THE RYA Youth National Match Racing Championship title saw Annabel Vose and her crew of Tim Gratton and Matt Wallis come out on top at the Weymouth & Portland National Sailing Academy (WPNSA).

Competing in the RYA’s fleet of former Olympic class Elliot 6m boats, the eight teams enjoyed perfect conditions across the two days of racing in which the sch-edule of the round-robin, semi-finals and final was completed.

Vose, 20, who was crowned FISU (International University Sports Federation) Women’s Match Racing World Champion in July, continued her impressive display of match racing skills to seal event honours with a 3-1 victory over Connor Miller in Sun-day’s final.

“I had never sailed with either of my crew members before, with one of them having never done a proper match racing event so it was kind of a thrown together team. However, we knew each other really well from sailing Optimists and 420s and were really pleased with our performance and win at WPNSA,” explained Vose.

The Lymington sailor was in fine form from the outset taking the round-robin without losing a race and then winning her semi-final against Robert Bunce 3-0.

The higher-ranked Connor Miller had more of a struggle as his semi-final against Tom Harrison went to four races before booking his berth in the final against Vose.

Sunday’s final saw plenty of action. Vose took the first race but Miller and his team of Mike Matthews and Jay Stacey came back to win the second.

The third race was more evenly matched, until Vose went left on the run into more wind and was able to beat Miller to the line.

The final race was over at the start, with Vose judging her break for the line better, starting ahead and leading around the course to take the title.

Vose added: “The key to our success was definitely our pre-starts and our communication. We were just really calm, relaxed and never got a penalty pre-start.

“Matt and Tim were really good on the tactical side of the racing which is where I think we managed to get the edge.”

Vose, a second-year student at Southampton University, is now looking forward to competing at the RYA National Match Racing Series Grand Final at Queen Mary Sailing Club (November 14-16 ).