BUSA Sail to Victory in Portsmouth

Southampton entered 3 teams in this year’s BUSA Student Yachting Nationals in Portsmouth. The last time Southampton won this event was 2011, and winning gains an automatic entry in the […]


Southampton entered 3 teams in this year’s BUSA Student Yachting Nationals in Portsmouth. The last time Southampton won this event was 2011, and winning gains an automatic entry in the Student Yachting World Championship event in France in the autumn.

The teams were comprised as follows:

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Tactics – Annabel Vose

Helm – Bleddyn Mon

Main – Max Richardson

Trim 1 – Toby Mumford

Trim 2 – James O’Mahony

Pit – Amy Prime

Mast – George Johnson

Bow – George Thompson [/spoiler]

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Tactics – Matt Foz

Helm – James Wilkie

Main – Richard Burrows

Trim 1 – Conrad Manning

Trim 2 – Eric Al

Pit – Jonty Cook

Mast – Lillie Cable

Bow – Dan Saltmarsh [/spoiler]

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Tactics – Nick Robson

Helm – James Hayward

Main – William Goldsmith

Trim 1 – Kit Lawson-Johns

Trim 2 – Becky Thomas

Pit – Matt Burleigh

Mast – George Finch

Bow – Kat Burleigh [/spoiler]

The racing started on the Monday with 2 races. The wind was a strong easterly 15knots with Southampton Red finishing with a 6th and a 1st, Southampton White with a 1st and a 2nd (and a very heavy collision resulting in a new boat for the rest of the racing) and Southampton Blue with a 15th and 12th. After the first day, Southampton White led the championship with Southampton Red coming in 2nd.

The second day saw some lighter winds and three races. Again the Southampton team dominating finishing the day with Southampton Red leading by 8 points and White in 4th and Blue in 15th.

The third day was one long coastal race. The race started in Portsmouth in very light winds and was sailed up to Cowes and back. It took 6 hours of intense and close racing with the Red team battling all the time from the back of the fleet to finish with a 12th. The winner of the this race was Southampton Blue, claiming a well deserved 1st place finish and winning the coastal race trophy.

The last day saw Southampton Red leading the Championship by 2 points in front of Cambridge University and 7 points in front of Portsmouth. Two races were scheduled to take place. In the first race, the wind died leaving the fleet drifting with the tide in the Solent. One race was completed and it left Red clear by 4 points going into the last race. The fleet of 26 yachts waited for the wind to fill in, but the race committee waiting for as long as possible before cancelling the last race of the Championship, making Southampton Red the BUCS/BUSA National Champions.

The Red team savouring victory

Southampton truly dominated at this event, taking 1st place overall and 1st place on the coastal race. For the full results table, please see the BUSA Sailing Facebook page.