Brixham Yacht Club Hosts Hadron H2 National Championship Event

Hadron H2 National Championship at Brixham Yacht Club – Overall

6-8 September 2024

After a wonderful barbecue meal at the host club on the Saturday evening, with drinks generously provided for all competitors, the sailors retired with little expectation for sailing on the final day of the event.

Day 1 experienced sunny periods and light winds, while Day 2 saw drizzle and continued light winds. Unfortunately, Day 3 began with rain and no wind. Following discussions among the H2 competitors, their K1 counterparts, and the Brixham YC Race Office, it was decided to abandon the day’s racing.

While it was disappointing to only complete four races out of the scheduled eight, the results published the previous day stand as the final outcomes. Our new National Champion is Josh Hamer (Leigh & Lowton SC), with remarkable results of 1, 2, 2, 2 showcasing his consistency despite challenging conditions in Torbay. This victory adds another accolade to his Inland Championship win earlier this year, again in light winds. Unsurprisingly, he also claimed the Lightweights Trophy for the event.

In second place for the third consecutive year is Ian Dawson (Warsash SC), whose scores include 2, 1, 6, 11. Ian boasts an impressive record in major H2 events, including two inland championships, and he receives the Ulysses Trophy as the first helm over 70 years old.

The third position goes to Steve Hendon (Blithfield SC) with consistent results of 3, 3, 4, 3. Unlike Josh and Ian, who are lightweights, Steve’s achievement is commendable given his weight class. He is well-positioned to improve in next year’s Nationals if the weather permits. Steve also secures the Masters Trophy as the first helm aged 60 to 64.

Barry Wolfenden (Bough Beech SC) finished fourth with results of 5, 4, 10, 4, showcasing his versatility in various conditions. Many thanks for the Doritos, Barry!

In fifth place is Tom Moore (Stokes Bay SC), who achieved results of 13, 14, 1, 1, despite sailing an H2 for the first time. This clearly demonstrates his adaptability and skill as a young sailor. We hope to see you back on the water with us again, Tom!

Chris Brown finished in eighth place, securing the Grand Masters Trophy for the first helm aged 65 to 69 for the second year running. Richard Leftley, who came in tenth, also claimed the Heavyweights Trophy as the first heavyweight for the second consecutive year.

Newcomer Will McTurk was recognized with a special award for traveling the longest distance to compete, making a 15-hour journey from Inverurie to join us. Safe travels home, Will!

The Hadron H2 Class Association expresses gratitude to everyone at Brixham YC for their invaluable assistance in making this event successful. A special mention goes to Sean Semmons and his race team for their outstanding efforts under challenging conditions.

We also thank Wessex Resins for providing practical prizes for our event. Their Pro-Set epoxy laminating resins play a crucial role in the H2’s carbon composite hull. We appreciate their Technical Applications Director, David Johnson, for his dedicated support in the H2’s development and production.

Overall Results: