VS 15ft Skiff National Championships 79th edition - 2024

Toronto Amateur Sailing Club

Day 1 Friday 26th January, 2024 Heats 1 & 2

The day dawned HOT, with a dreadful forecast of high temperatures and a gusty North Westerly breeze. The tireless Toronto ASC volunteers had cleverly fended off the general public from parking in the car park when we all started arriving which allowed us to find our rigging spots and park close to the boats. This was to be the first experience of a very welcoming, well-balanced team of organisers that made for a good regatta.
After a briefing and registration, we hit the water for what was supposed to be a 3 heat day at around 12:30 and were greeted with the blustery Nor Wester promised. Unfortunately for Quay Accounting the regatta ended before it began when Courtney Matt and Mackenzie’s bow section began to tear away as they ran toward the start line. So, the fleet was now down to 6.

After the start, Meeks ( Mick, Dev and Kate ) headed left with Kaptol ( Jeffo, Pete and Brodie ) while Troy Botting Shipwright ( Col, Adam and Janine ) and Runaway ( Simsy, Jeremy and Troy ) played the middle with SFC/MEB ( Arty, Lennon and Gabe ) and Stowe ( Doddsy, Ryan and George ) heading slightly right.

The gusts were only as intense as the lulls and the shifts – wild. Essentially though, it paid to go left, most of the time. The hardest left was Kaptol and they rounded in front whilst TBS and Runaway who had banged hard right late work hammered in on some Northerly pressure to pip the middle boats.

Kaptol shot away then swam. The rest of the fleet got through their first gybes clean and bolted to the bottom of the course. Up the following work Runaway, TBS, Meeks and SFC/MEB flogged their way up wind while ever steady Doddsy with VS debutant George learning the ropes up front plugged away just off the back in Stowe. Kaptol was upright by now and motoring through from behind. Their technique seemed to work well in the flat water and fresh breeze, and they were coming back fast.

At the top mark with just the downwind to go, Runaway had hit the lead with Meeks and TBS in close pursuit. TBS set out after Runaway whilst Meeks swam in a gybe almost in the same spot Kaptol had the lap prior. By the time they were upright Kaptol had blown past to secure third place. TBS had smoked down the run to put the heat on Runaway but the finish came quickly and despite a nail biting last 30 seconds, Runaway took the win. So, in the end it was Runaway, TBS, Kaptol, Meeks , SFC then Stowe.

TBS had a swim after the finish and unfortunately broke their boom. No heat 2 for TBS as they limped home.
The start for heat 2 was more competitive despite the diminished fleet, and Kaptol pushed over early meaning they had to return and restart. The rest of the fleet started to slog away as the gusts increased. All the boats were surviving up the middle of the course gaining and losing on the shifts. Meanwhile…Kaptol shifted into hyperdrive and smashed the Western shore to pop up in front at the top mark. There’s nothing more to say here other than we must have all been thinking the titles were looking like a potential Kaptol demolition, such was their dominance in heat 2 and their comeback in Heat 1. Runaway was consistent in second place keeping an even keel and loose covering any potential attackers. SFC/MEB went flying past them on the run, just in front of Meeks only to spectacularly capsize in their gybe. Meeks took a conservative route downwind to settle into 3rd place whilst Stowe was having some issues further back. On the last run Meeks tried gybe setting to hook into a gust hoping for a miracle past Runaway. After an epic couple of hooting and hollering minutes it was time to gybe and it was FRESH. They landed it but were a long way below the lay line and ended up 3rd having had enough up their sleeve to hold out SFC/MEB in 4th.

The Race Committee were being char grilled in the tinny support boats in plus 40-degree heat and they opted to postpone the 3rd heat for another day. No arguments from the sailors, it was a tough day for these legends and the promise of a cold bevvy and recap was appealing.

Day 2 – Heats 3,4,5

Mercifully, the Southerly had arrived after racing on Day 1 taking the temperatures down to a muggy high 20’s C. The front had hit hard but by morning the breeze was light to moderate SouEasterly that was trying hard to switch East all day. It was still switchy with the warm water temps keeping the wind thin and gusty.

Heat 3 kicked off at 1PM and the start was competitive. Meeks ( Mick, Dev and Kate ), Stowe ( Doddsy, Ryan and George ) and Runaway ( Simsy, Jeremy and Troy ) made the best of the first beat but the others all came around the top mark not far behind. It was a longer course, and Runaway and Meeks stretched out on starboard gybe with Runaway just off Meeks leeward hip preventing her from a sneaky gybe. A gust came down the middle of the course and Runaway timed their gybe perfectly to take the meat of it back towards the gate at the bottom. Meeks missed it completely. Stowe, SFC/MEB (Arty, Lennon and Gabe ) grabbed the crumbs and came into the gate with Meeks. Runaway was gooonnne! SFC sailed a good upwind leg linking the breeze up the middle to take a decisive second while Stowe took odds on an Easterly shift and got it to be in third at the top with a run to go. Stowe took 3rd after a good downwind leg with Meeks 4th, TBS (Col,Adam and Janine ) 5th and Kaptol 6th.

On Handicap, after 3 heats all the boats had been able to place well in at least 1 race and given the variations in the finish placings on scratch, things were looking interesting.

Heat 4 had an adjusted ( shortened ) course length and a bit of a heading change to the left. After another tight start, Runaway eased away and loosely covered the other boats for the rest of the race to win easily. Meeks, Stowe and SFC/MEB had some close racing with Stowe opting for the left side up wind and the lifts whilst Meeks and SFC/MEB pushed right with TBS and Kaptol trying to get pressure from the compression along the shoreline. Stowe was right and took the second place while Meeks grabbed third from SFC/MEB, TBS and Kaptol. The consistency of speed upwind and down combined with skilful linking of the gusts was paying dividends to the Runaway crew, and with the mixed podium places beginning to form a foil for any points attack, things were looking good for Runaway to take the title.

On handicap, Meeks was leading after 4 races but Stowe and SFC/MEB were making moves.

Heat 5 and Runaway showed their class again with an all-the-way win. After fiddling with some settings between the heats, Meeks began to find some speed and height upwind and managed to score a 2. TBS was also beginning to find her mojo and battled it out with Stowe for a 3rd while SFC/MEB and Kaptol rounded out the results. Only a miracle on Day 3 was going to stop Runaway from taking the title now – and we were wondering if the RO was going to push for 4 heats ( meaning a second drop came into play over the series ) which might give a strong contender a glimmer of hope.

After day 2 the scores on scratch ( no drops ) were: Runaway 6, Meeks 16, SFC/MEB 20, Stowe 20, Kaptol Media 21, TBS 25, and on Handicap, Meeks 9, Runaway 13, Stowe 17, SFC/MEB 19, TBS 22, Kaptol Media 23
 
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