Yaverland Sailing and Boat Club: Sport Nationals
Friday 19th - Sunday 21st May 2017

The 2017 Sprint 15 Sports National Championships, sponsored by Wightlink Ferries and Spinlock were held at the Yaverland Sailing and Boating Club, under the organisation of Shanklin Sailing Club on the Isle of Wight on the 19th to 21st May. With a total of 32 boats taking part, racing took place in the English Channel just south of the Isle of Wight.

Friday’s first race got away on time featuring an inverted P course, set parallel to the shore in a force 5, south-western direction wind. Sam Heaton was first around the windward mark, closely followed by Paul Grattage, Sean and Sophia McKenna and Ed Dalton. They were closely pursued by Andrew Jefferies and Fraser Manning. With positions constantly changing in the freshening breeze the finishing order was Grattage, Heaton, and the McKenna duo.           

Friday’s second race saw Grattage, Heaton, and the McKennas leading the fleet at the end of the first lap with the very dynamic (as he likes to be known) Liam Thom snapping at their heels like a demented Jack Russell, once again conditions played havoc with the fleet in the ensuing laps keeping the rescue boats busy. Finishing order was first Heaton, second Grattage and third Manning.

Saturday saw an increase in wind speed; it was now up to “a strong breeze”, force 6 with 27 knots recorded at the Shanklin weather station. 32 boats started on the box configuration course but were very spread out by the time they reached the windward mark. With several capsizes the rescue facilities were keep on their toes but the classic capsize, and with no rescue boat around, was Grattage, well in the lead and with only one more buoy to round, he pitch poled, and although he managed to right the thing in quick time, he was overtaken by the McKennas. Finishing order this time being, the McKennas, Grattage and Heaton.

Race two on Saturday saw 25 boats start, and with one so eager that they started 55 seconds before any of the others, at the end of the first lap Manning was in the lead with the dynamic duo about 50 metres behind, and once again Heaton hovering like a vulture behind them. At the end of the second lap and with just one tack to make, Manning capsized allowing Heaton to take the win with the McKennas second and Grattage third.  

Only 17 boats ventured out for the afternoon race, North Devon Yacht Club’s Keith Heason and David Grant were well placed along with John Manning from Beaver Sailing Club. Once again there were numerous capsizes and a few retirements. Grattage won with Heaton second with Frazer Manning third.

Sunday saw a complete change in wind conditions, a very balmy force 2 to 3, initially from the south-east. With a strong ebb tide flowing setting the course proved challenging as the wind direction was constantly shifting, eventually settling from the east. With the old Olympic course configuration set up, 31 boats started and mainly headed along the shore to escape the tide. It was only possible to complete one round of the course in the recommended time, Grattage crossed the line first, Manning second and Jefferies third.

The final race of the weekend started with some match racing tactics between Heaton and Grattage with Fraser Manning also getting caught up in the antics. Heaton managed to push Grattage and Manning over the line before the start but was himself then forced over, Manning redeemed himself perfectly and broke free from warring pair. At the finish it was the McKenna pair first, Manning second and Mark Pritchard from Shanklin third.  

Overall results first Paul Grattage, second Sam Heaton third, Sophia and Sean McKenna, Junior Cup Hector Bunclark of North Devon Yacht Club, Ladies Trophy Yvonne Pike of Shanklin Sailing Club, the Sixty Plus Cup John Manning , Erling Holmberg from Shanklin Sailing Club won the Fat Gits, sorry Heavyweights Cup and Andrew Jefferies and Chris Murphy the Pro/Am Trophy.

Report by Keith Newnham
Pictures by Alan and Mary Howie-Wood




Results:

Click for: Full Results with all Sub-Competitions

OVERALL RESULTS
Competitors Races - 7 of 7 Sailed (No. of Discards: 2) Event Placings
Name Sail ClubRace 1Race 2Race 3Race 4Race 5Race 6Race 7Points Place
Paul Grattage1944Shanklin Sailing Club1 2 2 3 1 1 8 71
Sam Heaton1972North Devon Yacht Club2 1 3 1 2 6 7 92
Sean McKenna & Sophia McKenna2018Shanklin Sailing Club3 4 1 2 33 DNC4 1 113
Fraser Manning1977North Devon Yacht Club4 3 4 10 3 2 2 144
Ed Tuite Dalton1940Draycote Water Sailing Club5 5 7 5 4 12 24 265
Chris Murphy1770Shanklin Sailing Club18 17 6 8 5 9 4 326
Liam Thom1957Shanklin Sailing Club6 6 5 7 21 DNF10 10 347
Andrew Jefferies1952Shanklin Sailing Club7 21 15 6 6 3 22 378
Mark Pritchard1979Shanklin Sailing Club16 11 10 12 33 DNC5 3 419
Anthony Gray1893North Devon Yacht Club9 8 9 4 21 DNF15 17 4510
Stuart Pierce642Shanklin Sailing Club14 12 11 15 9 11 5 4811
John Manning1955Beaver Sailing Club10 7 13 9 10 14 14 4912
David Grant1943North Devon Yacht Club15 9 25 14 7 22 13 5813 ¹
Erling Holmberg1211Shanklin Sailing Club17 10 12 16 33 DNC8 12 5814 ¹
Keith Heason1424North Devon Yacht Club14 14 17 11 8 16 20 6315
David Groom1714Christchurch Sailing Club8 13 14 33 DNC33 DNC18 11 6416
Wayne Silver1841North Devon Yacht Club22 15 8 13 33 DNC30 23 8117
Jeremy Rowe1500North Devon Yacht Club19 18 33 DNF19 21 DSQ17 9 8218 ¹
Liam Bunclark1849North Devon Yacht Club12 22 20 17 13 20 21 8219 ¹
Ian Wilkinson1862Shanklin Sailing Club20 16 19 28 RAF12 19 16 8220 ¹
Tony Murrant1970Shanklin Sailing Club21 30 DNF21 18 11 25 15 8621
John Shenton1956Shanklin Sailing Club28 33 DNC27 22 33 DNC13 6 9622
Hector Bunclark1906North Devon Yacht Club24 20 22 28 DNF33 DNC7 31 10123
Mark Randerson94Shanklin Sailing Club23 19 18 21 21 DNF26 25 10224
Ian Mounce1951North Devon Yacht Club11 30 DNF28 33 DNC33 DNC21 18 10825
Keith Chidwick1840Queen Mary Sailing Club27 30 DNF24 20 14 28 28 11326
Nick Day1888North Devon Yacht Club29 30 DNF26 23 15 23 29 11627
Brandon Holmberg1636Shanklin Sailing Club25 30 DNF23 28 DNF33 DNC29 19 12428
Bob Baker1926Shanklin Sailing Club33 DNC33 DNC16 33 DNC21 DNF33 DNC33 DNC13629
Harry Vernon1907Shanklin Sailing Club32 DSQ23 29 24 33 DNC31 30 13730
Richard Beasley1843Shanklin Sailing Club26 30 DNF31 33 DNC33 DNC27 27 14131
Yvonne Pike1220Shanklin Sailing Club30 33 DNC30 33 DNC33 DNC24 26 14332