Bollé RS700 Grand Prix at Castle Cove Sailing Club

by Hamish Griffiths 23 Apr 2013 12:00 BST 20-21 April 2013

The RS700 Bollé Grand Prix opened last weekend at Castle Cove Sailing Club. Seven hearties turned up and were treated to near perfect weather and sailing along with our (shouty) friends in their RS800s.

Saturday saw slightly gentler breezes from the South and a full day of beautiful sunshine. Sunday delivered South Westerlies and a nice force 3-4. All the races were within Portland Harbour ensuring a short sail out and back and flat sea conditions. This Club and venue really take some beating.

In the first race Jon Heissig shaded it to the windward mark only to make a Horlicks of his rounding allowing Jerry Wales past. Local boy Mike Dencher pressed Jerry hard all the way to the finish, shortened to two laps, but there was no way past. Jon pipped Colin Dacey to third. For the second race the RO shortened from 1.4km to 900m allowing three laps. Jerry reached the windward mark first and chose the left hand side of the course up the second lap, still hotly pursued by Mike. This allowed Jon to sneak ahead up the right and to lead a very close three man tussle to the finish. The third race was abandoned as the wind died.

The race team did very well to get four races in on Sunday and laid the course 1km long so we got three laps in each one. Jon Heissig led from start to finish in race 3 with nothing to separate the first four. Half way up the beat to start the next a large powerboat crossed ahead of us and the wake had Jerry in the drink (allowing me a slight smile as it happened right in front of me)! Jon took first and Colin went past Ian Nolan at 11kt on the line for second.

Races 5 and 6 followed a similar pattern with very close racing for the first 5 places but nobody quite able to get the better of "Damp Jerry" who was deserved winner of the meeting with Jon "400" Heissig a point behind and Mike Dencher doing his home club proud in third. See the GPS track replays at www.hamishgriffiths.com (and see hamishgriffiths.com trail in last)! Top speed of the weekend: Ian Nolan, 16.3kt and fastest 500m, unsurprisingly Jerry Wales at 13.5kt.

Many thanks to Castle Cove SC, Commodore Richard Bowers and his team of volunteers for looking after us so generously. PRO Bill Barker did a great job of course setting and getting us all away safely. Carnac and the Eurocup next. Go 700s!

A really great start to the season.

Overall Results:

Pos	Sail No	Boat Name	Owner	Helm	Club	R1	R2	R4	R5	R6	R7	Pts
1	1000		Jerry Wales	Jerry Wales	Wind Sport	1	2	2	(RET)	1	1	7
2	882		Jon Heissig	Jon Heissig		3	1	1	1	‑4	2	8
3	908		Mike Dencher	Mike Dencher	CCSC	2	3	3	‑4	2	4	14
4	758		Colin Dacey	Colin Dacey	Snettisham SC	4	‑5	4	2	3	5	18
5	993	Sail 4 Cancer	Ian Nolan	Ian Nolan	Snettisham Beach SC	‑5	4	5	3	5	3	20
6	1013		Hamish Griffiths	Hamish Griffiths	Queen Mary Sailing Club	‑7	6	6	5	6	6	29
7	1017	RS sailing.com	Alex Newton‑Southon	Alex Newton‑Southon	HISC	6	7	(RET)	DNC	DNC	DNC	43