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First Choice Industry Sailing Challenge 2001 Overall
Author: Chris Clode
NATIONAL GRID CREW TRIUMPHS IN HARD-FOUGHT FINAL OF FIRST CHOICE INDUSTRY SAILING CHALLENGE 2001
Mark Oaten and his crew from National Grid 2 overcame tough competition to win the final of the First Choice Industry Sailing Challenge 2001, organised by Sunsail and Ocean Racing Agency and sailed in Sunsail’s fleet of Sunfast 36s in near perfect conditions in the Solent. Each of the six winning crew members wins a Ј1000 Sunsail holiday voucher.
The final consisted of three races sailed over the weekend of Saturday 14th and Sunday 15th July. On Saturday the twenty crews that had qualified for the final from the 150 entrants contesting the five Challenge Rounds held at the end of May and beginning of June, raced in two round-the-cans inshore races in the Solent, followed almost immediately by a clockwise circumnavigation of the Isle of Wight.
In the first two inshore races Peter Stanley from National Grid 1 sailing Sunsail 27 dominated the proceedings, winning both races. Mark Williams and his crew from Du Pont Kevlar on Sunsail 24 notched up a third in the first race and a second in the second race, giving two clear contenders for the overall title.
Mark Oaten and the crew from National Grid 2 managed a second in the first race, but with double points for the gruelling night time circumnavigation of the Isle of Wight, anything could happen.
Heading east towards Bembridge Ledge after the start at 16.10, the yachts picked up the last of the ebb before turning south west to race towards St Catherine’s Point. Once round the Needles and with the wind dying, they picked up the first of the early morning flood, bringing them swiftly up the west Solent to finish on the Royal London Yacht Club line at around 02.00 on Sunday. After a ten hour race only 20 minutes separated the first and last of the 19 finishers, proving just how competitive Industry Sailing Challenge is.
Victory in the final race went to Mark Oaten and the crew of National Grid 2 sailing Sunsail 25. Second was Paul McNamara from Ricardo Consulting Engineers sailing Sunsail 33, and third was Alistair Sclare from Royal & Sun Alliance sailing Sunsail 19.
The Race Committee then had to calculate the overall points to decide the winners of the First Choice Industry Sailing Challenge 2001 and after much deliberation, Mark Oaten and the crew of National Grid 2 took first place, Paul McNamara from Ricardo Consulting Engineers was second and Mark Williams sailing for Du Pont Kevlar was third.
A prizegiving was held after a champagne breakfast at the Royal London Yacht Club in Cowes and the tired but elated crews then headed back to Sunsail’s base at Port Solent, all determined to participate again next year.
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