Season opener

Round one of the RYA Olympic Classes Spring Series took place this weekend in Weymouth

Hannah Mills and Katrina Hughes got their 2009 season off to a winning start with 470 Women’s victory at the year’s opening RYA Olympic Classes Spring Series event this weekend (14 – 15 March) at Weymouth and Portland Sailing Academy.

Mills and Hughes, who ended last season having claimed the 470 Junior World title and the RYA National Ranking Series crown, enjoyed a Spring Series ding-dong battle with the new pairing of Beijing 2008 Olympians Penny Clark and Saskia Clark at Weymouth and Portland National Academy.

For Penny Clark, who sailed in the Laser Radial class at last year’s Olympics, and Saskia Clark, who crewed for Christina Bassadone in China, the Spring Series opener acted as their first competitive outing following their announcement last month they would be campaigning together for London 2012.

But despite pleasingly finishing in the top two in each of their six races, Team Clark had to settle for second spot overall as Mills/Hughes narrowly edged victory with three races wins to Team Clark’s two.

Compulsory for all Skandia Team GBR Development and Transition squad members, racing was contested across six classes with the event giving experienced Olympic Classes sailors the chance to enjoy some early season high-quality competitive racing plus also handing younger sailors the opportunity to race in their new Olympic class while competing with Olympic and World medallists.

Reigning National Ranking Series Finn champion Giles Scott also picked up from where he left off with a comfortable Spring Series I success. Scott scored three race wins to see off Mark Andrews by two points while Skandia Team GBR Development Squad sailor of the Year Andrew Mills took third.

Athens 2004 bronze medal-winning windsurfer Nick Dempsey scored first place in the RS:X 9.5 with Skandia Team GBR Development Squad duo Elliot Carney and Richard Hamilton claiming second and third. Meanwhile in the Open RS:X 8.5 event, 2008 RS:X Youth Europeans boys’ silver medallist Ali Masters finished top of the pile with Bryony Shaw, Beijing 2008 bronze medal winner, in second.

Double Olympic silver medallist Nick Rogers, with new crew for 2009 Pom Green, warmed up for next month’s Princess Sofia Trophy Regatta in Palma, with 470 Men’s victory. Notably third place in the class went to Ben Saxton and David Kohler, both RYA Youth National 420 champions with different partners in the past two years, who were competing in their first Olympic Classes event as a pair.

Also making his Olympic Classes debut at Weymouth and Portland was 2008 29er ISAF Youth Worlds, European and RYA Youth National champion helm James Peters, who has now moved up to the 49er. The 16-year-old from Hayling Island, sailing with Dicken Maclean, finished eighth overall while Ed Fitzgerald, who shared Peters’ success as crew last year, took ninth with Max Richardson, the current Under 19 World 29er champion helm.

The 49er class was won by Paul Brotherton, who coached Sarah Ayton, Sarah Webb and Pippa Wilson to Beijing Yngling gold last summer, and Stuart Bithell with John Pink and Rick Peacock second.

The second RYA Olympic Classes Spring Series regatta takes place at Hayling Island SC on 16-17 April.

Simon Hiscocks reports on the 49ers

The RYA national ranking series got underway at the Weymouth and Portland Sailing Academy this weekend. A small but competitive fleet with a surprisingly high standard gathered for what proved to be some of the best racing seen in the UK for quite some time.

Some could be forgiven for thinking that Paul Brotherton was starting a 49er come back having competed at the sail for gold last year. Winning the Inland championships and having been practising in the run up to this event. However he repeatedly claims he is doing it for fun - who isn’t? It says a lot for the allure of high performance skiff racing that the teams have been out on the water getting some practise in specifically for this event.

The sailing academy was a busy place with the rest of the Olympic classes as well as 420 selection trials and the junior classes all out training. It is testament to the academy that they handle this many boats and people quite effortlessly. Whilst the new site layout with all the boats rigging and launching in front of the academy building creates a real event atmosphere.

Saturdays racing was lacking for nothing but excitement with Northerly winds varying in strength between 12 and 20 knots there were some exciting downwind legs and plenty of place changes throughout the fleet. Brotherton sailing with Stuart Bithell proved their class in these conditions to post a consistent score line with a string of second places, closely followed by John Pink and Rick Peacock with a string of thirds. Dylan Fletcher and Alan Sign took another race win, but Simon Hiscocks and Jonny Clegg took the other two races to equal Paul and Stu’s points.

So it was all to play for going into Sundays final two races. Light breezes soon turned into a decent 10 knot sea breeze yet it was Paul and Stu who sailed away into the lead in the first race to effectively wrap up the series. Pinky and Rick finally found the form that has seen them medal at the last three International events to take the last race and the runners up spot. Dylan and Alan continued there consistent series to nail third place but only just ahead of the quickly improving Chris Rashley and Matt Gotrel.

James Peters and Dicken Maclean and Max Richardson and Ed Fitzgerald just out of an inspiring few seasons in the 29er were certainly treated to a quality display of sailing from Paul and Stu but they all found their feet by the end with solid final races. Both these teams managing to stay in front of Laser radial champion Ben Paton and Adam Hilton who in turn managed to hold off Phil Sharp and Nick Murray who perhaps still find the races a bit shorter than he is used too.

First non squad, non 29er legends were Daniel Hare and Jamie Hare in 10th place runners up in this division Peter Lawrence and Miles Blavermann.

The 49er program moves on to Rutland next weekend 21,22 March with the rest of the 9er fleet. All the 9er events will be raced with the old rigs and this will continue throughout the year. The next ranking event at Hayling in May will be in the new carbon rig. With the Nationals at Hayling in August and a 9er open the preceding weekend the old rigs will be encouraged to attend and special prizes will be awarded for first teams in the old rigs.

2009 RYA Olympic Classes Spring Series I results (WPNSA)

470 Women:
1) Hannah Mills / Katrina Hughes
2) Penny Clark / Saskia Clark
3) Sophie Weguelin / Sophie Ainsworth

470 Men:
1) Nick Rogers / Pom Green
2) Neil Marsden / Ian Dobson
3) Ben Saxton / David Kohler

Finn:
1) Giles Scott
2) Mark Andrews
3) Andrew Mills

RS:X 9.5 (Men)
1) Nick Dempsey
2) Elliot Carney
3) Richard Hamilton

RS:X 8.5 (Open)
1) Ali Masters
2) Bryony Shaw
3) Beth Williamson

49er
1) Paul Brotherton / Stuart Bithell
2) John Pink / Rick Peacock
3) Dylan Fletcher / Alain Sign