Perkins - the light weather specialist

A report from the Musto Skiff UK National Championship held last week in Lyme Regis

In challenging conditions which saw three overall leaders during the event and seven individual race winners, Rick Perkins from Whitstable Sailing Club has won the UK National Championships, making him the fourth different champion in the past four years.

The event was superbly run by Lyme Regis Sailing Club with racing held in predominately light airs off the famous Cobb and harbour.

In an event where good tactics and speed were equally essential, a number of sailors showed at the fore in individual races, only to post less convincing results later in the series, leaving Rick Perkins as the sole consistent front runner. Indeed his worst result, a 15th, was heading for a 5th until his tactics for once let him down on the last beat.

Rick has been at the front of the class since joining the fleet and all competitors commented on how he had made this event his by always being in the leading group at the first mark, and having good judgement. It has often been his close rivals Richard Stenhouse and Ian Trotter that have taken the major titles, but interestingly Rick won this event by one of the largest winning margins of any of the classes major championships.

Other race winners of note, included John Reekie from Largs Sailing Club, who dominated the first race, and both Pablo Arandia Sabater from Denia in Spain and Mike Palfreman from Starcross Yacht Club who both took two wins. Pablo taking back to back wins on the second day.

The race management team kept a call head in controlling the testing conditions, and ably led by Tim Parsons never put a foot wrong allowing for ten races.

Possibly the biggest surprise of the event was Daniel Henderson who has come out of 29er’s and the skills learned there rewarded him with a very creditable second overall and first Youth at just 16! Daniel and a number of the other younger sailors were often showing the more seasoned campaigners the way home, which included a win for Ant Chapman. There were six entries in the youth category, and it’s great to see younger sailors joining the class, encouraged by both their parents and the fleet.

Masters champion was Ian Renilson from Dalgety Bay, and finally Tim Chapman got the better of his close rival John Evans to take the Grand Master prize.



Running a buddy series as well as Youth, Master and Grand Master within the event meant that everyone had something to race for, and with a fleet of 43 entrants from the UK and overseas racing was very competitive. It was also good to see a number of new faces in the fleet encouraged to take part by the after sailing race debriefs and the buddy system, which is designed to improve their skills. To the point that Mark Addison’s buddy Iver Ahlmann sailing the Musto Clothing-sponsored skiff actually ended up beating Mark overall, which goes to show how enthused the sailors are to both help and learn.

Following the first days of sailing the fleet are split into Gold and Silver, and although they always race together, there is a great rivalry for the win in the Silver fleet, as they get the best prizes! Iver Ahlmann took the win here, followed by Leigh Albrecht from Queen Mary Sailing Club and guest sailing star and journalist Andy Rice.

Without doubt the luckiest two sailors competing were Phil Robinson and John Simpson. Phil had somehow convinced his new wife that Lyme Regis would make for a wonderful honeymoon location, and John must have been in on it too, as it was his 10th wedding anniversary! Congratulations from the fleet to the two couples!

The most memorable event of the regatta must have been the end of race 2, when a pod of Bottlenose dolphins decided to pay a visit, and spent some time playing around the skiffs as the sailors were finishing. It was quite magical for some of the lucky sailors who actually had dolphins swimming right up to and under their boats. I’m not sure if anyone lost places because of a lack in concentration, but nobody commented that they were after dolphin related redress!

The class were generously supported by Noble Marine Insurance, and along with their regular sponsors, Musto clothing, Hyde Sails, Harken, Selden and Victor Boats and partners Ovington Boats.

Results:
1st 293 Harken Rick Perkins Whitstable - Yacht Club
2nd 305 Blue Marine Daniel Henderson – Thorpe Bay Yacht Club
3rd 161 Dan Dixon – Stone Sailing Club
4th 295 Michael Palfreman – Starcross Yacht Club
5th 294 Trident UK Ian Trotter – Derwent Reservoir Sailing Club
6th 332 Helly Hansen Richard Stenhouse – Rutland Water Sailing Club
7th 098 Carefree John Reekie – Largs Sailing Club
8th 252 Helly Hansen Kit Stenhouse – Rutland Water Sailing Club
9th 253 RCNDenia Pablo Arandia Sabater – Real Club Nautico Denia
10th 221 Blighline Simon Reynolds – Whitstable Yacht Club

Silver Fleet
1st Iver AHLMANN Rutland
2nd Leigh ALBRECHT Queen Mary
3rd Andy RICE Weston

Youth (under 25)
1st Blue Marine Daniel HENDERSON Thorpe Bay
2nd Selden Ant CHAPMAN Rutland
3rd Wax My Ride Tom WRIGHT Rutland

Master (Over 45)
1st Sunrise Engineering Ian RENILSON Dalgety Bay
2nd Barry SHOTTON Master Whitstable YC
3rd Guy HARRILL Master Starcross YC

Grand Master (Over 50)
1st Little Devil Tim CHAPMAN Rutland
2nd Mick KEATES King George SC
3rd John EVANS Derwent Reservoir

Buddies
Iver AHLMANN Rutland & Mark ADDISON Sunderland YC

Full results here