satisfying one to say the least.

Tarbert Regatta Champions.

https://static1.squarespace.com/static/62873c7b8d88e7461c92bdd1/t/62a863cdb485232247989411/1655202765883/OverallEventResults.pdf

707 Edinburgh Cup

After taking a step back from my sailing campaign to re-focus on my career in communications I thought it fitting to revisit some writing for a competition I raced in at the end of April with team Crhu. 

17 boats hit the water of the Firth of Forth for a seven race shoot out in the 707 Edinburgh Cup over two days.

The weekend was a few degrees off champagne sailing conditions with 15-20 knots of breeze and sunshine all weekend.

Our race area was Inverkiething Bay, a short sail from Port Edgar Marina under the Forth bridges. The first of four races on day one saw us battle at the front of the fleet. It was five time reigning national champions, Seaword, who ultimately came out on top. We finished behind them in second.

Race two was a similar one. This time a battle with both Seaword and Hartlepool based boat, Sharky. Sharky showed their blistering pace in the heavy winds and took a convincing win with us behind in second place. Seaword followed in third.

Race three was made easier for us with the fleet staying timid on the start line. We punched ahead at the start-gun and it payed. We extended for the rest of the race and finished in first place.

Race four was one of the closest of the weekend with the experienced crew of local legends, Mojito showing the fleet some finesse in their upwind sailing style. It came down to the very last leg where we etched even with them. We made a final push at the right moment to take first place by a matter of inches on the line. One to remember and a great way to finish day one. Leading overnight with a nine point cushion.

Day two left three races remaining in yet more sunshine and punchy breeze. Race five saw another two boat battle with Seaword. It was nip and tuck all race and even on the second to last leg. Eventually it was Seaword who took line honours after a well executed, inch perfect cross in front of our bow at the bottom mark. We took second place.

The remaining two races were the windiest of the regatta. A few mistakes in the form of a lost winch handle and a twisted spinnaker made things tough. 

However, the crew managed it well - ultimately keeping us upright in the breeze and our sails intact. The same can’t be said for the rest of the fleet… some seriously impressive wipeouts.

The calm and cautious approach to the two remaining races saw us finish the event with two more race wins. 

A great way to end the event. 

An even better way to start the season.

PRINCESS SOFIA REGATTA

During a hectic week finishing off uni assignments I was fortunate enough to find myself on a flight to Palma de Mallorca for the annual Princess Sofia Regatta.

I was out at the event for 12 days which included 5 days racing, a few days training, some glorious cycling and a regrettable day of polishing off my final uni assignment!

The only way I was able to compete at the event was with the helpful aid of Sail Coach with their coaching and charter boat service. The only downside being that my boat only arrived 2 days before racing; but every cloud has a silver lining! This allowed for some much needed time to explore the mecca of cycling and find some hills around Mallorca. Happy to tick off Randa, Sa Calobra and Coll de sa Batalla along with San Salvador on a previous trip!

Once the boat arrived it allowed me to get in the zone and dial into the conditions and routine for the days ahead.

I started off the event fairly well, with one stand out result that gave me some much needed confidence in the high calibre fleet. My races in the following days struggled to hold up to the first as I found it tricky to start cleanly and execute my favoured strategy. This put me in bronze fleet for the rest of the regatta which was a hard pill to swallow, but did allow for some experience to be made racing towards the front of an international fleet (albeit a lower calibre).

I finished the week in 146th, so not the best and considerably below form. There was glimpses of good sailing, but still a lot to work on as always. I had an amazing time with a lot of really close mates, and took a lot away from spending time and racing against some of the worlds top senior sailors.

Up next is BUCS Yachting Championships where I am taking the role of tactician for the Edinburgh University Team!

Thanks for reading,

Lewis

BRITISH KEELBOAT LEAGUE FINALS

Last weekend Miles Jones, James Holmes, Ross Slater and myself travelled down to Cowes on the Isle of Wight to race against some of the top keelboat sailors in Britain at the RYA British Keelboat League Finals.

It is a relatively new race format, with a number of qualification events taking place across the UK throughout the year. All of which lead to the final in Cowes.

The Edinburgh team had placed an entry for one of the qualification events held in Scarborough earlier on in the year, which was unfortunately cancelled. Due to the cancelation, and being unable to attend the other qualification events, the team were lucky to be offered a wild card entry for the final. This opportunity was not to be turned down and I was very grateful to be asked to be a part of the team.

The event consisted of 18 teams, 3 days of racing, and 36 races. The Royal Thames Yacht Club hosted the event with 8 extremely well looked after J70 sports boats. This meant that a round robin was in order to ensure that all 18 teams had the chance to sail against one another. The logistics of the team change overs were slick and allowed each team to sail a total of 16 races, creating a perfectly even series across the weekend.

We kicked off the event with a bang, finishing 2nd in our first race. Bearing in mind that only one of us had sailed a J70 before, and it was our first sail together as a team, we were pretty happy! We continued the day with a 7th, 2nd, 6th, 1st, and a 7th, a pretty mixed day to say the least. However, we were happy with our form and the mistakes that led to our poorer results were easily rectified for the following days.

Day 2 was a frustrating day for the race committee, with fickle winds in the morning. We were held under a postponement on the water for a short while until the breeze filled in to around 7/8 knots from the North East. The way the round robin worked out, our team had a 7 race gap until our first race of the day, which equates to around 2 hours. We used this time wisely to have a short nap on the change over boat and re-energise ourselves from our 6am wake up for the first race. We had 4 races on day 2 with us scoring 4, 4, 1, 8. We were slightly more consistent than the previous day which was good, and our crew work was far better than the day prior, a big improvement in that! However the lighter winds and tidal conditions proved difficult for us and drastically reduced the margin for error - there were still some nuggets to work on for the final day.

The last day of racing was a great day for us, we had a moderate breeze in the morning building substantially throughout the day to a nice 15 knots. Our team had completed 10 races so far which left us with 6 to race on day three. We scored a 2nd, 4th, 6th, 2nd, 4th, and finished the event off with a 1st - a lovely way to end the regatta. Our final day was our best day yet, jumping us from 8th overall to 6th; and although there was still room for development we had all improved drastically compared to the first day.

All in all we were extremely happy with our performance, finishing 6th overall. We went into the regatta with little expectations; which, in hindsight, probably helped us a lot. The regatta was superbly run, the other teams were great to be around, and it was a pleasure spending time with such great lads!

Credit to Sportography for all the photos!

Thanks for reading,

Lewis

U21 EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIPS

The Under 21 Europeans; my last event as an under 21, and the final big laser event for me this summer. After a few days training down South with the U21 squad, Joe and I made our way on a somewhat convoluted journey to Båstad, Sweden. We arrived 3 days before racing in order to get some training in and find our feet before the regatta kicked off!

Day 1
The first day of qualifying did not go to plan at all. I counted a 24th and an 18th in a fleet where top 10’s were easily attainable and top 5’s were within grasp. It was frustrating to say the least, and I was definitely not in my favoured mindset that evening.

Day 2
Nonetheless, I shifted my focus back to the job in hand and left day 1 behind. Day two was a better day, with me counting a 12th and a 13th, which left me 34th overall. I still wasn’t where I wanted to be, but it was a big jump from where I was which got me pumped for the rest of the regatta.

Day 3
Day 3 was the last day of qualifying for Gold and Silver fleet. Although I knew within myself I should have been higher up the fleet, the reality of the situation was that I was treading on the line between gold and silver. If I put in similar or better results than the previous day then I would move up again, closer to where I wanted to be. After 2 races in glamour conditions I scored a 13th and a 10th, which placed me in 28th overnight and in gold fleet.

Day 4
The first day of gold fleet racing was a good one, and I was feeling race sharp and fast. We had 2 races with the wind coming off shore. The race course was predominantly left hand favoured with the wind funnelling down a valley off Båstad. I clocked onto the gain feature early on and was able to capitalise on it with a reasonable amount of success throughout the races. I scored a 15th and a 14th which put me 23rd.

Day 5
The penultimate day started off with a postponement due to lack of wind. We had a light breeze blowing onshore that slowly picked up during the afternoon. After a couple of hours waiting around we managed to launch and sail 1 race in 5-10 knots. It was an interesting race with the top two boats coming from the far right and the far left on the first beat. I was able to slot myself into the top 10 at the windward mark before the wind lightened off. On the second lap the wind shut off and I found myself in a large clump of boats which dropped me down to 20th. I finished the fifth day in 25th overall.

Day 6
The final day was dominated by very unstable conditions. There were numerous squalls passing over the night before with massive amounts of rain and substantial increases in wind. But our race was relatively stable considering the conditions. We launched on time for our first race, and after a short postponement due to a large wind shift we got underway. I strung together a solid first beat but I wasn’t able to hold my position for the remainder of the race, I finished up 22nd.

After a 3 hour wait for the other fleets to finish and the race committee to rotate the course we eventually found ourselves lining up for a second time. It was an interesting race to say the least, I sailed the first beat on the back foot after a poor start and rounded the windward mark in around 20th. On the second leg we were being chased by a huge black (and I don’t just mean dark grey - I mean BLACK) rain cloud. We rounded the reach mark for the first downwind leg and it hit us. The rain pelted down like bullets, the wind swung right and picked up to around 25-30knots. There were a lot of people deciding to take a dip and a huge pile up of 4 or 5 boats at the leeward mark. This was good for me, I rounded the mark with no issues and sailed my self into the top 10. I kept the stick in air for the remainder of the race before getting to the final leg of the course. The finish line eventually came into view through the rain and they were waving the flag signalling to us that they had abandoned our race. Very frustrating, but what can you do.  It was a fun race to finish up the championship!

Looking back on the event it was enjoyable. Although not the outcome I wanted at all, it was a nice end to my Under 21 career. The regatta presented us with a range of conditions which were all tricky in their own ways. There was good things and bad things, a lot of bad things; but that just means more room for improvement over the winter period!  Kudos to the lads at the front of the fleet, and to the organisers for putting on a great event!

Thanks for reading,

Lewis

Standerd U21 Results:

http://seglarveckanbastad.se/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/laseru21m2018.pdf

UK NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS

The UK Nationals finally fell in line with my calendar this year, and it’s a good job they did because it was a great event! We completed 10 out of the 12 scheduled races and had an abundance of wind and sunshine when we were on the water.

We launched for the first days racing in glamour conditions and sailed 2 races beyond the breakwater. I scored a 6th in the first race and won the second race, which put me 2nd overall going into day 2.

The second day was quiet on the sailing front. Due to a lack of wind on the race course, the committee made the decision at 3.30 to postpone racing until the next day.

The lack of racing the previous day meant that we were scheduled for 3 races instead of 2 on day three. With good, steady wind we completed all 3 with ease. Unfortunately, on the first race I missed out on a gain feature towards the top right of the beat and slipped down the fleet to 15th. In the remaining two races I scored a 4th and a 7th, which ranked me 4th on the overall rankings.

Another three races were scheduled for day 4 in order to get us back on track. With yet more champagne sailing conditions, it was a stunning day on the water. I topped it off with some reasonable results; I placed 2nd, 4th, and 6th in the 3 races which kept me in 4th overall.

Unfortunately sailing on day 5 was once again not to be as the race committee decided to postpone racing until the final day. However, it wasn’t all bad as we had a gala dinner that evening! It was unusual to see everyone suited and booted instead of in the usual sailing kit! 

The final day involved 2 races, the first with steady wind and a certain degree of predictability. But race 2 was a different story. We started the race in around 7 knots before it shut off entirely. Our first leg, which is usually 10-15 minutes, lasted a lengthy 30 minutes! Our course was shortened on the 3rd leg to enable us to finish within the time limit. Not the best of conditions to finish the week off with, but that didn’t detract from the sunshine we had had all week. I scored a 2nd in race one and a shoddy 14th in race two. This kept me in 4th overall in what was a brilliant week of racing.

After the Nationals had finished it was time for a short break before getting prepared for the Under 21 European Championships towards the end of August.

Thanks for reading!

Lewis

Standard Results:

https://www.kbsuk.com/laser/events/showrace.asp?EventID=107&RaceURL=%5Bresults%5D/stdnats.18nh.html

U21 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS

l'll be honest, it wasn't the easiest regatta I’ve competed in.  The hardest aspect to deal with was by far the strategical challenges and in particular the mental toll that these took. You start to question yourself a lot more when you make numerous wrong decisions, and it was really hard to keep the confidence up during the event and bounce back.  I've had some time at home to reflect back on the event, and this is what I thought...

It was a tough regatta, with the majority of competitors scoring highly throughout the week.  Unfortunately, through my own errors I picked up a black flag disqualification on day 2 which put me into silver fleet for the second half of the week.  I then picked up my second yellow flag of the regatta on a recalled start, the penalty of which is to retire from the race.  With the regatta only allowing 1 race to be discarded, I was forced to count my retirel (a wholesome 70 points!).

Despite all those bad points, there were some good points too. I had one day during the regatta where I smashed my strategy. I felt fast and my race plans were piecing together. However, despite my best efforts, one of those races was unfortunately the black flag disqualification that I picked up.  But black flags aside, there are big positives to take from that day alone.  It was a day where no plan was a good plan, in the pre-start of both races there was no obvious gain features.  Go with what you know, not what you think was the best plan of action.  I decided to start in the middle of the line to keep my options open and kept my eyes out of the boat to lock onto the first gain.  And lo and behold, in both races, the wind filled in towards the top right of the beat and I was able to use it to my advantage.  It was one of the more unpredictable days, so I was happy to be able to show some form, despite the letters on my score card…

With all that being said I have learned a great deal from the event, particularly how to effectively carry out weather analysis by taking it one step further and linking it to my race plan.  Onwards and upwards!

Thanks for reading,

Lewis

Under 21 Gold Results:

https://gdyniasailingdays.org/en/results/laseru21/men

Under 21 Silver Results:

https://gdyniasailingdays.org/en/results/laseru21/men-silver