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Twenty-five Hurricane 5.9 SX catamarans gathered at the Royal Yorkshire Yacht Club for their 2024 National Championship. Among the fleet were seven boats attending their first ever national championship!
The event started dramatically with Storm Lilian bringing winds exceeding 52 knots, which delayed the first day’s racing. Conditions only eased enough in the late afternoon to take the boats off the trailers. Sailors spent the evening rigging, pausing briefly for beer and a BBQ! While the wind raged, most of the fleet packed away their tents and took a stroll down the beach to explore the local seafood offerings in Europe’s lobster capital!
Supported by AB Graphic International alongside regular sponsors Sailing Chandlery, AW Sailboats, and M2 Graphics, racing eventually kicked off on Saturday. Four races were planned, with a strong offshore south-westerly breeze and a small southern swell creating some exciting conditions. In race one, the top seven boats enjoyed tight competition, but the Stone SC boats eventually pulled ahead. Jack Tindale & Hugo Bull claimed victory, followed by Trevor Bawden & Tom Wass in second, and Richie Hanmore & Matt Kimber in third.
Race two saw similar conditions, with Jack & Hugo once again leading in the gusty, unpredictable weather. However, Stokes Bay SC’s Adam Charlesworth & Rich Robinson pushed through to second after a great start, while European Champions Alex Farrall & Alex Warrington from Thorpe Bay YC secured third.
As race three began, the breeze started to fade, but gusts kept the racing unpredictable. Alex & Alex took the win, with Jack & Hugo in second, and Stone’s Dan Tindale & Lee Saunders in third. By the final race of the day, the wind had eased further, leaving the sailors exhausted. Jack & Hugo secured their third win, followed by Dan & Lee, with Richie & Matt completing a Stone SC top three.
Sunday brought a return of strong winds, with 25-30 knots and choppy conditions in the morning. The race committee postponed the day’s racing, hoping for calmer winds later in the afternoon. The fleet took the opportunity to rest, heading into town for bowling and lunch. By 2pm, with the wind still howling, racing was abandoned, leaving sailors to spend more time in town enjoying beer and bowling!
Monday morning saw ideal conditions, with a solid force 4 breeze and an early start. The fleet was eager to get going, leading to a general recall in race 5. Once the fleet settled, the gusty conditions made for another unpredictable race, with Alex & Alex taking the win, followed by Trevor & Tom, with Jack & Hugo in third. In race 6, Jack & Hugo made an early break, securing a commanding lead, followed by Dan & Lee in second, and Richie & Matt in third.
As the wind eased for the final two races, Alex & Alex won race 7, with Thorpe Bay YC’s Paul & Robert Palmer in second, and Trevor & Tom in third. The last race of the regatta saw tired sailors pushing through, with Jack & Hugo taking their fifth win, followed by Thorpe Bay YC’s George & Howard Warrington in second, and Simon & Sophie Boygle in third.
Jack & Hugo sailed an outstanding regatta, showing remarkable consistency in tricky, gusty conditions, claiming their fourth national championship win. Stone SC also dominated, winning the team trophy with four boats in the top five, all displaying impressive speed.
Other notable performances included Rupert & Caleb Greeves from Starcross YC, who triumphed in the battle of the maiden national championship entrants. Chris White & Vice Commodore Mike Wright, sailing their boat for the very first time, having transitioned from the local Dart fleet, showed improving speed as the event progressed, winning a new jib in the raffle! Four sailors under 19 competed, with 14-year-old Rowan Greeves, who only began helming a Hurricane this summer, earning the Reg White trophy.
