SuperNova National Championship The first, but probably not the last SuperNova National Championship to be held at Saundersfoot took place from Sunday, June 11 to Tuesday, June 13. The SuperNova is relatively new and not well- known in our part of the world. It is a 4.3 metre (14-feet in old money) single-hander with Mylar sails and a 1062 Portsmouth Yardstick placing it squarely in Laser territory, but with the camaraderie which goes with smaller numbers. Weather conditions were not ideal but we did manage seven out of eight races planned and the winner was not decided until the last leg of the last race. Two races were run on the Sunday in almost perfect conditions - sunshine, flat water, wind Force 3 and the ability to set testing courses. On the Monday, conditions were more difficult with a shifting wind which took an hour to settle, but a further two good races were completed thanks to the efforts of committee boat and patrol boat who lifted and placed marker buoys 'with efficiency and dispatch'. Tuesday saw little wind and race officer Paul Griffiths was lucky to get one race in before the wind died and the rain set in. By popular acclaim, race eight was scrapped and all retired to the club buffet and bar. The eventual Championship winners were: 1. Norman Halstead, South Cerney SC, 5-3-7-2-1-2 (20 points); 2. Mark Hartley, Blithfield SC, 13-1-1 -4-2-3 (24 points); 3 Paul Earnshaw, Haversham SC, 4-2-5-3-8-5 (27 points). These underline as always, the message that consistency wins sailing championships. We hope to see the SuperNovas again and they will be very welcome. Perhaps they will even take extended leave and take on the massed ranks of Laser entrants at future Coppet Weeks. In reporting on this event, club dinghy captain, Paul Griffiths, asked that his thanks and appreciation be conveyed to all - race officials, patrol boat crews, recorders, bar and buffet staff who gave so generously of their time and effort to make Coppet Week 2006 and the Supernova event the successes they were. That message was reinforced by club commodore, John Hollies, who generously sponsored a barbecue/happy hour at the clubhouse on Saturday, June 17, for all who had helped in the two events. A nice gesture which should not be allowed to obscure the fact that no-one devoted more time and effort than commodore John Hollies - he was everywhere and often in several places at once.
Club Racing
It was back to business as usual with two races for the Royal Marines Trophy on Sunday with first race scheduled for 11 am, at which time here was the faintest of breezes and a long slow slog for the 13 entrants to clear the harbour. However, race officer Ancient Mariner (again!) had great faith in the Ceefax Inshore Waters bulletin which promised Force 3-5. Sure enough, the wind increased slowly, but steadily during the three hour duration of the racing. Race one, in light winds was notable for a head-to- head battle for first place between the 29er of John and Jenny Harrison and the Laser of Govan Berridge, won, on the water by the 29er and comprehensively on handicap by Govan's Laser. By race two, the wind had freshened considerably, sufficient for John and Jenny Harrison to enjoy(?) a wild ride from Monkstone to the harbour mark. This was an impressive spectacle with both Harrisons out on the wire and going so fast there was no time to drop the spinnaker before rounding the harbour mark - a recipe for the inevitable early bath. This handed the race to a procession of Lasers lead expertly again by Govan Berridge, demonstrating that his third place overall in Coppet 2006 was no fluke.
Ancient MarineR