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nAn excellent 65 entries descended on Saundersfoot for the 2003 National Championships over a long weekend, 29-31 August. What was billed to be the most closely contested event for many years, with at least 8 helms capable of wining races, lived up to expectations, with the event going to the wire in the last race and 4 still in with a chance of victory.

Day 1 saw 2 races held back to back in a blustery Force 4-5, blowing off the shore. Race 1 saw a one-sided beat enabling Lawrence Crispin, Nick Beloe and Graham Scott lead round the first lap. Allen Burrell headed inshore on lap 2, overstood the windward mark and stormed through to a commanding lead from 8th. At the finish Burrell, Crispin, Beloe and Scott took the top places.Lawrence-Crispin-2003-National Champion

Race 2 soon followed with a better beat, and the fleet splitting on the first beat. Simon Childs won the pin end and headed inshore, Burrell went right and Crispin & Scott played the middle. A close beat saw Burrell, Crispin, Scott & Childs the order at the first mark. The top 6 pulled away as Burrell held on to win from Scott and Crispin, Childs lost 4th to Beloe as the effects of not having a slot gasket provided a Water Feature Charlie Dimmock would have been proud of.

Saturday saw 3 races in a light and shifty offshore Force 1-2, full of holes.

Race 3, a testing first beat saw Simon Elliot lead round, followed by Childs, Beloe and Crispin. Childs pulled through to lead on the second beat, but as the leg turned into a fetch Beloe and Crispin were lifted through into 1st and 2nd. This was the finishing order with Burrell finishing 4th.

Race 4 saw a few recalls as the tide carried the fleet over a number of very long and biased lines. Eventually the fleet got away and split left and right again trying to guess the next 30 degree shift. Left won and Dave Guthrie led round, Phil Argent pulled through downwind in front of Graham Scott and Andy Elliot. These 4 had their own battle with Scott claiming the win from Argent, Elliot and Guthrie snatching defeat from the jaws of victory. The other contenders were all battling back from right hand first beats and scraped into the top 10.

Race 5 saw some more well biased lines and eventually out came the black flag Childs gave up any hopes of retaining the title by being on the blackboard and missed the best race of the day. Beloe, Scott and Burrell led the way, and the race became a very close battle between Beloe and Burrell, who finished in that order with never more than a few boat lengths in it. The other 2 members of the "fab 4" finished next, Crispin holding off Scott.

Sunday meant the Championship showdown. Burell led Beloe, Crispin and Scott who were all in contention. Wind conditions were Force 1 again off the shore & "lovely!!".

Allen Burrell - Runner up 2003Race 6 Burrell called the coin toss correctly and led from Crispin, Beloe and Childs, however going too low let the next 4 through on the first reach with Andy Elliot moving into 3rd. The 2nd beat was a lottery as first Childs then Burrell and finally Crispin thought they were into a lead. Crispin, led down the final run with Burrell and Childs in close attendance. As the leaders approached the final third of the run the Leeward mark was eventually spotted in the back of a rescue boat! Eventually it was thrown in just in front of the leaders Crispin wins from Burrell with Childs 2 feet further behind. Beloe kept in the hunt with a 4th.

With many murmurings about protests and incorrect procedure Race 7 was banged off in short order to ensure the 12 o’clock starting time limit was met. Apart from another impossibly biased line, and the Shortened course flag still being up as the 5 minute went the fleet tried to get to the pin end or as near as possible in the time allowed. Childs started well on the pin again and the fleet tacked immediately to fetch to the first mark. Scott tacked off in a "Burrell" move to overstand and get in more pressure to lead round, from Beloe, Crispin and Burrell. The "fab 4" shootout continued on a succession of fetches and runs. Crispin led down the final run only to watch the leeward mark moved again as the fleet approached! Crispin held on from Scott, Burrell, Beloe and Childs.

The on-the-water results meant that Crispin beat Burrell on discard, with Beloe beating Scott on discard for third. However 2 protests were lodged over incorrect procedures on the Final 2 races which would change the overall winner to Burrell followed by Beloe and Crispin. The main protest was eventually heard and dismissed – watch this space as it may not be over yet!

So Lawrence Crispin completed the Inlands/Nationals double over a very unlucky Allen Burrell. Beloe and Scott sailed a great series in the difficult conditions to keep the pressure up, but no-one matched the consistency of Crispin. Roll on next year at Thorpe Bay!

nPLACE     SAIL NO     HELM    Tally     1     2     3     4     5     6     7     Disc 1     Disc 2     TOTAL
1  1118 Lawrence Crispin 12 2 3 2 6 3 1 1 6 3  9
2 1128  Allen Burrell  18 1 1 4 15 2 2 3 15 4 9
3 1100 Nick Beloe 24 3 4 1 7 1 4 4 7 4 13
4 1153 Graham Scott 46 4 2 8 1 4 5 2 8 5 13
5 1120 Simon Childs 16 8 5 3 9 66 3 5 66 9 24
6 1110 Phil Argent 41 5 6 10 2 5 13 10 13 10 28
7 1105 Andrew Elliott 57 10 13 16 3 6 6 6 16 13 31
8 1106 Richard Pakes 54 6 9 7 18 9 12 14 18 14 43
9 1077 Alistair Warren 19 12 18 11 10 10 9 12 18 12 52
10 1149 Martin Watts 27 7 16 13 8 66 10 23 66 23 54
11 999 Alan Husk 8 9 15 14 22 7 19 11 22 19 56
12 1135 Neil Fulcher 63 13 7 43 16 8 16 66 66 43 60
13 1108 Ian Howett 64 30 8 17 20 11 15 9 30 20 60
14 1101 Patrick Hicks 23 14 10 27 5 66 14 20 66 27 63
15 1159 Brian Glen 59 17 66 9 17 26 7 13 66 26 63
16 1066 John Torrance 1 15 19 24 66 20 11 7 66 24 72
17 1158 Richard Sallis 51 25 66 20 14 14 17 8 66 25 73
18 1150 Mark Rainbow 7 20 22 6 24 13 27 16 27 24 77
19 1098 Dave Guthrie 9 24 12 23 4 66 22 27 66 27 85
20 1117 Colin Barrie 6 11 11 28 25 19 20 66 66 28 86
21 105 Simon Elliott 58 18 66 5 28 36 26 1' 66 36 92
22 906 Andy Hay 38 33 20 18 19 18 18 22 33 22 93
23 1084 Roger Battersby 30 35 27 15 33 15 21 25 35 33 103
24 1044 James Lancaster 62 23 14 42 36 12 33 28 42 36 110
25 998 Ian Jay 31 21 21 26 21 23 66 66 66 66 112
26 1138 Peter White 17 64 66 12 12 66 8 17 66 66 113
27 1111 Robin West 20 16 38 38 29 21 24 24 38 38 114
28 1114 Paul Beasley 44 28 25 22 32 22 44 18 44 28 119
29 1113 Rod Thorpe 50 45 66 19 30 25 32 19 66 45 125
30 1094 Paul Earnshaw 53/67 41 17 36 26 66 28 21 66 41 128
31 1026 Ron Chivers 25 22 24 49 23 66 29 31 66 49 129
32 996 Chris Roberts 55 39 26 37 13 66 25 32 66 39 133
33 1075 Peter Barnstable 37 34 23 29 31 17 43 56 56 43 134
34 1136 Colin Walters 3 31 66 21 39 33 23 26 66 39 134
35 955 Malcolm Levey 14 26 66 33 27 27 38 29 66 38 142
36 988 John Willerton 28 38 28 31 34 29 31 30 38 34 149
37 1142 Mike Potter 61 27 66 32 42 16 37 41 66 42 153
38 978 Peter Harlow 22 19 29 51 47 24 39 56 56 51 158
39 1139 Chris Bottomley 32 63 66 30 11 30 54 43 66 63 168
40 1007 Roger Brown 5 40 31 57 41 31 50 44 57 50 187
41 957 Andrew Downie 21 36 66 45 49 34 35 38 66 49 188
42 1089 Anthony Walker 52 43 37 66 40 28 41 56 66 56 189
43 1129 Paul Kersley 34 49 35 34 46 35 46 40 49 46 190
44 896 Robin Hobson 39 32 30 35 54 66 47 49 66 54 193
45 1115 Ken Daniels 2 44 66 46 38 38 42 34 66 44 198
46 1125 Trevor Harris 40 29 32 50 43 66 48 47 66 50 199
47 1079 Ian Barrie 49 64 66 25 44 66 36 33 66 66 202
48 1145 Nick Sadler 4 64 66 40 35 66 30 35 66 66 204
49 1042 Ted Lewis 26 42 36 39 51 66 53 36 66 53 204
50 1030 Nick Berridge 29 37 39 44 52 41 66 66 66 66 213
51 940 Roger Day 42 66 66 41 45 44 40 45 66 66 215
52 1051 Nigel Leveridge 15 64 66 53 48 40 34 48 66 64 223
53 1065 Joe Joyner 10 51 41 58 37 37 62 66 66 62 224
54 1088 John Jordan 60 46 34 55 62 66 52 39 66 62 226
55 1001 Pete Bower 36 48 66 56 58 39 45 42 66 58 230
56 351 Dave Timson 45 56 66 47 57 47 49 46 66 57 245
57 993 Mathew Davis 43 53 66 60 50 32 59 56 66 60 250
58 1074 Clive Mattson 11 54 40 61 60 46 60 56 61 60 256
59 1080 Phil Baily 48 47 66 59 55 43 58 66 66 66 262
60 1012 Julian Aber 35 55 66 62 61 42 61 56 66 62 275
61 1054 Andrew Griffin 65 64 33 48 66 66 66 66 66 66 277
62 1085 Julian Doggmell 33 52 66 52 53 66 56 66 66 66 279
63 1127 Richard Cutsford 47 64 66 66 56 45 51 66 66 66 282
64 1123 Glenn Ratcliff 56 50 66 63 59 66 57 56 66 66 285
65 980 G. Kingston 66 64 66 66 66 66 55 66 66 66 317

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