Please select your home edition
Edition
Maritimo 2023 M600 LEADERBOARD

2000 class Nationals - a first timer's view

by Oliver and Elliott Thompson 21 Sep 09:34 UTC 5-9 August 2024
Oliver and Elliott Thompson during the 2000 class Nationals at Torbay © Darren Thompson

Attending any large event can be a daunting prospect, and your first Nationals and large fleet racing event is sure to evoke a whirlwind of emotions - excitement, nerves, and pressure, to name a few.

We've participated in many larger events, including the Lord Birkett and the Great North Asymmetric Challenge, but the 2024 2000 National Championship was set to be our largest fleet racing event yet — and it certainly delivered!

Having bought our first 2000 in 2019, we've been part of the class for a few years now, competing on the circuit since 2022 when the first Latitude Series was introduced. This was a milestone moment for the class, as it marked the first time events were being held further north. We even hosted the inaugural event of the Latitude Series in 2022 at our home club, West Riding Sailing Club.

We arrived in Torbay on Friday, got the boat rigged, and made sure everything was in working order. On Saturday, we hit the water ahead of the official racing start on Sunday, allowing us time to practice with a few others and get a feel for the bay. Looking back, this was a smart decision, as it helped ease the nerves when Sunday morning finally arrived.

When Sunday did come around, we spent the morning ensuring the boat was perfectly prepared, allowing us to focus solely on the racing and conditions. Having never raced in such a large fleet before, we were eager to see how we stacked up against the other sailors. We were pleased with our first day's results, finishing with a 14th and a 9th.

The next two days of racing, Monday and Tuesday proved to be challenging and a steep learning curve. We recorded finishes of 18th, 16th, 20th, and 11th — results that taught us a lot about racing in such a competitive fleet of 45 boats.

Wednesday was a much-needed lay day, giving us a chance to rest and regroup.

Thursday brought the windiest conditions of the week, which deterred many boats from heading out, leaving their crews warm and dry in the yacht club. We, however, launched early to assess the conditions and adjust our rig setup accordingly. As a lighter crew, we anticipated struggling on the heavy wind days. However, with a few tweaks to the rig and controls, we managed to stay competitive with the heavier crews. Our strategy was to hang on upwind and hold our position, then use the downwind legs to start gaining places. We ended the day with a 15th and a 6th, moving us up to 14th overall with one day of racing left.

By Friday morning, the wind had calmed, prompting yet another adjustment to our rig setup to suit the new conditions. Two strong final races resulted in a 16th and our best result of the Nationals — a 5th place finish. This brought us to 12th overall, securing 1st in the Silver Division and, because it was our first Nationals, 1st in the Newcomer Division.

So, what did we learn?

Take each race as it comes. If things aren't going well, focus on the next small win — like overtaking the boat ahead. In the first race on Thursday, we had a terrible start and a poor first beat, rounding the windward mark in around 30th place. But instead of trying to make a big, risky move, we concentrated on gaining one boat at a time. By doing this, we managed to climb back up to 16th. It's tempting in these situations to aim for a big, game-changing play, but often the best approach is to stick with the fleet and look for small, consistent gains — unless there's an obvious opportunity elsewhere. As a light crew, we were fortunate to have an advantage downwind, where we could sail faster and deeper than most, which definitely worked in our favour.

Another lesson we learned was the value of getting out on the course early. This gave us a feel for where to expect shifts and helped us be more prepared when the racing began. Lastly, it's crucial to stay clean and clear. Avoid getting caught in tacking battles with other boats. Think strategically and focus on getting into clear air where you can execute your own race plan without interference.

The 2000 is a competitive one-design class, with boats old and new competing on a level playing field. The class and its sailors are an exceptionally helpful and friendly bunch. Everyone is open about sharing their setups, tips, and tricks, always supporting each other in becoming faster and more competitive. So, if you're thinking of getting a 2000 or looking for a class to jump into, the 2000 should be at the top of your list.

This experience was an unforgettable journey for us, filled with challenges, learning, and camaraderie, and we're looking forward to the rest of the 2024 session and the next 2000 National Championship in 2025.

To find out more about how you can take part in Opens and Travelling Series events at West Riding Sailing Club, around the UK and abroad visit www.wrsc.org.uk. Start your journey today.

Related Articles

2000 Inlands at Carsington
Now this really was game of two halves Twenty 2000s gathered at the lovely surroundings of Carsington Sailing Club on Oct 19th/20th for an eventful 2000 Inlands sponsored by West Country Boat Repairs. The 18 travelling boats included boats from Sunderland, Cardiff and Portsmouth. Posted on 22 Oct
2000 class Millennium Series round 5 at Stone
What a treasure of a club Your reporter in a 50 year career has taken part in open meetings at over 200 clubs and somehow had never been to Stone SC. What a treasure I discovered, fab location, lovely people, excellent race management, tip top catering: heaven. Posted on 17 Sep
Astral Azure 2000 class Nationals overall
Ollie and Esther win overall in style at Torbay After the lay day and the exceptional Noble Marine young sailors fish and chip supper, which was a tour de force, Thursday dawned a little dodgy. Torbay was not looking at its best, totally grey, very low cloud and constant rain showers. Posted on 12 Aug
Astral Azure 2000 class Nationals mid-way report
With crews now on a well deserved lay day the Championships are wide open The Astral Azure 25th anniversary 2000 Nationals at the Royal Torbay Yacht Club has been action packed with eventful high quality racing and much fun on shore with a full programme showing exactly why the class has gone from strength to strength. Posted on 7 Aug
2000 class Millennium Series at Chichester
The weed added an extra layer of task management and tactical decision-making Round 4 of the West Country Boat Repairs Millenium series was held at Chichester YC, a venue that has become a firm favourite with the 2K class. 19 boats entered the event despite the previous week's very vague forecast of wind anywhere from 7 - 20 knots. Posted on 24 Jul
62nd Lord Birkett Memorial Trophy
Excellent event included fund raising for the Great North Air Ambulance Service Over its 62 years, the Lord Birkett Memorial Trophy run by Ullswater Yacht Club, has evolved into a 3 day festival of sailing, centred on an unique pair of all class handicap races in breath-taking scenery, for dinghies, keelboats and yachts. Posted on 18 Jul
2000 class at the Filey Regatta
Wet with a strong, gusty north-east breeze which had built up a significant swell The third event in this year's Latitude Series (sponsored by Lakes Mortgages) was hosted by Filey Sailing Club as part of their annual regatta on 13-14 July 2024. This is the second year we have visited Filey and it was great to welcome some new faces. Posted on 17 Jul
2000 Millennium Series Round 4 at Keyhaven
The most crazy end to an event ever! The 2000 class made a very welcome return to the glory that is the treasure of Keyhaven YC for round 4 of the West Country Boat Repair Millennium Series. Unfortunately the wind was too fearsome for racing on Saturday. Posted on 8 Jul
Girls Day at Downs Sailing Club with KSSA
Maximum entry of 26 reached two weeks before the event Now in its third year, the highly successful Girls Day was sold out to its maximum entry of 26 two weeks before the event. Posted on 27 Jun
2000 Class Latitude Series at Thornton Steward
The first time the club has hosted an open event for any class Nestled on the edge of the North Yorkshire Dales, 6 miles west of the A1(M) and Bedale, this modest reservoir played host to the 2nd event of the 2024 Latitude Series, sponsored by Lakes Mortgages. Posted on 18 Jun
Maritimo 2023 S600 FOOTERSavvy Navvy 2024