A total of 11 teams competed this weekend at Queen Mary Reservoir, in an effort to secure their place in the United Airlines RYA British Match Racing Final in Weymouth on the 14-15 September. With one qualifier left to go, teams were looking to finish in the top two at this qualifier in order to confirm their place in the final.

The semi-finals were fought between Ian Williams and Owen Modral and United Airlines RYA Youth Match Racing Champion Paul Campbell-James and Peter Iszatt. Racing was first to two points and both matches were won in two straight races. Williams played the shifts well up the first beat to keep the upper hand over Modral, who, with a penalty from the pre-start, could not get back in the race. Again, in the second race, Williams had sussed out the shifts and by the windward mark had pulled out a good lead that he maintained to the finish.

Paul Campbell-James seemed to have the upper hand in his semi finals too, after giving Iszatt a penalty in the first race, he sailed a better race and Iszatt could not close the gap. The second race saw both boats going back over the start line as they were both early, Campbell-James tacked off straight away and sailed into better breeze, by the windward mark he had pulled out a good lead over Iszatt and did not look back.

The format for the finals was again first to two points, Ian Williams and his crew (Mark Williams, Clive Cokayne and Tanguy Delamoppe) seemed to have the advantage in both races of the finals, sailing well as a crew and playing the shifty conditions to their advantage. After winning the first race by a good margin and giving Campbell-James a penalty in the second race, Williams had secured his place in the final.

Speaking afterwards about his performance Ian Williams commented, “I think we had the experience over Campbell-James, our crew work was slicker and because we were sailing well together, we had our eyes out the boat and were spotting the shifts well. I am looking forward to the finals with the ultimate goal of qualifying for the United Airlines RYA Match Racing Open, which will be great to compete in an International event on home ground.”

A ‘sudden death’ play off for third and fourth place between Modral and Iszatt, saw Modral winning the start, from there he sailed a consistent race and by the finish had established a good lead over Iszatt. Both Modral and Iszatt will win an entry to the United Airlines RYA British Match Racing Finals, as Campbell-James has already qualified by winning the United Airlines RYA Youth Match Racing Championship the previous weekend.

Overall Results

1st Ian Williams

2nd Paul Campbell-James

3rd Owen Modral

4th Peter Iszatt

5th Hwyel Roberts

6th Alex Taylor

7th David Niemann

8th John Horn

9th Christian Hamilton

10th Keith McQuillan

11th Roger Lemmon