Base 1 closes

On penultimate dat of the Radii 18ft skiff nationals

The second day of the 2006 Radii 18ft Skiff UK Nationals and British Grand Prix dawned cold and grey BUT with a decent breeze. Fortified by the previous evening’s barbeque courtesy of event sponsors Radii Ltd the fleet headed out for four races on a windward-leeward course set in Portland Harbour.

The first two races belonged to Rob Dulson, Paul Constable and Alec Mckinlay on Base 1 who showed excellent boat speed in the stronger breeze and lead both from start to finish. The fleet were uncharacteristically aggressive at the starts with several boats flagged OCS in both races - sign of the competitiveness of this fleet. Overnight leaders Andy Richards, Andy Fairley and Alex Tobutt on Radii were one of those penalised in the first race and were unable to recover from their restart. Danish team Fleming Clausen, Thomas Ebler and Anders Strume on GP Covers resumed where they left off with a second in the first race but sailed through the line in fourth position in the second race to the ominous sound of silence having been over at the start and not returned.

Peter Barton, Martin Borrett and Ian Turnbull on Barron and Smithers took another third in the first race after a hard fought gybing match on the last run with Fat Face (Tim Penfold, Matt Alvarado and Will Penfold). Scottish team Martin Goodlad, Johnny Aikman and Roy Goodlad on Alba Marine showed they were getting to grips with their new boat with a second in the second race of the day just holding off Fatface on the final gybe to the line.

The breeze softened slightly for the third and fourth races and Radii showed that this was their wind strength, starting the third race from the favoured pin end and sailing away to win by a huge margin. The fourth and final race of the day, shortened to three laps for the sake of the now tired and aching crews, was also Radii’s. Ed Brown, Graham Oliver and Mark Addison on SELS, after a morning spent tuning their rig, reaped the reward of their hard work with two second places, leading the final race for some time before misjudging a gybe to let Radii through. GP Covers kept up the chase for a podium place in the Grand Prix with a third in the third race and Pica (James Mears, Andy Ramus and Andy Mears) showed good speed to hold off Base 1 for third.

So after seven races Radii have consolidated their position at the top of the leader board but have shown they are by no means unbeatable, Base 1 in second have closed the gap slightly but will need a very strong performance tomorrow to take the title. Two more races are scheduled tomorrow to decide the winner of the Ovington Cup.

UK Nationals overall

1 Radii 1, 2, 1, (6), 5, 1, 1 – 11pts
2 Base 1 3, 3, 3, 1, 1, (8), 4 – 15pts
3 Fatface 2, 1, (7), 3, 3, 5, 5 – 19pts
4 Barron and Smithers 4, 5, 2, 2, (7) 3, 6 – 22pts
5 SELS 6, 4, (12), 4, 4, 2, 2 – 22pts

British Grand Prix Overall

1 Radii GBR 1, 2, 1, (6), 5, 1, 1 – 11pts
2 Base 1 GBR 3, 3, 4, 1, 1, (8), 4 – 16pts
3 Fatface GBR 2, 1, (8), 4, 3, 6, 6 – 22pts
4 GP Covers DEN 6, 4, 2,2, (15), 3, 5 – 22pts
5 SELS GBR 7, 5, (15), 5, 4, 2, 2 – 25pt

More photos on page 2...