Finn qualifiers

Chris Brittle comes out on top of this weekend's racing at Warsash Sailing Club reports Phil Laycock

The final World Championship qualification event for the Finn class was held at Warsash Sailing Club on what turned out to be quite a miserable weekend. This was the culmination of a year’s sailing and with two more events left early in 2005 the battle for places was getting very tight.

28 Finns were on the start line, which is more than anyone can remember at a Finn event since the 80s. The class is currently booming with several of the country’s top sailors borrowing boats for a taste of Olympic sailing and others simply drawn to the competition that currently exists within the Finn class..

Racing was delayed on Saturday and in freezing conditions with hardly any wind the fleets eventually launched and sailed out of the Hamble to the race area. After a general recall and a further opportunity to really ice up, the Finns eventually got away. There was a twist in the line and with everyone bunched at the committee boat it was Jim Hunt, Simon Childs and Phil Laycock who started at the pin end and got to the windward mark in that order with Ed Wright and Chris Brittle breaking from the pack on the right to chase. The runs were tight and the subsequent beats were very shifty. Ed eventually broke clear to win from Chris Brittle with Jim Hunt in third place in his first Finn race, Alan Burrell and Simon Childs were next home.

The wind was beginning to pick up to 9/10 knots and but light fading there was time for only one more race which in a much steadier wind was comfortably won by Matt Howard followed home by Jim Hunt, Tim Carver and Dave McGregor.

The race officer chose to wait nearly an hour for the shifting wind to settle which it did and then it subsequently died to leave a fluctuating 2/3 knots and a very strong tide. A general recall was inevitable and on the second start the smart boats tacked out hard right into the tide. Graham Page went furthest right and found breeze which he carried into the windward mark with a healthy lead from Chris Brittle and the chasing pack of 5 boats. Ed Greig and Tim Carver both had an excellent run to join the leaders but after the second beat the wind died and the boats inched towards the finish line against the tide. It took forever and with the jury boat in evidence watching how many gybes Ed and Tim could actually manage in 10 minutes. There were surprisingly no flags and Chris Brittle eventually won from Ed Greig with Graham Page in third. Ed Wright managed fourth place to clinch second overall. Jim Hunt clawed his way back up to 9th after he was yellow flagged by the jury for a rule 42 infringement and this was enough for him to finish third overall.

Winter training beckons before the series concludes next year at Weymouth and Queen Mary.

Results

1st Chris Brittle
2nd Ed Wright
3rd Jim Hunt
4th Tim Carver
5th Matt Howard