The Royal Lymington Yacht Club (RLymYC) recently hosted the three-day Albacore 2022 National Championships sponsored by Noble Marine Insurance.
The club has hosted twenty-seven of the double-handed coxswains and crew from sailing clubs across the UK at their base in the Western Solent.
Sun, heat and summer smiles were on the agenda for the weekend.
Friday provided two quad races in a choppy six knots, with three more handled in the nearly non-existent variable wind on Saturday.
Luckily, a deep, airfoil centerboard and rudder make the Albacore highly maneuverable in even the lightest breezes.
Sunday provided a southwesterly sea breeze with a constant 10-12 knots, perfect for the triangle and sausage courses set by the race team, who commented on the fiercely competitive nature of the participants.
Lymington Town Sailing Club members Neville Herbert and Karl Thorne were crowned national champions, narrowly beating veteran Mike McNamara of Grimsby and Colin Gardiner of Cleethorpes Yacht Club. Third place went to Mike Hartley of the West Kirby Sailing Club, with Mark Hinton’s crew.
RLymYC Sailing Back Commodore Jenny Wilson said: “It was fantastic to host the 2022 Albacore Nationals at the club. The Albacore fleet were delightful visitors, and despite the light airs, all seemed to have enjoyed themselves.
“A big thank you to the RLymYC race management team and all the other volunteers who helped make the three-day event a success.”
RLymYC welcomes sailors of varying levels of experience and ability, from beginners to international sailors. For more information visit lymyc.org.uk – new members can also contact [email protected] or call 01590 672677.
