NSSA Match Racing 2008 Sailing Report

NSSA Match Racing 2008 Sailing Report

In a two day event over the weekend of 19/20 April the MTS sailing team competed in the 2008 National Schools’ Match Racing Championship. Held at Queen Mary Reservoir near London, this event consists of a series of races between crews sailing identical boats. With just two teams competing at any one time, this is a competition that requires not only a high standard of seamanship, but also a thorough knowledge of the rules in order to take full tactical advantage.

Ten teams took part, on the first day divided into two groups. The top three teams from each group would then go on to form a gold league for the following day, and the remainder a silver league. By the end of the first day of battle, Merchant Taylors’ had won all of their matches, drawing on their last reserves of energy to hold Worcestershire from the finishing line in the final encounter. This stunning performance from the School team not only enabled them to join the gold league on the next day, but also drew vocal admiration from competitors and race officials alike.

After a sound night’s sleep Sunday morning began in anticipation of meeting the strongest teams in the competition. Both Magdalene and Burford looked very useful, and other teams were keen to make an impression. In the first race of the day the School team initially lagged Kings’ Canterbury, but MTS beat to the line by some distance after Kings’ were troubled by inexperienced spinnaker handling. Retiring to the shore until their next sequence of matches, Merchant Taylors’ looked on as the competition developed. Kings’ won their next match, but Burford and Magdalene entered the fray and put Kings’, Ardingly and Queen Mary all to flight. Returning to battle, MTS were hampered by a compromised boat and felt they had been given insufficient opportunity to restore their craft to its successful configuration. Bravely battling on whilst making running repairs, MTS were unable to reproduce the consistently high performance over the course which had enabled them to reach earlier victories. Magdalene won. In the penultimate flight MTS met the favourites, Burford, and certainly achieved winning boat speed. The experience of Burford’s crew demonstrated itself in some very brisk and clean spinnaker work at the marks, and MTS were unable to make up the difference. Burford won by a boat length.

At this stage Magdalene and Burford were undefeated, the National Schools’ Match Racing title was to be decided in the final match of the weekend. Burford seized the best start, and were from then on little troubled. They steadily drew away from Magdalene and crossed the line a considerable distance ahead.

So, in the final analysis, Burford won the title, Magdalene second, and MTS brought some rather handsome bronze medals back to Merseyside. The organisation of the event was thoroughly professional and the boats of the highest quality. The atmosphere was one of gentlemanly competition and a thoroughly good time was enjoyed by all competitors.

MTS Captain and crew: Jack Harrison, Alex Stubbs, Dan Jamson, Adam Wallymahmed and Richard Welch.

The competitors: Queen Mary Sailing Club, Burford, Magdalene School Oxford, Sevenoaks, Kings’ Canterbury, Cambridgeshire, Derbyshire, Ardingly Sports College, MTS, Worcestershire.

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