2008 Etchells National Championships race report

25^th to 28^th September 2008

There is a video report on the 2008 National Championships - click here for the report

If Lance Armstrong gets back on his bike and wins the Tour De France next year, he will be proving something that was shown to the UK Etchells fleet this weekend. Some people are born to do certain things in life. In Armstrong’s case its riding a bike, but in Stuart Childerly’s case it is sailing boats, because, after a years lay off, Childerly, previously double Etchell World Champion and now sailing with Robert Elliott and Sam Richmond, stepped back into the Etchells class and added the UK National Championship title to his already bulging sailing CV, only 2 weeks after winning the Irish Etchells Championships.

Things looked easy for Childerly when, after the obligatory general recall and 1 minute rule enforced re-start, he simply sailed away from the fleet in the 1^st race. A south easterly gradient wind with a sea breeze on top it gave great racing for the fleet of 19 boats, 13 to 17 knots of wind and bright sunshine all day. Childerly didn’t look as fast as he had been when he was double world champion but his Solent knowledge and tactical awareness enabled him to pick his way to the front of the fleet, whereupon he simply sailed away to win comfortably. The other contenders were in the mix, Andy Beadsworth - having put together a last minute program with Julia Bailey - led at the start but eventually lost out to Graham Bailey by 1 second at the downwind finish. Robert Tyrwritt Drake, fresh from his strong Cowes Week showing sailed beautifully through the fleet from a poor first beat to get 4^th. As fast as he was going up the fleet however, Ante Razmilovic and Laurence Mead were heading the other way and this gave Childerly a jump on some of the other runners.

The wind increased for the next race and Ante Razmilovic switched on his speed boosters to lead the fleet from start to finish and win by 30 seconds, an eternity in a super close fleet like the Etchells where a few seconds often separated boats at the finish. Graham Bailey slotted in another second place to lead the series with a 2,2 score line, although his battle to secure the place proved the tightness of the racing as Bailey beat Childerly by only 2 seconds. Mead took 4^th with David Franks in “Elvis” taking 5^th, despite getting holed at the last leeward mark which put him out of the rest of the days sailing.For Race 3 the breeze was at its best, a lot more stable than it had been in the morning and Razmilovic gave everyone another lesson in boat speed by starting mid-line and quickly rolling the boats to leeward of him. Mead stated to windward of the fleet and rolled the bunch under him, but as the port layline approached Razmilovic had slipped to leeward a few boat lengths but far enough forward to tack and cross Mead by 2 boat lengths from where there would be no catching him. Mead held 2^nd all the way round and with Childerly in the pack it looked like a reversal for the team on “Bedrock”. Childerly flashed out another “Armstrong moment” however to snatch 2^nd on the last beat. While the rest of the fleet battled up the left hand side of the course, Childerly, who was in about 6^th at the time, had the confidence to hold onto a port tack lift and wait for a shift back to the right, which, when it came, carried him past Mead and into a series lead. Graham Bailey was 5^th, just behind his wife Julia sailing with Andy Beadsworth, who, in his role as co-skipper was now doing bow on the downwind legs , with Julia on the helm, and Simon Fry in the middle trimming.

Led by Bob Milner, the race team slotted race 4 onto the end of the first days activities as the forecast was less then inspiring for the rest of the weekend and Razmilovic, with Mike Wolfs from Canada in the middle and Stuart Flynn on bow took command of the day with yet another bullet. Childerly was closer this time, 18 seconds adrift but he never really threatened Razmilovic. Mead took another 3^rd to also have a decent set of results but his series got a lot tougher when he returned ashore to find that he had infringed the 1 minute rule that was put in place after the general recall and was given a 20% penalty, pushing his recoded score to 7^th from 3^rd. The Irish contingent put themselves on the scoreboard with Stephen Quinn recoding a 4^th and Anthony Shanks adding a 6^th to his first race 5^th place. 5 boats crossed the finish line in the 13 seconds separating Andrew Cooper in 5^th from Italian visitor Marco Cimarosti in 10^th.

So at the end of day 1 Childerly was leading, assuming there were no discards, but after dropping his first race 7^th Razmilovic was in a commanding position with 3 bullets. Graham Bailey was in attendance with 2,2,5 scorecard but Mead needed to come out flying on Saturday morning to have any chance as he put a 4,3,7 on the results sheet on day 1.

Saturday morning dawned light and sunny. The forecast was for a light air weekend and this was it. After a postponement on the shore the fleet sailed out to the start line to find a relatively slack tide and 5 to 7 knots of south easterly breeze. The race team set a course that made the most of a protected position behind the Bramble bank and fired the start guns.

Getting a good start was essential and both Razmilovic and Childerly were in trouble early. Mead had a good start along with Stephen Quinn and Ian Law. Law led up the first beat from the right, Mead and Quinn coming in from the left. Mead managed to tack under the starboard tackers and lead around the top mark with Childerly in mid fleet and Razmilovic buried. Mead led down the first run before finding Law sailing up to him as the leeward mark approached. Childerly had pulled another tactical masterstroke by keeping hard right down the first run and coming up to 3^rd, and that only just behind the leading two. As Mead struggled to get round the mark against the tide he hit the mark and with Law as the outside boat being pushed wide Childerly sailed into the resulting gap and into the lead. David Franks, back on the water after some speedy overnight boat building by the team from David Heritages yard and Stephen Quinn were also fighting for top 3 positions. Mead did his 360 penalty but managed to get back into the fight and tacked inside Franks and Quinn at the top mark, and with Ian Law losing his way down the last run Mead finished 2^nd, with David Franks / Graham Sunderland and Phil Smith in 3^rd.

Race 6 kicked off with a still light but stable 6 to 7 knots of breeze. Mead aced this one by taking the pin and using his established light air speed to tack across the fleet to lead comfortably and was never headed. Razmilovic and Childerly were once again in the pack and the series looked to be opening up. Anthony Shanks moved up the leader board with a good second and Graham Bailey returned to form with a 3^rd. Childerly wasn’t able to pull this one out of the bag and scored a 15^th which, assuming there were 2 more races as planned would be an albatross around his neck. Razmilovic got back to a good 5^th and the fleet headed ashore after two demanding but solid light air races, with all to play for.

A great class dinner was held at the Royal Corinthian Yacht Club overnight on Saturday but the dire wind forecast for the weekend came horribly to light on Sunday morning with a thick mist hanging over the Solent and not a breath of wind to be seen. Despite the race team making every effort to find breeze to run the final 2 races it became clear that this was a non-starter and the fleet were stood down at 1230 with Stuart Childerly, Robert Elliott and Sam Richmond being crowned 2008 British National Champions, comfortably ahead of Ante Razmilovic who took 2^nd and Laurence Mead / Phil Lawrence and Andrew Yates who took third. Graham Bailey / David Heritage and Matt Byham were fourth and Irish visitors Anthony Shanks / Ian Dobson and Frank Norton were 5^th overall.

The Cowes Etchells fleet has a two-weekend Autumn Series in October with many of the fleet heading to Portofino for the European Championships in November.


Italian Nationals and Europeans 2008
The final NOR and ENTRY FORM are available on the following website :
www.cnlavagna.it


Video
In case you haven't already seen Jamie McWilliam's video and commentary of the 2006 Nats and Europeans regatta that RCYC ran, click here and enjoy

Press Release
After an 18 race qualification series spread over both the end of the 2007 season and the spring of 2008, the 6 boats who have qualified to represent the UK at the 2008 Etchell Worlds in Chicago are announced as:

GBR 1333 Ante Razmilovic
GBR 1352 Graham Bailey
GBR 987 Robert Elliot
GBR 1329 Julia Bailey
GBR 962 Rob Goddard
GBR 1354 David Franks

In addition Andy Beadsworth will be racing having qualified as the defending World Champion. We wish all of the sailors in the various teams the best of luck. Etchells in the Solent are back on the water on the end of May bank holiday weekend for the Sir Kenneth Preston Trophy run by the Royal Yacht Squadron, and the Mersey fleet has its Keelboat week starting on the 12th May. For more information go to www.etchellsukfleet.co.uk or contact Cowes Fleet Captain Laurence Mead on 07810 658 748

Race Report For The South Coast Championships 2008
Nils Razmilovic and his crew of Charlie Cumbley and Brian Hammersley are the 2008 Etchell South Coast Champions, but the winners were not crowned without having to fend off several challengers over the course of a very competitive 2 days of sailing on the 2nd and 3rd of May. Saturday went to form with the dozen boats enjoying fabulous sailing in a 12 knot Easterly. Word on the dock afterwards was of the very close racing throughout the fleet, and although Nils and Ante Razmilovic took the 3 races between them (2-1 to Nils), everyone had enjoyed a great days racing. Also showing form were Collete Blair with 2 races in the top 5, and Doug Flynn and Robert Elliot, both of whom were top 4 twice. Geoff Gibbons, new to the class this year also posted a 3rd on his scorecard, but on Saturday evening the top 2 looked locked in.Sunday dawned less sunny and with a complicated forecast of 12 knot easterlies, going SW and then northerly "later". Laurence Mead was also out having missed the Saturday races. Race 4 kicked off with a recall gun but nobody willing to go back. It was one of three boats who were all bow forward of the bulk of the fleet, and, eventually, after a long wait, Ante Razmilovic headed back and that was that. He was effectively out of the race. Nils Razmilovic just sneaked past Laurence Mead to lead at the top mark by staying a little further right, which should have sent a message to the leaders about the best side of the beat. Down the run both boats were close and as they turned the leeward mark Mead tacked for clear air. Razmilovic covered and these two proceeded to prove the old adage that sometimes going fast just gets you to the wrong place quicker. As they blasted left, pacing each inch for inch, the wind clocked right. By the time Razmilovic tacked over and fought his way back against the right hand shift he and Mead were 10th and 11th. So in the space of two beats both the overall leaders had used up their discards. Geoff Gibbons added a bullet to his ever improving scorecard and secured his first race win since joining the Etchells this spring. Flynn took 2nd and Elliott 3rd.Race 5 was all about the aforementioned westerly which, half way down the first run, made an appearance. Mead was ahead having got off the line well and led the fleet right in what was then a 10 to 12 knot easterly. With the tide under him as he rounded the top mark Mead sailed into an unassailable lead which he doubled by being well positioned for both the brief westerly and the return of the easterly. Doug Flynn was as well positioned and these two blitzed the fleet, Flynn’s consistency with another 2nd place moving him into contention for the overall title. Ex Farr 40 sailor Rob Goddard was 3rd in this one. Race 6 was therefore for the regatta with both Razmilovic boats having had two races outside of the top 3 and Doug Flynn and Robert Elliot two strong results. Elliott led the last race at the top mark showing good upwind speed but was passed down the first run by Mead, who was able to sail a little lower under spinnaker and he went onto win. Ante Razmilovic had another tough race finishing 7th and with Doug Flynn in the mix, his grip on 2nd overall was strengthening. Nils Razmilovic started to slot back into his fast mode to take 3rd in the race which secured him the title, but in the end Flynn took 2nd overall despite falling back to finish 5th in this one. He was 1 point ahead of Ante Razmilovic who was tied for 3rd with Elliot, a tie broken in Razmilovic's favour on a count back. Geoff Gibbons took 5th overall, an excellent result and reward for being out on the water at every opportunity since acquiring his first Etchells last winter. The fleet now has a hard core of boats, all of whom are capable of winning races, and with the Europeans in Italy in November later this year, the 2009 Nationals in Abersoch, followed by the 2009 Europeans in Howth, the European Etchell fleet is going from strength to strength. The ultimate goal for a lot of the boats is the 2010 Worlds in Ireland which promises to be a great regatta. The class has charter boats available on an ad hoc basis for sailors wanting to try racing in the Solent’s most competitive One Design, and if you are interested in that option please contact the fleet through, www.etchellsukfleet.co.uk or Cowes Class Captain Laurence Mead on 07810 658 748
 
Race Report For The Weekend Of 12th & 13th April 2008 Worlds Qualifier
The Cowes Etchell fleet held its last 2008 worlds qualifier over the weekend of 12th and 13th April. On Saturday two races were run in very heavy air and two of the worlds fastest heavy air Etchell sailors took a race a piece, Ante Razmilovic winning the first race and world champion Andy Beadsworth the 2nd race. They took both 2nd places as well finishing 1,2 and 2,1 with Laurence Mead and Rob Goddard each scoring a 3rd and a 4th. With the tide flooding the fastest way up the beats was middle / right to get some relief from the tide behind the Bramble Bank and the fastest way down the run was to stay upright!! On Sunday morning the forecast was for a building north westerly but the fleet sailed two short races in the morning in SW winds of 4 to 6 knots. Laurence Mead won the first race on Sunday (race 3 of the weekend) with Beadsworth and Razmilovic scoring well again. Race 4 saw new faces at the front with Graham and Stephen Bailey, with class builder David Heritage doing middle, leading with Robert Elliot’s team (Sam Richmond and Matt Adams) also right up there. Razmilovic did get back to win after a very close race but 2nd and 3rd went to Bailey and Elliot in that order. Race 5 was the "toughie" of the day with the wind up a tad in strength but shifting and varying in pressure from side to side. Doug Flynn sailed a blinder by running in the top 5, but, not having read the course board and noted the extra laps he stopped sailing at the end of the first lap, took his jib down and found himself in last as the closely packed fleet streamed by. Not one to take adversity lightly (must be his Aussie blood said some!) He re-hoisted, went hard right and rounded the top mark back in the top 5! Andy Beadsworth showed why he is the world champion by blitzing the fleet however to secure the weekends overall prize with big boat owner and new Etchell sailor David Dwyer of "Mariners Cove" fame in the middle, and North sailmaker Simon Fry at the front end. Elliot showed that his winter of practise in Miami has been time well spent by slotting into second with Julia Bailey securing 3rd. The last race of the weekend saw the breeze build further and was held in a solid 12 to 15 knots of south westerly which Laurence Mead led from the top mark and was never headed, despite close attention from Beadsworth and Razmilovic. These three took the top 3 overall placed for the weeknd, Ante Razmilovic / Brian Hammersley and Stuart Flinn taking 2nd ahead of Mead / Phil Lawrence and Oscar Mead. The 7 UK boats attending the worlds in Chicago in June will be announced on Wednesday and the Etchells are back on the water in 2 weeks time for the last weekend of the spring series. www.etchellsukfleet.co.uk Laurence Mead +44 7810 658 748

Spring Series SI's part 1

Click here for the SIs that will be used for the Spring Series,
posted: 26th March 2008

Spring Series and World Qualifier NOR and Entry Forms
The Spring Series and World Qualifier NOR and Entry Forms are now available and can be downloaded from this site:
Spring Series
World Qualifiers
posted: 17th March 2008


Race Report For The Weekend Of 29th & 30th March 2008
It might have been called the Spring Series but it was very definitely winter as the UK Etchells fleet headed off the dock on Saturday 28th March for the first outing of the season. The forecast was for a building 20 knots of breeze and weather guru Chris Tibbs suggested that 3 quick races before the arrival of big breeze at 1400 hours looked the best bet, rather than the full 5 course menu that was on the schedule. Despite a short delay as the boats got to the start line half a dozen boats headed upwind in the relative shelter of Osborne Bay for some short sharp shock treatment after a winter ashore. Laurence Mead led round the first top mark and with chutes flying the fleet blew downwind with the first gusts of the increasing breeze making for some "fruity moments" throughout the day. That was as close as the fleet got to the winner of the first race, the second race and the third race however, as Nils Razmilovic, Brian Hammersley and Charlie Cumbly stormed all three races. Laurence Mead secured three 2nds with Graham Bailey and Ante Razmilovic taking various 3rd places.

On the Sunday a bigger fleet of a dozen boats (but missing the aforementioned "Team N Razmilovic") headed out to the start due north of Cowes to find that the spring series really was about to start after all. The front that had passed overhead at 0400 hours had left a 5 knot north-westerly which died and was replaced by a 6 to 8 knots south westerly (which may have been the first sea breeze of the summer according to some of the wise ones) and the feet enjoyed 5 very close and enjoyable races in warm sunshine. Taking his cue from Saturdays "winner take all approach" Graham Bailey proceeded to score 5 bullets, totally overwhelming the fleet. Whilst others fought for the boat end start and an early tack to the tidally advantaged mainland shore, Bailey started at speed under the pack and with good clearing tacks often eked out a lead at the top mark that he never lost.

Others to show form on the Sunday were former Laser youth ace Collette Blair, steering an Etchells for only the 3rd or 4th time who was in the mix and Geoff Gibbons in his first Etchell race after moving to the class from the Mumm 30's. However Laurence Mead took 2nd overall for the weekend with 2,2, 2, 3, 5 on the Sunday to add to his three 2nds on the saturday and Ante Razmilovic took 3rd overall with a string of podiums on Sunday..

The Etchells class is one of the most competitive in the world (as Seahorse magazine wrote last month "does the Etchells think it an Olympic class" after a 90 boat fleet packed with sailing heavy weights raced this winters Jaguar Cup in Miami) and the UK fleet is blessed in having some great sailors on board, any of the top 4 in the UK are top 10 at world level and the world championships have had a British winner 3 times in the last 8 years.

The fleet gathers again on the 12th and 13th April for the last 2008 world qualifier when current World Champion Andy Beadsworth will be making an appearance.

Laurence Mead

Spring Series SI's part 1
Click here for the SIs that will be used for the Spring Series,

Spring Series and World Qualifier Notices of Race and Entry Forms
The NOR and Entry Forms are now available for the Spring Series and World Qualifier.
Click here for the Spring Series
Click here for the World Qualifier

Innovation in Miami
SCUTTLEBUTT 2545 - March 4, 2008 (www.sailingscuttlebutt.com)

INNOVATIONS AT ETCHELLS MIDWINTERS
At the Etchells Midwinters in Miami last weekend, PRO Dave Brennan decided to try something new, and in the process may have changed sailboat racing as
we know it.

The Etchells class has been around since the early 70's, and at age 35+, it is arguably the hottest one-design keelboat in the world. Many of the biggest names in the sport sail them now along with a strong and committed group of class stalwarts who've been sailing them for years. The Jaguar Cup, an annual series consisting of four events sailed in Miami and capped off by the Midwinter Championship, now draws 90 boats from all over the world. And this isn't just any 90 boats - it's a deep 90 - and while the racing is off-the-charts good, the unfortunate by-product is that even after a 2.2 mile first beat, everyone gets to the windward mark at the same time. I mean
EVERYONE.

The Etchells is a very pretty boat, and it's a joy to sail. There are very few designs that are quite as pointy, however, or as unresponsive when the helm is hard over, which makes these "en masse" mark roundings particularly scary. So the Biscayne Bay race management team decided to try something new: two windward marks. And why not? Given the fact that the leeward gate has become de rigeur at pretty much every event that I've sailed in over the past 10 years, I'm surprised it's taken this long for someone to take a shot at the windward gate. Paul Elvstrom incorporated it into his innovative "triple racing" format, but to my knowledge, it hasn't been tried in a high-profile fleet race yet. -- Bill Lynn, Spindrift blog, read on:
http://atlantisweathergear.blogspot.com/2008/03/white-rats.html

Photographer John Payne provides an outstanding sampling of images from the event, including some of the excitement at the weather mark(s):
http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/photos/08/0303

Miami Continues
Some British boats have been battling it out in Miami for the Jaguar Mid Winter Series. So far two weekends have been held and the third, Sidney Doren Memorial is being held this weekend on the 9th and 10th of February. Check herefor updated details including results.


During the 2008 racing season we will be including racing reports as the year progresses, bringing up to date results and first hand on the water action............................!


Don't forget to download your copy of the 2008 racing calendar from this site.

In the mean time......

Miami
The Miami season is almost on us with exciting sunshine racing combined with 60 boat fleets, is something for us really to look forward to as winter draws in. click here for more details

Hundreds of Etchells sailors from North America, Europe, and Australia crowded Miami’s Biscayne Bay December 8–9, 2007, for the Piana Cup, the first of four class events in the annual Jaguar Series. The event attracted 73 boats and their crew, including several of the class’s world champions. At the end of the weekend, Bill Hardesty and crew, sailing USA 979, took home the cup, winning by one point.

This year’s Piana Cup Regatta started and restarted amid controversy. A general recall immediately followed the first gun when dozens of boats in the very aggressive fleet crossed the line at least ten seconds before the start gun. Many boats in the fleet were in the same position at the second start, but the race committee attempted this time to call back the boats with on-course starts. Several skippers who doubted the RC’s visibility down the line ended their day filing requests for redress, some of which were successful.

Biscayne Bay had flat waters and moderate winds for the three races held on Saturday. The breeze slowly moved left on the fleet throughout the day, prompting regular minor adjustments by the RC. Getting off the line clean became critical in the overcrowded starts; boats that didn’t have a nose at the line when the start gun went off found themselves quickly spit out the back of the fleet. Tim Hotchkiss got a nice lead in the first race that earned him the first bullet of the series. The Piana Cup winner, Hardesty, fought the current North American Champion, Dirk Kneulman, for the win in the second race, and ultimately took the gun.

The breeze came on at 15 to 20 knots out of the east for the second day of racing. Last year’s world champion, Jud Smith, chose the right side of the course in the first race and banged a corner, which launched him first around the windward mark and ultimately first to the finish. The fleet became aggressive at the start of what would have been the second race, which resulted in a general recall and the threat of the Z flag for the last race of the day. The Piana cup win was determined by a duel between Hardesty and Smith, who finished 5th and 6th respectively, creating the one-point difference — after one score was dropped — that gave Hardesty the win.

The next regatta in the Jaguar Series will take place at the start of the New Year, January 5–6. Complete results for the Piana Cup, the notice of race, photos, and information about the upcoming events in the Jaguar Series are available on the Etchells Fleet 20 website at www.etchellsfleet20.org

The International Etchells class, established in 1967, is comprised of dozens of fleets located around the world, including 34 fleets across North America. Almost 1400 boats have been built and sailed globally. For more information about the Etchells Class, visit the North American chapter’s website at www.etchellsna.org
(courtesey of Yachts and Yachting)

see the full yachts and yachting article by clicking here


Cowes Autumn Series
7 boats on Sunday (a few less on Saturday) enjoyed some fabulous late season racing on Saturday and Sunday last weekend (20th and 21st October) at the RCYC run Autumn Series. The sun was shining brightly and the wind was a very steady 6 to 10 knots on Saturday, a little lighter and shiftier on Sunday but still excellent racing. RCYC are to be congratulated on putting on a very good 2 days of racing.

Winner of the weekend was Team Nils Razmilovich (Nils with Brian Hammersley and Charlie Cumbly) who followed up their win at the Europeans with a totally dominant performance of 5 firsts and a second. They always had the edge that allowed them to stay ahead of Laurence Mead and his crew of Phil Lawrence and James Eastbury. Often the races were finally decided on the last run, but, as often, Nils was able to lead all the way round from the first beat. The weekend saw plenty of slam dunk tacks from 1340 on top of 1339 and the reverse on the runs where 1339 was trying to gybe on top of 1340! It finished with Lawrence Mead (1339) counting 5 seconds and a first but Nils and team winning the weekend easily.

3rd overall was Ante Razmilovich who had a few races where he was beaten by others on the race course although I dont have the results to hand I am afraid. Star turns on Sunday were "Team Blue Genes" who sailed 2 up and still got a 3rd in the last race which was a stirling effort. Ron Thompson also had some good races and scored some top 3's and all the boats enjoyed competitive starting and good courses

report by Laurence Mead

2007 Europeans
The report and results of the 2007 Etchells Europeans can be viewed here


ANDY BEADSWORTH, OSCAR STRUGSTAD AND SIMON FRY ARE ETCHELLS 2007 WORLD CHAMPIONS

Despite constant rain and poor visibility the final race of the Etchells World Championship in Cowes was an absolute stunner. At last the wind had moderated although conditions were still extremely testing with constant shifts in the south westerly breeze which varied from 8 to 15 knots as the bands of rain came through.

2006 World Champion Jud Smith, sailing USA1361 with David McClintock and Steve Girling, bowed out of his tenure as World Champion in true style by giving the rest of the fleet a master class in Etchells sailing to win the final race and take second overall. But the day belonged to Andy Beadsworth, Oscar Strugstad and Simon Fry, sailing GBR1361, as they took on and ultimately trounced Ante Razmilovic, Jez Fanstone and Stuart Flinn sailing GBR1333, in a stunning final show down for the championship.

Going into the final race Beadsworth knew that Ante Razmilovic was his only rival for the title and the two boats came off the line side by side just to the left of centre. Beadsworth was to weather as they headed off on starboard but Razmilovic had a little more speed and began to climb out eventually forcing Beadsworth to tack and initiating a gripping match race style dog fight. The main body of the fleet had gone right and before long the two boats were out on their own going at it hammer and tongs. The atmosphere was electric and spectators held their breaths each time the boats came back together. Beadsworth’s greater match racing experience showed and although Razmilovic briefly had the upper hand it wasn’t long before he was back in control as the pair rejoined the main body of the fleet at the top of the beat.

At the weather mark it was Tom Hughes, sailing USA1306 with Ron Rosenberg and Steve Hayles, leading with Jud Smith second, Jake Gunther, sailing AUS1244 with Andrew Cooper and Russell Tyson, third and Nils Razmilovic, sailing GBR1340 with Brian Hammersley and Charlie Cumbley, fourth. Despite the distractions of their dog fight Beasdworth still rounded ninth with Ante Razmilovic 12th.

The leading four held their positions down the first run while Beadsworth pulled up into eighth and Ante Razmilovic dropped down to 14th. On the second beat Smith was perfectly in tune with the shifts and sailed round Hughes to lead at the second weather mark. Nils Razmilovic had picked up a place to round third just ahead of Gunther, while Beadsworth held eighth and Ante Razmilovic came back up to 12th.

The leading group held their order on the second run but behind them Beadsworth moved up into sixth place and Ante Razmilovic to 11th. As the boats rounded the final mark ready for the long beat to the finish Beadsworth was the first boat to go for the right side of the gate. He tacked back left immediately but the move was to prove a crucial one as it gave him clearer air and put him onto the edge of a slightly stronger lifting breeze band.

Smith and Hughes were clear of the pack, but behind them it was a joy to watch Beadsworth, Strugstad and Fry who kept right of the group and had one of those perfect sailing moments in absolute tune with the wind. Each time they came back towards the fleet they’d gained. First they overtook fifth placed Peter Duncan, then picked off Jake Gunther for fourth. At they approached the finish they were neck and neck with Nils Razmilovic vying for third. Yet again they were on top of the breeze and as Nils Razmilovic took a final hitch right they stayed left and gained one final place to finish third and take the championship convincingly.

At the prize giving ceremony outgoing World Champion Jud Smith, for whom this is a fifth second place at an Etchells Worlds, paid tribute to the new world champions declaring them worthy winners and thanking them and the rest of the fleet for a great competition.

An elated Andy Beadsworth paid tribute to his co-owner Oscar Strugstad and team mate Simon Fry - “Simon and I had a crack at it last year with a different co-owner as a last minute thing and we were competitive. At that time we were already committed to this programme which was very much targeted at trying to win these worlds. We talked about doing something with Oscar and discussed whether he drove or I drove or what ever and we decided that trying to win the worlds was our goal and this was the best way we could do it together as a team. Since then we’ve worked hard to put the programme together in the best way we possibly could.

“We bought the boat in America at the beginning of the year and did Miami, then came back here and did all of the UK events. We’ve had great competition from the UK fleet which has been vital in helping us to raise our game to this level. I think the thing I’m most proud of in winning this Worlds is that we led on the opening day and we’ve led every day since so I feel we can be very happy with ourselves.

“Oscar has been fantastic. It’s been a really fun campaign and he’s made fantastic decisions and has been a really integral member of the team. It’s very rare that you get somebody like Oscar who does this sort of thing. He’s put a lot of effort in and as he said at the prize giving some of the best and worst sailing moments of his life have been in the Etchells. I can remember days when we’ve been going upwind and Stirfry’s been shouting ‘hike harder!” and I’ve looked at him and he’s been so determined that he’s almost had tears in his eyes and I’ve had to say, you know, relax, this is supposed to be for fun.”

This event would not have been possible without the generous support of the many individual volunteers and members of the Cowes Etchells fleet who gave so generously of their time and supported the event in many different ways. In particular we would like to acknowledge the generous financial contribution made by Etchells owners Mike Till, Paul Kelsey, Doug Flynn, Robert Elliott, Ante Razmilovic and Nils Razmilovic. And last by no means least we would like to thank corporate supporters Greenhill & Co Investment Bank, Slam, North Sails and Mount Gay.

Report by Fiona Brown