by Ian Sinclair Spring 05

Championship Report by Ian Sinclair (Feb 2005) The Nationals: Your 2005 National Championship and Cruising week entry is needed as early as possible. The minute the spring edition of Mainsail (complete with the National Championship and Cruising week entry form inside) drops through your letter box, please complete the enclosed entry form and return it with your deposit to the G.P.14 office. If you enter before the early entry cut off date you will make a financial saving with the discounted early entry fee on offer. Read the entry form for further details. Poole Y.C. has a great team planning this event, please help them to give us another top class National Championship by entering as early as you can.
Whilst discussing the Nationals many of you will be aware that there is a change of format for this year’s event. Scrutineering will take place on Saturday 6^th August with the practice race and first and second points races taking place on Sunday 7th. The championship will be in two sections - a qualifying section during the first part of the week, and a final section for the remainder. During the qualifying section competitors will race in flights made up of mixed abilities (your chance to race against the super stars). Each evening the flights will be re-formed, and your finishing position that day will determine your flight for the next day. Your new flight will have mainly different competitors, but still of mixed ability.
From the results of the qualifying section you will be assigned to either Gold, Silver or Bronze fleets for the final section of races. Once a competitor has been assigned to a fleet there will be no further movement from one fleet to another.
	The final section of the event will bring together competitors of similar abilities, giving every level of competitor the opportunity to lead and control races from the front of their respective fleet. This element to championship racing is a new concept for many of us in the Silver and Bronze fleets, a concept to be savoured and enjoyed. For the Gold fleet it will definitely be the toughest racing they have ever experienced, Gold fleet competitors against Gold fleet competitors, an event not for the faint hearted. The big question being asked of our Gold fleet is, are you tough enough for the head to head finale?
Time managed races will be the order of the day, an absolute maximum of sixty minutes races have been requested by the Championship committee. Back to back racing will mean that we will be out on the water for approximately three and a half hours, a stroll in the park compared with previous years Nationals. The time between a race finishing and the following race starting will be cut to a minimum; this will be helped by a well designed race course with the start and finish lines being relatively close together. The P.R.O. will be encouraged not to hold back on the use of the BLACK flag if the fleets do not conform to the starting procedures laid down in the S.I’s. Apart from the Sunday race times, racing is scheduled to start at twelve o’clock Monday through to Friday. This I am assured is perfect timing to pick up the incoming sea breeze, gradient wind permitting; a little local knowledge goes a long way.

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