2015 National Championship

COONEY AND FRITH TAKE OSPREY NATIONALS

New Osprey National Champions were crowned today, 26 July, at Highcliffe SC, after no racing was possible on the final day today. The Championship was decided on seven races, over three days of different wind strengths and directions, giving an excellent test for the 34 teams.

Overnight leaders Martin Cooney and Peter Frith thus took the 2015 National Championship. Second on the tiebreak were Matt Burge and Phil Angrave. Burge was the 2014 National Champion and is the Endeavour Trophy holder, but he had to accept second place this year to Cooney and Frith, who put together a very consistent series, including in their unfavoured light wind conditions.

Cooney and Frith have sailed ten Osprey Nationals together, and they showed the value of a well established partnership, in taking their third Nationals title. Terry Curtis and Peter Greig took third place. All of the top four boats were wooden, showing they can compete very well against more recent FRP examples.

Another notable performance was by 18 year old Emma Stevenson who with Tim Bowden took seventh overall, and was top Lady helm, and top under 21 sailor.
 
Final positions;
1.    Cooney and Frith, Poole YC, 11pts
2.    Burge and Angrave, Poole YC, 11pts
3.    Terry Curtis and Peter Greig, Weymouth SC, 19pts

OSPREY NATIONALS DAY 3- TWO TEAMS CLOSING IN ON TITLE

Sunshine and a new wind direction, WNW breeze of 10 to 16 mph, tested competitors on  Day 3, 25 July, of the Osprey Nationals at Highcliffe SC.  It was a shiftier, tricky direction, but competitors enjoyed sunshine and close competition, again on triangle sausage courses. 

Sometimes competition was a little too close with some collisions, the odd capsize and OCS.

From three contenders after Day 2, the teams rose to the top, with very low scoring from both Martin Cooney/ Peter Frith, and Matt Burge/ Phil Angrave. Cooney took a pair of wins and a third place, with Burge taking a pair of seconds then a win in the final race, leaving the two teams equal on points, but with Cooney ahead on tie break. Some other teams hit the top three in individual races, with Rob Shaw/ Ian Little taking third in the first race, Emma Stevenson/ Tim Bowden third in the second race, and Chris Gould/ Nick Broomhall second in the last race, but none could match the consistency of the leading pair.

The final day is Sunday 26 July, with the two teams locked together. 

Positions overall after seven races;

1. Cooney and Frith, Poole YC, 11pts

2. Burge and Angrave, Poole YC, 11pts

3. Curtis and Greig, Weymouth SC, 19pts

OSPREY NATIONALS DAY 2- COONEY AND FRITH TAKE THE LEAD

Cooney & Frith in Osprey 1290 Day 1 2015 Nationals - pictures copyright Mike Rice/ www.fotoboat.com

Dark, wet skies, and rain for most of the day failed to dampen spirits on Day 2, 24 July, of the Osprey Nationals at Highcliffe SC.  It was another day of brisk breezes of around 15 knots, but offshore and with some lulls to punish the unwary.

Two races were sailed on a triangle sausage course, and breezes were again sufficient for some of the top boats to take a dip, and sufficient to continue the current epidemic of broken pintles, gudgeons and assorted rudder disasters. 

In Race 1 current National Champion Matt Burge crewed by Phil Angrave were the victors, taking the British Steel Salver for their efforts. Osprey builders Richard and Mark Hartley took second with Terry Curtis/ Peter Greig third. In the second race, Martin Cooney and Peter Frith withstood their rudder issues to remain mildly shaken not stirred and take the Martini Trophy, and move into the lead overall. Burge and Angrave also made progress with a second place, with Curtis/ Greig keeping close in third. This sets up a very close contest with the top three teams separated by just a point, as we go into the third day. 

In the evening at the class AGM, Hartley Boats revealed more details of the exciting Mark 5 Osprey, which will be launched in early 2016, and they will show the new boat at a succession of five Boat Shows that year. Their current very special introductory offer for purchase of a Mark 5 Osprey has to finish soon, at the Southampton Boat show, so do not delay with your enquiries.

Positions overall after four races;

1. Cooney and Frith, Poole YC, 6pts

2. Burge and Angrave, Poole YC, 6pts

3. Curtis and Greig, Weymouth SC, 7pts 

OSPREY NATIONALS DAY 1

Sunshine and 16 knots greeted the 34 boats at the first day of the Osprey Nationals at Highcliffe SC. 

The fleet enjoyed big waves and exhilarating reaches on the triangle sausage courses.

Terry Curtis and Peter Greig enjoyed the brisk conditions to take the first race, with Kevin Francis/ Phil Male in second. One of the top female helms in the fleet, Alex Willis, crewed by Dad Nick, took a well deserved third place.

By the second race, Martin Cooney and Peter Frith had rejoined the fleet after a broken pintle in the first race. They reached  ashore rudderless with kite up to find a spare rudder, and were going so fast to make the next start that they kept going at warp speed, and took the second race.  Chris Gould and Nick Broomhall took second, with current National Champion Matt Burge crewed by Phil Angrave in third place.

Positions overall after two races;
1.    Terry Curtis and Peter Greig, Weymouth SC, 5pts
2.    Chris Gould and Nick Broomhall, Blithfield SC, 7pts
3.    Kevin Francis and Phil Male, Castle Cove SC, 7pts

Osprey class builder is Hartley Boats, who are launching the new Mark 5 Osprey in 2016. www.hartleyboats.com , 01332 369751.
Class Press Officer Alan Henderson on This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. , or 0754 9834061.

Accompanying pictures copyright Mike Rice/ www.fotoboat.com for more photos.
       

The Osprey Nationals at Highcliffe SC run from 23 to 26 July. There are two races per day on Days 1 and 4, and three races per day on Days 2 and 3.
For further information about the class, see www.ospreysailing.org , or the Sail Osprey Facebook page.

The Osprey Class are grateful to the following companies who are supporting the 2015 National Championships.