2022 MYA R36 National Championship, Bournville RS&MBC, results

Sunday 18th September at Bournville RS&MBC saw 12 boats gather for this year’s R36 National Championship. The winner was the defending champion Chris Harris sailing a “Dark Matter”. During the preparation Chris said to me that he had not sailed the boat since last year’s championship, as it had been on loan to others during the year. Looking at the results though showed that he very quickly got back to winning ways with the boat and the conditions at the valley parkway lake.
The event PRO Vic Bellerson called everyone together promptly at 10:00am announcing that he would hold a 1-minute silence at 11:00am to honour the passing of Queen Elizabeth.
Vic said that the course would be a beat up the pool to a windward mark, then an offset mark before the run down to a gate before the beat back to the top of the lake for the finish line. Well, that was the plan anyway, as the wind was coming from all directions for most of the day so you could be happily on a beat going to the top mark to then find yourself on a run going to the same mark a few seconds later. John Burgoine was heard to say that without changing course he went from starboard to port tack twice in a few meters such was the challenge at times.
Steve Hodgkinson and Vic kept the races flowing, and with no stops they were able to get three races in before 11:00am when everyone gathered in the club house for the silence. After a brew we were back out on the lake, the course remained the same as it was thought best that we keep the races tight so that we could get plenty in during the day, this way if you had some issues or were on the wrong side of the shifting wind at least you had the opportunity to discard that race.
At lunch having got to race 11 the scores were calculated, and it was looking like Chris H and Mark Dicks were the ones to watch, however consistent they were they were both discarding a large score at this stage. John Burgoine was also towards the top but races 8 and 9 saw him holding big scores.
The design “Dark Matter” made up 50% of the fleet with 6 boats, whilst there were also 4 “Sybora’s”. There was only one swing rig boat a “Deduction” sailed by Simon Pope, and in the rapidly changing wind direction he found that at times it was a handful. Most boats broached at times during the gusts as they were all using a fairly tall working suit that could be overpowered in the swirly conditions.
By race 16 Vic B called the skippers together and announced that he would run 2 more races and that would be it for the day, I think a lot were happy with that decision as they had certainly walked a fair way during the event.
Whilst everyone was packing up, I completed the scores, and Vic B called the skippers together for the final time to do the prize giving. Firstly, he thanked the race team and the skippers for a well-mannered day sailing with no unresolved incidents. So, to the prizes Chris Harris retains the “Yard of Ale Trophy” as the R36 National Champion, and he was also the top Midland District skipper so takes the Midland title along with the rose bowl trophy. The Nat West Novice Trophy, a large wooden bowl goes to Mick Barnett, as he was the highest placed skipper who has not won a National Championship or the trophy previously.
The final positions are here: R36 National Championship
Thanks to the Bournville RS&MBC club for hosting the event and continuing to support this class.