Astral Azure 2000 class National Championship at the Royal Torbay Yacht Club - Overall
by Pete Vincent 12 Aug 06:54 PDT
5-9 August 2024
After the lay day and the exceptional Noble Marine young sailors fish and chip supper, which was a tour de force, Thursday dawned a little dodgy. Torbay was not looking at its best, totally grey, very low cloud, constant rain showers scudding through and at times poor visibility. Paignton frequently completely disappeared which many of the RTYC volunteers believed vastly improved the situation. There was also a little matter of a fairly breezy forecast.
But none of this was going to stop 2000 sailors and far more importantly the RTYC race team. The brilliant PRO Bob Penfold got his team out on the course area early and quickly reported the breeze was pretty stable from the SW at around 14-18 knots with the odd tiny excursion into 20 knots so the fleet launched for what proved a major epic day.
After mounting the pin end boat on race 6 Ollie Groves and Esther Parkhurst knew they had no room for error now but sailed a majestic faultless day to win both races in fine style. Also on top form were Ed and Andy Connellan who pushed Ollie/Esther throughout to finish 2nd in race 7 and then won a full on very tight fight with Matt Sargent/Zak Mitchell to claim 2nd in race 8. Matt/Zak had met for the first time on Saturday and clearly time in the boat was showing with a fine Thursday; 3rd also in race 7 they climbed to 3rd overall.
With one day to go the overall was seriously tight throughout the fleet. 1st and 2nd overall were separated by 2 points, 3rd/4th overall were on the same points, 5th to 10th covered by 5 points and the top 5 in the Bronze fleet covered by 4 points. After a dodgy weather day on Thursday Torbay produced for the Friday. It was if Carlsberg did final days at Championships this was it; sunshine, blue skies, 10-15 knots from WSW, spot on race management and ear to ear smiles.
Race 9 and Ollie/Esther led from mark 1 just ahead of the Connellan's and Pete Vincent/Sophie Bentley. After 2 more laps Ollie/Esther were still in the lead but could not shake off Pete/Sophie who then hooked into a little bit of extra pressure in the final quarter of the last run to get the overlap at the final leeward mark to win. The Connellan's were 3rd with Adrian/Ros Stell having a fine championship in 4th. The final race felt a carbon copy with the same 3 boats in the same order at the first mark but this time Ollie/Esther marshalled the fleet well to score a fine win to take overall victory at be crowned the Astral Azure 2024 2000 National Champions.
Huge vote of thanks to Astral Azure overall sponsors and the fine support from Lakes Mortgages, West Country Boat Repairs and Noble Marine.
It was an extremely happy 2000 fleet that gathered for the final overall prize-giving; beaming faces, red noses spoke a 1000 words. Other prizes winners were:
- 1st Grandmaster Alan Goule (Paignton SC)
- 1st Youth Helm Jacob Allen (Cardiff Bay YC)
- 1st Newcomers Oliver and Elliott Thompson (West Riding SC)
- Family/Junior Jonathan and Louisa Ching (Weir Wood SC)
- Top Club RNSA
- 1st Silver division Oliver and Elliott Thompson (West Riding SC)
- 1st Bronze division Alan Goule Cathy Stevens (Paignton SC)
With immense gratitude to all the RTYC volunteers who made the 25th anniversary Nationals such a triumph.
Overall Results:
Pos | Fleet | Boat Name | Sail No | Helm | Crew | Club | R1 | R2 | R3 | R4 | R5 | R6 | R7 | R8 | R9 | R10 | Pts |
1st | Open | | 2321 | Ollie Groves | Esther Parkhurst | Beaver SC | ‑3 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | ‑8 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 12 |
2nd | Open | tbc | 22667 | Ed Connellan | Andy Connellan | RNSA & MNSC | 1 | ‑11 | 2 | ‑5 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 16 |
3rd | Open | the good the petite and the ugly | 22713 | Peter Vincent | Sophie Supercrew Bentley | Llandegfedd and Lee on Soloent | 4 | 2 | 3 | ‑8 | 7 | 5 | 4 | ‑10 | 1 | 3 | 29 |
4th | Open | | 2355 | Matt Sargent | Zak Mitchell | Army Sailing Association | ‑13 | 8 | 6 | 10 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 3 | ‑13 | 4 | 39 |
5th | Open | Juliette | 22504 | Adrian Stell | Ros Stell | HISC | ‑9 | ‑10 | 4 | 1 | 5 | 9 | 6 | 8 | 4 | 6 | 43 |
6th | Open | Two Peachy Cheeks | 22722 | Jonathan Ching | Louisa Ching | Weirwood SC | 2 | 7 | 7 | 3 | 6 | ‑10 | 8 | 9 | ‑11 | 5 | 47 |
7th | Open | Maverick | 22663 | James Whitehead | Alice Moore | RNSA & EXE SC | 10 | 3 | 5 | 7 | ‑11 | 2 | ‑14 | 11 | 8 | 7 | 53 |
8th | Open | | 22676 | Matt Hartley | Caitlan Andrews | Army Sailing Association & Halifax SC | 8 | 5 | 8 | 4 | 12 | 4 | 7 | ‑15 | 6 | ‑14 | 54 |
9th | Open | Shapeshifter | 22696 | Juliet Barnes | Steve Long | Hooe Point Sailing Club | 12 | ‑13 | 10 | 6 | 2 | (OCS) | 5 | 7 | 7 | 10 | 59 |
10th | Open | Resilience | 22674 | Kev O'Brien | Laura Holmes ‑ Short | RAFSA / Snettisham SC | 5 | ‑14 | 9 | 11 | 8 | ‑12 | 12 | 5 | 12 | 12 | 74 |
11th | Open | Dr Lavender | 2204 | Iain Yardley | Sarah Yardley | RYA | 7 | 4 | 13 | ‑19 | 9 | ‑15 | 10 | 12 | 15 | 13 | 83 |
12th | Silver | | 22698 | Oliver Thompson | Elliott Thompson | West Riding Sailing Club | 14 | 9 | ‑18 | 16 | ‑20 | 11 | 15 | 6 | 5 | 16 | 92 |
13th | Open | | 22673 | Edward Dodwell | Ruben dodwell | RAFSA | 15 | 12 | (OCS) | 9 | 14 | 17 | (OCS) | 4 | 14 | 9 | 94 |
14th | Silver | Nemesis | 2598 | Iain Walker | Luca Mitchell | PSC | ‑23 | ‑16 | 15 | 12 | 16 | 13 | 11 | 14 | 9 | 8 | 98 |
15th | Silver | Swordfish | 22564 | Helen Phillips | Andrew Phillips | Cardiff Bay Yacht Club | 19 | 15 | 14 | ‑21 | 10 | 14 | 16 | (DNC) | 19 | 18 | 125 |
16th | Silver | Recycled Harp | 2615 | Martin Elms Elms | Martin Elms and Emily Elms | Thornbury SC / CVLSC | 20 | ‑22 | (OCS) | 13 | 13 | 16 | 17 | 16 | 17 | 15 | 127 |
17th | Silver | Oxsana | 2214 | Magnus Lee | Claire Lee | Keyhaven Yacht Club | 17 | 19 | 20 | 14 | ‑23 | ‑24 | 19 | 13 | 10 | 20 | 132 |
18th | Silver | | 22658 | Imogen Cage‑White | Darren Kirkham | Army Sailing Association | 11 | ‑25 | ‑24 | 22 | 19 | 22 | 13 | 19 | 18 | 17 | 141 |
19th | Open | Ship Faced Again | 22656 | Natalie Johnston | Chris Keatley | RNSA | 6 | 6 | 11 | 17 | 18 | 6 | (DNC) | (DNC) | DNC | DNC | 150 |
20th | Silver | | 22653 | James Clapham | Harry
Beth and Emily Clapham | RTYC | 27 | ‑28 | 12 | 23 | 28 | 19 | 9 | 18 | 27 | (RET) | 163 |
21st | Silver | | 21277 | Jim Ledger | Kate Ledger | Tankerton Bay SC | 21 | 17 | 17 | 15 | 22 | ‑31 | 24 | 24 | ‑28 | 27 | 167 |
22nd | Silver | Chilli | 21059 | Jacob Allen | Clare Allen / Stuart Allen | CBYC | 28 | 18 | 16 | ‑34 | ‑30 | 26 | 20 | 23 | 23 | 21 | 175 |
23rd | Silver | | 22730 | Dirk Meyer | Leif Meyer | Hunts SC | 32 | 24 | 22 | 31 | 15 | 7 | (DNC) | (DNC) | 21 | 30 | 182 |
24th | Bronze | Really hummin | 21348 | Alan Goule | Cathy Stevens | Paignton Sailing Club | 18 | ‑38 | 28 | 27 | ‑29 | 25 | 25 | RET | 24 | 11 | 186 |
25th | Bronze | John Russell | 21608 | John Russell | Ian Dickinson | Red Wharf Bay Sailing Club | 22 | ‑30 | 27 | 24 | 21 | (DNC) | 22 | 17 | 30 | 23 | 186 |
26th | Bronze | | 2217 | Edie Carter | Jeremy Carter | Bough Beech Sailing Club | 29 | 29 | 23 | 28 | ‑32 | ‑30 | 23 | 22 | 16 | 22 | 192 |
27th | Bronze | DragonFly | 2587 | Guy Boswell | Julie Boswell | Llandegfedd Sailing Club | ‑30 | ‑32 | 29 | 20 | 17 | 28 | 26 | 25 | 20 | 28 | 193 |
28th | Bronze | | 22734 | Trevor Bradley | Mirren Froggett | Thornton Steward Sailing Club | 25 | 20 | 31 | 25 | 26 | 29 | (DNC) | (DNC) | 22 | 19 | 197 |
29th | Bronze | | 2999 | Tim Morgan | Morag Aiken | Paignton sailing club | 34 | 33 | (DNC) | (DNC) | 24 | 18 | 18 | 20 | 26 | 29 | 202 |
30th | Silver | Bunwoo | 22694 | Alistair Rose | Nicola Copley | Killington Sailing Association | 33 | 27 | 21 | 18 | 27 | 21 | (DNC) | (DNC) | 32 | 24 | 203 |
31st | Bronze | | 22619 | Michael McEwing | Alex Wilby | RAFSA/Rutland SC | 16 | 23 | 26 | 29 | 31 | 32 | 28 | 21 | ‑33 | ‑34 | 206 |
32nd | Silver | State of Mind | 2375 | Andy Martland | Julia Martland | Scaling Dam | 31 | 21 | 25 | 30 | 25 | 20 | (DNC) | (DNC) | 29 | 26 | 207 |
33rd | Bronze | | 22700 | Jacob Harrison | Amy Manning | Army Sailing Association | (RET) | 36 | ‑38 | 35 | 38 | 23 | 21 | 26 | 31 | 25 | 235 |
34th | Bronze | | 21718 | Mike Osborne | Cheryl Osborne | Hayling Island | 24 | 26 | 30 | 32 | 34 | 33 | (DNC) | (DNC) | 25 | 32 | 236 |
35th | Bronze | Mercury Rising | 2248 | John Best | Susy Addington | LOSSC | 26 | 31 | 19 | 26 | 33 | (DNC) | (DNC) | DNC | RET | DNC | 262 |
36th | Bronze | Still Smiling Too | 2305 | Nik Antoniades | Rosie Brown | Wilsonian | 37 | ‑41 | 34 | 38 | 40 | 34 | 27 | (DNC) | 37 | 33 | 280 |
37th | Bronze | Equinox | 21405 | Christopher Wallis Wallis | Nina Wallis | Wilsonian | 36 | 35 | 36 | 37 | 35 | 27 | (DNC) | (DNC) | 39 | 38 | 283 |
38th | Bronze | | 2259 | Simon Phillips | Mike storey | Port dinorwic sc | 38 | 40 | 33 | 33 | 37 | 35 | (DNC) | (DNC) | 36 | 35 | 287 |
39th | Bronze | Peachy Cheeks | 22612 | Rebecca Smith | Amy Ching | Weir Wood Sailing Club | 41 | 37 | 32 | 36 | 36 | RET | (DNC) | (DNC) | 35 | 31 | 288 |
40th | Bronze | Villian | 2762 | Paul Smith | Charlotte Smith | Sutton Sailing Club | 39 | 42 | 35 | 39 | 39 | DNF | (DNC) | (DNC) | 34 | 37 | 305 |
41st | Bronze | | 2523 | Zoe Ralph | Rachel Sheridan | Wilsonian Sailing Club | 40 | 39 | 37 | 40 | 41 | 36 | (DNC) | (DNC) | 38 | 36 | 307 |
42nd | Bronze | | 2817 | Valerie Hague | Paul Hague | Bowmoor SC | 35 | 34 | (DNC) | (DNC) | DNC | DNC | DNC | DNC | DNC | DNC | 327 |