Schneider Electric Hunter Nationals 2007

The last of 10 races to be sailed. Positions one and two, and positions three and four, for the 2007 National Championship event would be decided by the outcome of a single race!

This was the position on Saturday 24 March as Race Officer, Austin Daly, led the fleet of 31 Hunters out on to Witbank Dam to set the course and start the final race of the event. The mid-afternoon south-westerly wind settled and all was set for a fitting finale to a championship event of the highest order.

The action had started on the Wednesday with the weighing of entered boats and the event registration process. A no-nonsense briefing in the clubhouse was followed by the usual bustle of activity associated with last-minute racing preparation. This preparation was to prove invaluable as the winds to be experienced during the event would soon be seen to test sailors and equipment alike. Many of the more seasoned campaigners were heard to comment, at conclusion of racing, that they had never experienced such consistency of wind strength at Witbank for the duration of a major Hunter class event.

Two races on Wednesday followed by four races on Thursday saw the result sheets reflect the closeness of the racing out on the water. A further three races in challenging conditions on Friday, coupled with the toll on bodies and boats, had a total of nine races completed. Result sheets were again studied at some length, with accompanying speculative debate, as crews prepared themselves for the challenges of Saturday’s final race. Much was at stake in all the categories of the event in which performance would be formally recognised.

An absorbing tussle developed soon after the start of race ten between leading boats,‘Copadaph’(John Bruckman/Dave Martinson-WYAC) and ‘Essex Girl’(Paul Changuion/Tim Duguid-HMYC). It was ‘Essex Girl’ ahead until ‘Copadaph’ caught the wind under spinnaker on an outside line to the leeward mark. From there on it was the local boat covering to finish the race ahead of her rival and to clinch the title. The result makes it two-in-a–row for John and Dave who took the title in 2006 on ‘Guesswho?’

Recovering well from a bad start was ‘BB’(Craig Millar/Mike Surgeson-HMYC) , who slipped inside closest rivals and oldest boat in the fleet, ‘Odin’s Eye’(Tony Cockerill/Hank Pike-HMYC), at the final mark to claim overall third position.

The Hunter Class AGM was held on Thursday, the Hunter Class Dinner (sponsored by ‘Schneider Electric’) on Friday, and the Prizegiving held on Saturday evening. Also generous in their sponsorship of aspects of the championship programme and contributing to the success of the event was ‘AMTEC Project Management’.

Credit must go to all, especially host club WYAC and their members and helpers, who contributed to make the 2007 Hunter Class National Championships one of the most successful class events to date.

Apparently, the year 2008 will mark 40 years of the HUNTER class in South Africa. Entries in the National Championship event have been in excess of 30 of these wonderful little keelboats for the last nine championships. Class members have undertaken to work hard in all the regions to achieve an entry of 50 boats at the Hunter Class National Championships to be held at LDYC on the Vaal Dam from Friday 21 March to Monday 24 March 2008.

2007 National Championships-Results:

*Championships
1 ‘Copadaph’ (J Bruckman/D Martinson-WYAC)
2 ‘Essex Girl’ (P Changuion/T Duguid-HMYC)
3 ‘BB’ (C Millar/M Surgeson-HMYC)
4 ‘Odin’s Eye’ (T Cockerill/H Pike-HMYC)
5 ‘Mickey’ (L Johnstone/V Owen-LDYC)

*Handicap
1 ‘Odin’s Flirt’ (Anthony McMillan/Lauren Ross-HMYC)
Youth sailors and 12th overall
2 ‘Donatella’ (C Hay/G Brown-WYAC)
3 ‘Caliph’ (R Hill/L Clark-WYAC)

*Youth Trophy
1 ‘White Ice’ ( Luke and Steven Wagner-HMYC)
9th overall

*Club Trophy( 5 boats’ scores to count)
1 HMYC ( who trailed 7 boats to the event)
2 WYAC
3 SPYC

Chairman’s Trophy (for Outstanding Service to the Hunter Class)
Inaugural award in 2007 – Simon Farrington

Results

Rank	Boat Name	Helm	Crew	Club	Race 1	Race 2	Race 3	Race 4	Race 5	Race 6	Race 7	Race 8	Race 9	Race 10	Nett
1	Copadaph	John Bruckmann	Dave Martinson	WYAC	1.0	3.0	4.0	3.0	1.0	2.0	1.0	2.0	5.0	2.0	15.0
2	Essex Girl	Paul Chaguien	Tim Duguid	HMYC	4.0	1.0	1.0	5.0	2.0	3.0	2.0	1.0	3.0	4.0	17.0
3	Baby Blue	Craig Miller	Mike Surgeson	HMYC	6.0	5.0	3.0	4.0	3.0	1.0	3.0	3.0	4.0	5.0	26.0
4	Odins Eye	Tony Cockerill	Hank Pike	HMYC	2.0	4.0	2.0	1.0	4.0	8.0	11.0	6.0	2.0	6.0	27.0
5	Mickey	Lester johnstone	Vaun Owen	LDYC	11.0	6.0	6.0	2.0	6.0	7.0	8.0	4.0	1.0	DNC	40.0
6	Spassymoto	Robert Edwards	Andrew Edwards	SPYC	7.0	7.0	9.0	7.0	5.0	5.0	7.0	5.0	12.0	9.0	52.0
7	Carpet Bagger	Mike Hayton	Malcolm Orren	WYAC	8.0	8.0	7.0	6.0	8.0	9.0	5.0	10.0	7.0	15.0	58.0
8	E T	Herbie Karoleus	Chris Emery	DAC	3.0	2.0	5.0	9.0	7.0	6.0	DNF	DNC	DNC	1.0	65.0
9	White Ice	Luke Wagner	Steven Wagner	HMYC	13.0	20.0	11.0	8.0	10.0	10.0	10.0	8.0	6.0	10.0	73.0
10	Bounty	Barry Ogilvie	James Grierson	WYAC	10.0	13.0	8.0	12.0	14.0	14.0	6.0	9.0	8.0	13.0	79.0
11	Assegaai	Jesica Lenz	Shellee Pots	SPYC	5.0	12.0	15.0	18.0	17.0	13.0	14.0	7.0	10.5	7.0	83.5
12	Odins Flirt	Antony McMillan	Lauren Ross	HMYC	14.0	19.0	13.0	14.0	15.0	15.0	4.0	12.0	13.0	3.0	88.0
13	Rags	Graham Genloud	Richard Genloud	WYAC	15.0	9.0	10.0	13.0	11.0	4.0	17.0	15.0	14.0	14.0	90.0
14	Slipery When Wet	Simon Farrington	Terrie Pratt	LDYC	9.0	14.0	14.0	15.0	13.0	11.0	13.0	DNC	10.5	8.0	92.5
15	Amaglugglug	Barry Hundley	Grant Parker	Witts	12.0	10.0	12.0	16.0	12.0	17.0	12.0	11.0	16.0	11.0	96.0
16	Orion	Sean VanRensburg	Pierre Van Rensburg	DAC	23.0	15.0	19.0	10.0	9.0	16.0	15.0	19.0	9.0	20.0	112.0
17	Donatella	Colin Hay	Garry Brown	WYAC	26.0	21.0	16.0	11.0	19.0	12.0	9.0	14.0	21.0	12.0	114.0
18	Mistress	Peter Metcalf	Big Dave	HMYC	16.0	24.0	17.0	19.0	22.0	20.0	16.0	13.0	15.0	DNC	138.0
19	Jabula	John Latilla	Brendon Latilla	WYAC	17.0	16.0	18.0	17.0	20.5	21.0	19.0	17.0	DNC	19.0	143.5
20	Paradiem Shift	Rob McIntosh	Keneth Renton	HMYC	20.0	17.0	24.0	22.0	23.0	DSQ	20.0	20.0	17.0	16.0	155.0
21	Jenny Wren	Niel Ellinson	Allen Maddern	WYAC	18.0	23.0	21.0	20.0	16.0	24.0	18.0	16.0	DNC	DNC	156.0
22	Haysons	Rory Hay	Craig Hay	WYAC	19.0	11.0	DNF	DNC	DNC	18.0	21.0	22.0	19.0	17.0	159.0
23	Caliph	Roger Hill	Lionel Clark	WYAC	22.0	22.0	22.0	21.0	20.5	22.0	OCS	18.0	18.0	18.0	161.5
24	Miraculix	Dillen LeRoux	Andrew Ballard	PSC	21.0	25.0	23.0	25.0	18.0	19.0	23.0	23.0	DNC	DNC	177.0
25	Jeldi 2	Rob Watson	Steve Thysse	TYC	27.0	28.0	25.0	23.0	24.0	26.0	26.0	26.0	20.0	21.0	191.0
26	Guess Who	Alice DeWet	Angela Chokie	WYAC	25.0	18.0	20.0	24.0	25.0	23.0	DNF	DNC	DNC	DNC	199.0
27	Sirocco II	John Ogilvie	Shaun Viljoen	WYAC	30.0	DNF	26.0	26.0	26.0	25.0	24.0	21.0	22.0	DNC	200.0
28	Girl Friday	B Funke	Roy Tolfts	TYC	28.0	DNC	27.0	28.0	28.0	28.0	22.0	27.0	23.0	22.0	205.0
29	Aptronics	Daddy	Elliot & Steven	DAC	29.0	27.0	28.0	27.0	27.0	27.0	27.0	24.0	24.0	23.0	206.0
30	Wild Thing	Rhys McMillan	Warren Clarke	WYAC	24.0	26.0	DNC	DNC	DNC	DNC	25.0	25.0	DNC	DNC	228.0
31	Six Pack	M Clarke	Donovan Martinson	WYAC	DNC	DNC	29.0	DNC	DNC	DNC	DNC	28.0	DNC	24.0	241.0