RS200 Sprint Championships at Rutland Sailing Club

RS Sprint Championships by Rutland © Mike Shaw / www.fotoboat.com

RS Sprint Championships by Rutland © Mike Shaw / www.fotoboat.com

20 RS200s braved the basking sunshine and took the trip to Rutland for another fantastic RS Sprints on the last weekend of May. The fleet were split into small fleets and off to complete a total of 15 short races over the weekend; each race lasting only 15 mins.

Saturday was a long racing day, sailing in a fresh and exceptionally warm force 4-5; 8 qualifying races with a break. Over the evening, the results were calculated and fleet re-split into gold and silver fleets for Sunday's racing. The finals consisting of 7 races were held in total clear blue skies in 15 knots with only just enough time to have a drink between races and still an early finish – the very definition of champagne sailing.

Julian Bradley, one of the many sailors representing Wembley SC at the event had the following to say - 'Leaving aside the usual pet hates (you know, things like jaunty tube drivers who think they’re funny and like to share it, earnest people who say ‘basically’ and ‘going forward’ all the time, and anyone on my doorstep who starts a sentence with ‘Have you heard the Good News?’), my chief bête noire is sitting around between races whilst an obsessive compulsive Race Officer keeps changing his mind about the course and startline. This was absolutely not a problem at the weekend, with a constant round of starts every 3 minutes.

Also, the bright sunshine was complimented by a properly honking force 6 or so on Saturday morning. Initially, some opted for discretion rather than valour, and only emerged after the breeze had subsided a wee bit. Fine to die like a tiger than live like a worm, but there’s no such thing as a wormskin rug (© A. Rimmer.) In fact, once you were out and actually sailing, everything (crews included) stops getting flappy and stressful. So much fun. Like being given permission to poach Simon Cowell on a rolling boil.

Despite contriving to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory in every race, Ms Sideris and I scraped into Sunday’s final 6 – and the silver fleet weren’t exactly slouches. We spent Sunday tied, I am glad to say figuratively, by a string to Pete Vincent and Charlotte Cotter. There’s no hiding or excuses for boat speed when there’s just the 6 of you. The top 3 combined talent with carbon fibre limbs and neoprene souls. Matt Mee and Emma Norris didn’t have it all their own way, just mostly. Sideris and I drove home unbelievably tired, and sunburn made me look uglier than the east end of a horse heading west. Note to self – factor 40 in future. All good practice for being in the blowdrier that is sailing from Fraglia Vela Riva, just 6 weeks away.'

The 200 fleet once again had a fantastic time at the Sprints - we would like to say a massive thank you to Rutland Sailing Club for their slick, professional and faultless race management – 100 races, no hiccups whatsoever only one general recall (naughty 400’s!) – lots of fun, smiling faces and red faces!

Overall Results: