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Trinidad and Tobago - Sail Service Stay

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:

PosFleetBoat NameSail NoHelmCrewClubR1R2R3R4R5R6R7R8R9R10Pts
1stOpen 2321Ollie GrovesEsther ParkhurstBeaver SC‑31123‑8112112
2ndOpentbc22667Ed ConnellanAndy ConnellanRNSA & MNSC1‑112‑513223216
3rdOpenthe good the petite and the ugly22713Peter VincentSophie Supercrew BentleyLlandegfedd and Lee on Soloent423‑8754‑101329
4thOpen 2355Matt SargentZak MitchellArmy Sailing Association‑1386104133‑13439
5thOpenJuliette22504Adrian StellRos StellHISC‑9‑104159684643
6thOpenTwo Peachy Cheeks22722Jonathan ChingLouisa ChingWeirwood SC27736‑1089‑11547
7thOpenMaverick22663James WhiteheadAlice MooreRNSA & EXE SC10357‑112‑14118753
8thOpen 22676Matt HartleyCaitlan AndrewsArmy Sailing Association & Halifax SC85841247‑156‑1454
9thOpenShapeshifter22696Juliet BarnesSteve LongHooe Point Sailing Club12‑131062(OCS)5771059
10thOpenResilience22674Kev O'BrienLaura Holmes ‑ ShortRAFSA / Snettisham SC5‑149118‑12125121274
11thOpenDr Lavender2204Iain YardleySarah YardleyRYA7413‑199‑151012151383
12thSilver 22698Oliver ThompsonElliott ThompsonWest Riding Sailing Club149‑1816‑201115651692
13thOpen 22673Edward DodwellRuben dodwellRAFSA1512(OCS)91417(OCS)414994
14thSilverNemesis2598Iain WalkerLuca MitchellPSC‑23‑161512161311149898
15thSilverSwordfish22564Helen PhillipsAndrew PhillipsCardiff Bay Yacht Club191514‑21101416(DNC)1918125
16thSilverRecycled Harp2615Martin Elms ElmsMartin Elms and Emily ElmsThornbury SC / CVLSC20‑22(OCS)13131617161715127
17thSilverOxsana2214Magnus LeeClaire LeeKeyhaven Yacht Club17192014‑23‑2419131020132
18thSilver 22658Imogen Cage‑WhiteDarren KirkhamArmy Sailing Association11‑25‑2422192213191817141
19thOpenShip Faced Again22656Natalie JohnstonChris KeatleyRNSA661117186(DNC)(DNC)DNCDNC150
20thSilver 22653James ClaphamHarry Beth and Emily ClaphamRTYC27‑281223281991827(RET)163
21stSilver 21277Jim LedgerKate LedgerTankerton Bay SC2117171522‑312424‑2827167
22ndSilverChilli21059Jacob AllenClare Allen / Stuart AllenCBYC281816‑34‑302620232321175
23rdSilver 22730Dirk MeyerLeif MeyerHunts SC32242231157(DNC)(DNC)2130182
24thBronzeReally hummin21348Alan GouleCathy StevensPaignton Sailing Club18‑382827‑292525RET2411186
25thBronzeJohn Russell21608John RussellIan DickinsonRed Wharf Bay Sailing Club22‑30272421(DNC)22173023186
26thBronze 2217Edie CarterJeremy CarterBough Beech Sailing Club29292328‑32‑3023221622192
27thBronzeDragonFly2587Guy BoswellJulie BoswellLlandegfedd Sailing Club‑30‑322920172826252028193
28thBronze 22734Trevor BradleyMirren FroggettThornton Steward Sailing Club252031252629(DNC)(DNC)2219197
29thBronze 2999Tim MorganMorag AikenPaignton sailing club3433(DNC)(DNC)241818202629202
30thSilverBunwoo22694Alistair RoseNicola CopleyKillington Sailing Association332721182721(DNC)(DNC)3224203
31stBronze 22619Michael McEwingAlex WilbyRAFSA/Rutland SC1623262931322821‑33‑34206
32ndSilverState of Mind2375Andy MartlandJulia MartlandScaling Dam312125302520(DNC)(DNC)2926207
33rdBronze 22700Jacob HarrisonAmy ManningArmy Sailing Association(RET)36‑3835382321263125235
34thBronze 21718Mike OsborneCheryl OsborneHayling Island242630323433(DNC)(DNC)2532236
35thBronzeMercury Rising2248John BestSusy AddingtonLOSSC2631192633(DNC)(DNC)DNCRETDNC262
36thBronzeStill Smiling Too2305Nik AntoniadesRosie BrownWilsonian37‑413438403427(DNC)3733280
37thBronzeEquinox21405Christopher Wallis WallisNina WallisWilsonian363536373527(DNC)(DNC)3938283
38thBronze 2259Simon PhillipsMike storeyPort dinorwic sc384033333735(DNC)(DNC)3635287
39thBronzePeachy Cheeks22612Rebecca SmithAmy ChingWeir Wood Sailing Club4137323636RET(DNC)(DNC)3531288
40thBronzeVillian2762Paul SmithCharlotte SmithSutton Sailing Club3942353939DNF(DNC)(DNC)3437305
41stBronze 2523Zoe RalphRachel SheridanWilsonian Sailing Club403937404136(DNC)(DNC)3836307
42ndBronze 2817Valerie HaguePaul HagueBowmoor SC3534(DNC)(DNC)DNCDNCDNCDNCDNCDNC327

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