A total of 15 National 12s took part in the 2002 Midwinter Championship at Royal Harwich Yacht Club on the 17 February.

The day started off both frosty and foggy but by the time Race officer Chris Brown had briefed the fleet, the sun had emerged and the frost had disappeared. Chris Brown set a one-lap windward/leeward course for race one. After an indifferent start it was Chris Mayhew crewed by Charlotte Ibbotson (N3443) who sped through the fleet to lead at the windward mark closely followed by Antony Gifford and Katy Meadowcroft (N3447). However, the foul tide-run changed things with Jon Brown and Guy Johnson tucking right into the shore and overtaking almost the whole fleet, Antony Gifford and Katy Meadowcroft gybed out to cover them and made it to the leeward mark just in front. However, they failed to cover on the short beat to the finish and let the two pursuing boats through, with Mayhew and Ibbotson (who were perhaps helped by the lack of correctors in their newly purchased boat) taking first place but then retiring because of the lack of correctors.

Race two was run around a simple triangular course. John and Jimmy Whitehead (N3458) led this race from start to finish. The following boats were left in a hole at the gybe mark from which Tom Stewart and Liz Ross were the first to escape followed by Frances Gifford and Ali Ravenscroft (N3431) and they maintained that order to the finish.

Race three was also a triangular course, this time Jon Brown and Guy Johnson (N3423), sailing ‘Texas Flood’ led round the windward mark, closely followed by a pack of boats, including Malcolm Mackley crewed by Joe Hunt (N3462) in their Feeling Foolish ‘Red Snapper’. After the gybe mark, the fleet bunched together and Malcolm and Joe stayed on the outside of the fleet and rolled through to lead at the leeward mark, followed by Tom Stewart and Elisabeth Ross and John and Jimmy Whitehead, all three boats held these positions to the finish.

The final race was a zig-zag course and was led from start to finish by Malcolm Mackley and Joe Hunt, chased throughout by Tom Stewart and Liz Ross, Jon Brown and Guy Johnson and Ian Gore and Alex Harris. Malcolm pulled away on the last reach to be safe, while the next three boats fought it out for second place. Gore and Harris eventually taking second place by using better use of the bias on the finish line.

Overall Results

1st Malcolm Mackley and Joe Hunt, N3462 Red Snapper (Royal (Harwich YC)

2nd Tom Stewart and Elisabeth Ross, N3429 Fool’s Gold (Royal Harwich YC)

3rd John and Jimmy Whitehead, N3458 White Heat (Redesmere SC)

First Old Boat

Graham Ireland and Michael Douglas, N3390 Mr Badger Royal (Harwich YC)