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Firefly National Championships 2024 at Restronguet Sailing Club - Overall

by Alex Baxter 3 Aug 04:32 PDT 27 July - 2 August 2024

The Final Race of the 78th Firefly Nationals at Restronget Sailing Club brought wind, finally! The race officer set the alarm early to attempt to complete a full series. With a brisk and shifty force three, the fleet was finally ready to stretch its legs.

At the beginning of the day, there was much to play for, with five points separating the top four boats. Jono Pank and Helena Lucas led overnight from Steve Tylecote and Tasha Hughes. What happened to many across the fleet could only be described as 'emotional'.

Race 7

The race started with a sprightly 10-15 mph breeze, a shock to the fleet after the light wind week.

Ben Lumby and Liz Evens had a healthy lead at the windward mark from student pair Gordon Cogan Sivarajan and Lizzy Linsdell. The first beat was very shifty and tricky, with many pairs thinking they were in it only for the wind gods to bring them back in.

Downwind, many teams went low, but the 'high' mode paid off, with Guy Davison and Sally Wakefield, Alex Baxter, and Ella Vincent sailing through on reach one, overtaking Gordon, Will Pank, and Steve Carver, whilst Jamie Tylecote and Alice Lucy consolidated second.

Eventually, Stuart and Lizzie Hudson had 'appeared' downwind. Up the second beat, it was nip-and-tuck, with Guy, Sally, and Jamie fighting it out for second, while Alex Baxter and Ella fought closely for third, before Steve enacted dark art mark roundings and secured themselves fourth spot.

Down the run, Ben and Liz were clear from Jamie and Alice, with Guy firmly in third. Nigel and Emily had appeared, with Stuart just ahead of the pack of Alex/Ella, Steve/Tash, and Will/Steve. Ultimately, the top three places were assured, but it was close, with 4-8 all very right and jostling gybes down a very shifty run.

It finished Ben/Liz, Jamie/Alice, and Guy/Sally in a very enjoyable Force 3.

Well done to Ben and Liz for proving the pre-event runners and riders accurate!

Race 8

Friday's second race was a holdover race following a bit of rescheduling from a too-light-to-sail moment on Wednesday afternoon. As this was the last race in the championship, it was critical for many. The race got away on a black flag after two previous general recalls because the stakes were high.

Rob and Mel Sherrington in Iris started a third of the way from the pin, heading towards a band of pressure on the left. They tacked to leeward and forward of Jamie and Jo McEwan in Skirmish, who were the first to tack on to port.

The SW wind meant a windward mark off the club moorings and a wide arc for shifts at the top of the course. A building breeze provided full hiking on the beats and planing reaches - at last!

Grasshopper, with Steve Tylecote and Tasha Hughes, and Alarm, with Will Pank and Steve Carver, took a more right-hand side approach, and they all converged on the mark. First Iris, then Alarm, then Grasshopper. By the wing, Stuart and Lizzy Hudson in Fursty Ferret were through to third or second. By the leeward mark, Grasshopper was second... but it would all be about the shifts.

Alarm briefly led ahead of Iris, but Iris rolled them, and they led on the run. Some splitting and then bunching occurred, but Iris led on to the final beat.

Pressure on the sides with leverage and big splits. At the finish, the cross-tide made the lay line tricky to spot. Iris led in from the right to win, followed by Alarm from the left in second, and then Skirmish took third, finding a puff from the right.

Importantly, the chasing pack contained Fursty Ferret, Nigel Wakefield and Emily Saunderson in Tip Top Too and Grasshopper, which would prove vital in determining the event's top placings.

Iris was awarded the Olympic Trophy for this race win.

Overall

The final day of the Nationals proved a big one, with massive shifts and huge wins and losses to be made. We were lucky to ensure that every race was won by a different competitor, showcasing the sheer quality of the fleet and how competitive the racing was.

Overnight leaders Jono and Helena had a tough one after sailing a great regatta otherwise, but unfortunately, counting a black flag from the first race, made inconsistency a challenge.

Many congratulations to Steve and Tash, sailing F3037 'Grasshopper, on winning the Sir Richard Fairy Points Cup and to Tash on claiming the Colin Whittle Trophy for the first crew!l They overcame a rough race to sail a great week right across the wind conditions. The oldies have the victory!

Yet Steve's victory shouldn't only be for his own racing but also for the unbelievable number of Rutland Sailing Club youths (including his own two sons) with whom he successfully won the Tolly Cobbiold Cup for the best 'Club' prize. Not only has Steve claimed yet another success story for himself, but he has also worked magic for the health of the class!

Stuart and Lizzie Hudson, sailing F3850 'Fursty Ferret', took second place. Hud was a very proud 'Dad', and he and Lizzie also claimed the Rothmans Trophy for the best scorecard across all races (practice and crew) without a discard, showcasing how consistent they had been.

Nigel Wakefield and Emily Saunderson took the final podium position in F3007 'Tip Top Too'. Nigel claimed that he 'deteriorated' as the week went on. Still, despite a boat breakage and very difficult conditions, they managed to sail well across the weather conditions and put enough distance between themselves and the other challengers on the final day.

A special mention must also go to Alex and Stella Davey in F2649 'Mustard', who sailed the nationals of their lives to finish fourth. 13-year-old Stella marshalled her dad around all week. They were rudely not included in the runners and riders, and despite a difficult last day, they sailed unbelievably well all week. Alex and Mum Rosie could be seen grinning throughout the prize-giving.

Other important prizes included the Deben Lady's prize for the first female helm, which Jenny Smallwood and Philip Aldous claimed in F3625, 'Squabbling Pheonix'.

The Chris Lynham Trophy for the best under 21, hotly contested this year, was won by Terry and Annabell Hacker in F3871 'Go Ballistic', kindly loaned to them for the week. The Firefly class will always go the extra mile to put youths on the race course!

The Restronget Ovaloid Trophy, for the first under 18 helm, again, more contested than it had been for many years, was won by Toby Smith and Harriet George in F3414 'Tigger' from Royal Hospital School.

Finally, the Stern Light Trophy, for the first institution-owned boat, the backbone of the Firefly Classes' success and popularity, was won by the University of Warwick Pairing of Harris Goodman and Ben Tweedle in F3915 'Bon Journo'. Sponsor Selden kindly gave them a brand-new jib stick to ensure they continue returning!

Many thanks to Restronget Sailing Club for hosting us and for all the volunteers who worked so hard to ensure we got a complete week's sailing in and were well fed and watered throughout the week's tribulations.

Prizes were given out with the generous support of our thanks to our class supporters for their generous support and prizes.

Thanks to our class supporters for their generous support and prizes Marlow Ropes, Craftinsure, Allen Sailing, kSailEvents, Selden Mast, Sailboat Trailers, Ovington Boats.

Overall Results:

PosSail NoBoat NameHelmCrewClubPractice RR1R2R3R4Crews' RR6R5 (Gore)R7R8Pts
1F3037GrasshopperSteve TylecoteTasha ArmstrongRutland SC83918769236431
2F3850Fursty FerretStuart HudsonLizzie HudsonRoyal Lymington YC11244249711542
3F3007Tip Top TooNigel WakefieldEmily SaundersonNetley Sailing Club251873691097843
4F2649MustardAlex DaveyStella DaveyRoyal Harwich YC225657132181951
5F1954PogieJono PankHelena LucasImperial Poona YC3569314164241658
6F3871Go BallisticTerry HackerAnnabelle HackerRutland SC691422231125141763
7F3764Tic TacJamie TylecoteAlice LucyRutland SC52110516222105269
8F3695Officer DibbleAngus CookLucie HopkinsCastaways246221686911581569
9F999AlarmWilliam PankSteve CarverNBYC ‑ UEA sailing club441819151316112773
10F3318LynestraGuy DavisonSally WakefieldLlangorse and Netley S C125937146923169379
11F3617IrisRob SherringtonMel SherringtonOCSS910199206952211882
12F3615SkirmishJamie McEwenBen McEwenRoyal Lymington YC1625353411173631294
13F2937SmuttyChris KameenJenny JohnsonImperial Poona Yacht Club71973181823263597
14F3671Purple DorisBen TylecoteLucy CoxRutland SC2715112162813469997
15F4220ScruffyGordon Cogan SivarajanLizzy LinsdellOCSS2118281210698291213101
16F2659KongBen LumbyLiz EvansRestronguet SC64432204569715101129
17F3154Gemini TooDom JohnsonSophia JohnsonWest Kirby Sailing Club23171310216929331329132
18F4444FournicationAlex BaxterElla VincentOCSS1043171117692717416136
19F3625Squabbling PhoenixJenny SmallwoodPhilip AldhousOCSS118262833319272010138
20F3414TiggerToby SmithHarriet GeorgeRoyal Hospital School202463125152682332143
21F973SpiderlingDavid SincockBetty SincockRestronguet SC14112040136940261420144
22F3023Fourwood ThinkingBarney SmithAlannah HebbertHamble River Sailing Club1933336292428201914146
23F3119HorrorRoger MorrisIzzy BrethertonRoyal Lymington YC69691217246924212926153
24F2065BonkersJason AldousJosephine MasonPapercourt sailing club1372715376917183457155
25F1384PoohThomas DaveyCameron BowdenRoyal Hospital School189144726921192741157
26F3874TarantellaWilliam McEwenRobbie HudsonRoyal Lymington YC45264832392114122144188
27F3609ShockerAngus ArmstrongPoppy ArmstrongWest Kirby Sailing Club30324413191912286948196
28F2502CycloneSophia HulbertAlan HulbertRestronguet SC3222322181644424527198
29F1867CumulusSteven GreavesJane HudsonRoyal Lymington YC69234029121836322840200
30F1979The Winter of DiscontentHarry RowlandsHarry BurgeRutland SC69453123566950141630209
31F2012KEMBen PymSarah HickmanRORC69345118362237691524215
32F3690MutsyRosie DaveyJessica GreenRoyal Harwich YC22132451476941133149218
33F4000WalrusWill MasonAmy BowdenBurghfield SC32351545461239243531224
34F2294NerapiThommie GritHannah CroganNBYC ‑ UEA sailing club37304939523215253038226
35F2925DignitySebi SchmidtClaudia BazykPenzance Sailing Club28202156552620473828229
36F3095MensongeChristian GuyIona SherwoodCastaways69694626433431392533243
37F3288TinkerbellEllen MorleySam DernieCUCrC26275050302548303921245
38F2485FuryLuke RowlandsJude BeattyRutland SC31282941222333455450248
39F4125ThreshdarJoe ScarboroughJames NicollWest Oxfordshire SC42333825403134554634250
40F3801FriedaDamian BorehamToby SherringtonChew Valley Lake Sailing Club41163442496953463237256
41F888DesparadoDylan BeattyOliver McKeeRutland Sailing Club6937393031532496939257
42F3739WillowLucy BorehamRachel CrebbinChichester Yacht club44563643282935433345263
43F3713Barry GirlEdward MorrisDominic BowdenSpinnaker Sailing Club33314748616949372243277
44F4234VaderIzzy JohnsonAnna MorrisWest Kirby Sailing Club17414138516943514223279
45F3677Wiki WikiHugh TomkinsHelen JonesOCSS36383027586951444051281
46F3741Ma HonArthur GreavesWilliam McEwenRoyal Lymington YC696969699104365642285
47F2587Chi ChiRichard WhitefootElizabeth WhitefootNorfolk Broads YC46494346381438414836290
48F3550Water SpiderEwan McLellanJonquil HackenbergImperial Poona YC69692569696969311711291
49F4400SwaggleErin PankCharlie PhillipsCastle Cove SC38521633546957573746295
50F3556HushTed AshworthIsla ArmstrongNetley SC69465614346947506955302
51F3133ThermopylaeAmy MorrisGilly PhillipsRoyal Lymington YC69696969446930403625313
52F3554StrigaJames BallFreya HalsallWest Oxfordshire Sailing Club1542425427642386969314
53F339MazurkaEllie MaynardCharlie WhelanBurghfield SC43545224413560494753320
55F900KingfisherAnnabel CaldecottGeorgiana CaldecottRutland34476952502745534459350
54F2900SnarkAndrew MckeeAbigail MckeeRutland SC29296969323869356947350
56F2525HookeyGideon SherwoodBen SherwoodDell Quay Sailing Club47405844483046596958353
57F3610SerenityNoa MoskovitchGabs BurltonRoyal Lymington YC69696969352069524322359
58F3476AtalantaMaddie GreavesPolly MasonRoyal Lymington YC52575535576952586954368
59F3837CalypsoFiona TylecoteJane HutchinsRutland SC48513749426969546969371
60F3820Silly GooseChloe HardingGeorgia EvansNBYC ‑ UEA Sailing Club40484553643656605556373
61F3957MaccatooAndrew RobsonNaomi RichardsonWest Oxfordshire SC39505962594155655052387
62F3915Bon JournoHarris GoodmanBen TweedleUniversity of Warwick SC50365361653769644963391
63F8FateGuy EnglishBecca ScouseRestronguet SC69535459536969615161392
64F400TBCMatthew MasonDan CowleyHayling Island SC53586055636959625260406
65F3916ThatcherFfion MorganAlex Long‑WeatherUniversity of Warwick SC51596260604054635362410
66F3893Rockin RobinAnna KennedyJames KennedyKeyhaven Yacht Club49555757623961566969417
67F4378PixieLouise WoodleyCaitlin KentNBYC ‑ UEA sailing club54606158663358665764424
68F2100Old PineDavid ChisholmAlex BaroneHISC69696969696969696969483

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