Gul RS Feva Nationals at Paignton Sailing Club
by Malcolm Clark 25 Aug 2004 16:01 BST
21-23 August 2004
As team GBR are delivering the goods in Athens the GUL RS Feva Nationals are being held in Paignton. The Olympic ethos of ‘it’s the taking part which is important’ was very evident. The Optimist superstars were on the prowl and even before racing had started the first 3 places were easily predicted. This did not deter the rest of the fleet from some excellent racing, and moments of glory when they led the form horses!
RS Feva racing is not just about racing: there was a buzzy atmosphere around the dinghy park as parents and siblings socialised. The small intimate bar of Paignton sailing club was full to bursting every day before and after sailing. Before reporting on the racing, congratulations to the race officer, Trish Walker, who ran a super event, getting in 9 races in where many would have struggled. Her flexibility to course design and race length was crucial to a successful event.
The first race started in light winds with hope that they would pick up, but after 25 minutes no one had reached the windward mark the wind was coming from all directions. When boats are flying kites on the windward leg you instinctively know things are wrong; race abandoned, QED. We waited for about an hour before the sea breeze kicked in, then a quick re-laying of the course and we banged in 3 races. Results favoured the lighter crews and the Saxton twins, Ben & Tim, were leading from James Peters & Peter Henry who left the rest of the fleet in their wake.
Day two and a well drilled launch by the parents got all boats out with out incident, in large onshore waves. The conditions were perfect force 3 to 4 and rolling sea. Four races were run each over 3 laps. The leader board started to change as the heavier crews moved up. Francis Peters and Claire Lasko were the winners of the day, just from the Saxtons who maintained their overall lead. The Commodore’s reception was well attended, but after hard day’s racing and high winds expected for Monday most of us drifted off early.
Day three as expected the wind was Force 5 and after a detailed briefing all competitors decided to take on the conditions. As the fleet lined up for the first start Mylar sails cracked in the wind, everyone’s adrenaline pumping. These junior sailors had grown up, none of the fleet squawking starboard, or windward boat, just loads of boats just behind the line ready to bolt. First and only mistake of the event for the Saxtons, caught OCS, but an excellent gybe round to re-cross the line and back into the race in last place. They managed to haul themselves back up the fleet to finish second, underlining their supremacy. Simon Kitchen and Bethany Robson were not playing it safe, and fully hiked out were flying down the leeward leg - death or glory sailing! Unfortunately they lost it 20 yards from the finish and dropped a well deserved third to end up 10th. The day’s races were about how the bottom of the fleet managed the conditions, Nicholas Robson and Jones Warner capsizing 3 minutes before the start of the last race but managing to cross the line just within the 5 minutes of the start and still managing to hail the committee boat to check they could carry on racing. After the leading 10 boats had finished the wind built to Force 6 and boats were capsizing all across the course, but this did not stop the next six boats heroically struggling to finish before the race was stopped for safety. Four rescue boats swiftly dealt with the remaining boats, towing boats into shore and pulling crews from the water.
Well done to Tim & Ben Saxton for retaining their crown and to all those who took part in the event. We may have seen some of future Olympians learning their trade.
Overall Results:
1st, Ben Saxton & Tim Saxton
2nd, Frances Peters & Claire Lasko
3rd, James Peters & Peter Henry