Scottish Nationals race report
Scottish Nationals race report
Scottish Finn National Championships
Loch Venachar Sailing Club
21st/ 22nd August 2010.
The Scottish Finn National Championships was hosted by Loch Venachar Sailing Club in the picturesque Trossachs national park over the weekend of 21st and 22nd August.
Race report available in pdf format
The Scottish Finn fleet was joined by visitors from south of the boarder which made for excellent and close racing throughout the entire event.
The forecast for Saturday was 16 knots of wind with gusts forecast to reach 44 and by the start of Race 1 on Saturday it had reached an average of 22knots with 20 -30 degree shifts as it rolled over the surrounding mountains and down the glen on the windward leeward course which would prove challenging upwind and exciting downwind on the runs.
Race 1 was won by Rhodi Thomas from Dalgety Bay after over taking John De leeuw on the final leg when the wind shifted left. Despite these conditions the fleet was always close and it could be any ones event at any time, as less than a minute separated the fleet from front to back in most races over the weekend.
Race 2 saw Russ Ward round the windward mark in the lead but frustratingly due to a large shift on the second and final beat which changed the whole fleet positions upside down and drop to 6th place with Rhodi Thomas again sailing well to come through and win with John Greenwood taking 2nd.
Race 3 again saw Russ Ward lead by over 200 yards round the windward mark in the gusty conditions with former World Masters Champion John Greenwood taking first place followed by John De leeuw in 2nd, leaving Rhodi Thomas leading the event as the day ended.
Saturday evening and the Finn Dinner at the Lade Inn with real ales was a great relief for the tired sailors who had battled force 5-6 winds for most of the day.
Sunday dawned wet and grey with traditional Scottish Mist rolling down the glen but still with plenty of breeze although now around 10 knots with the odd gust reaching around 20.
Race 4 started with John Greenwood and Russ Ward Leading the way for most of the race with the rest of the fleet in close pursuit as the sailors picked their way down the runs by trying to stay in the pressure as along with the direction the pressure varied tremendously across the course with no consistency either, which made it exciting for the spectators on the shore. John Greenwood held on to take 1st place with Russ Ward 2nd.
Race 5 was very much as race 4 with the exception that Rhodi Thomas got water on Russ at the last mark and held on to 2nd on the short beat to the finish, John Greenwood taking 1st.
Race 6 was as unpredictable as it could get with again John Greenwood and Russ leading the way for the whole race, until the last beat when Greg Shaw went out to the right hand side of the course where he found more pressure and sailed over the top to lead down the last run and go on to win the last race with John Greenwood 2nd.
A challenging and exciting weekend with very close racing saw John Greenwood crowned Scottish Finn National Champion 2010 with Rhodi Thomas taking 2nd and Russ Ward 3rd.
Results
1st John Greenwood – RYA
2nd Rhodi Thomas – Dalgety Bay S.C
3rd Russ Ward – Loch Venachar S.C / Strathclyde S.C
4th John De leeuw – Loch Venachar S.C
5th Greg Shaw – Loch Venachar S.C
6th Andrew Taylor – RWSABC
Written by Russ Ward.
