Fifteen National Twelves took part in the 2002 Midwinter Championships at The Royal Harwich Yacht Club on the 17th of February.

The day started off both frosty and foggy but by the time Race officer Chris Brown had briefed the fleet, the sun had emerged and the frost had disappeared.  Chris Brown set a one lap windward leeward course for race one. After an indifferent start it was Chris Mayhew crewed by Charlotte Ibbotson (N3443) who sped through the fleet to lead at the windward mark closely followed by Antony Gifford & Katy Meadowcroft (N3447). However the foul tide run changed things with Jon Brown & Guy Johnson tucking right into the shore and overtaking almost the whole fleet, Antony Gifford and Katy Meadowcroft gybed out to cover them and made it to the leeward mark just in front. Unfortunately they failed to cover on the short beat to the finish and let the two pursuing boats through, with Mayhew and Ibbotson (who were
perhaps helped by the lack of correctors in their newly purchased boat) taking first place but then retiring because of the lack of correctors.

Race two was run around a simple triangular course. John and Jimmy Whitehead (N3458) led this race from start to finish. The following boats were left in a hole at the gybe mark from which Tom Stewart and Liz Ross were the first to escape followed by Frances Gifford and Ali Ravenscroft (N3431) and they maintained that order to the finish.

Race Three was also a triangular course, this time Jon Brown and Guy Johnson (N3423), sailing 'Texas Flood' led round the windward mark, closely followed by a pack of boats, including Malcolm Mackley crewed by Joe Hunt (N3462) in their Feeling Foolish 'Red Snapper'.  After the jybe mark, the fleet bunched together and Malcolm and Joe stayed on the outside of the fleet and rolled through to lead at the leward mark, followed by Tom Stewart and Elisabeth Ross and John and Jimmy Whitehead, all three boats held these positions to the finish.

The final race was a zig zag course and was led from start to finish by Malcom Mackley and Joe Hunt, chased throughout by Tom Stewart and Liz Ross, Jon Brown and Guy Johnson and Ian Gore and Alex Harris.  Malcolm pulled away on the last reach to be safe, whilst the next three boats fought it out for second place.  Gore and Harris eventually taking second place by using better use of the bias on the finish line.

Overall Results:

1.	Malcolm Mackley and Joe Hunt	N3462	Red Snapper	RHYC
2.	Tom Stewart and Elisabeth  Ross	N3429	Fool’s Gold	RHYC
3.	John and Jimmy Whitehead	N3458	White Heat	Redesmere
First Old Boat	Graham Ireland and Michael Douglas	N3390	Mr Badger	RHYC