RS200 Open at Itchenor Sailing Club

RS200s at Itchenor © Mary Pudney

RS200s at Itchenor © Mary Pudney

RS200s at Itchenor © Mary Pudney

Short courses, big tides and pure carnage

This weekend saw 44 RS200s turn out for the Itchenor SC open over the two days. The forecast was for light winds and lots of sun which eventually made for a great couple of days racing.

On Saturday morning it would appear as though the lack of sailing at Eastbourne had made everyone extra keen for a bit of racing with all the top 3 at last year's nationals making an appearance. PRO Bruce Grant explained that he expected the sea breeze to come in but he wanted to try to get a race in the northerly whilst it was still in. So race 1 began in typical 200 fashion, with a general recall.

The fleet got away on the second attempt with the majority of the fleet tacking immediately. However it was Ben Palmer & Lucy Preston and the Rusdens who led at the top after holding left for a bit longer. Down the run the sea breeze started to kill of the northerly but it was the Charles' who made the most of the small gusts to take the lead at the bottom mark closely followed by Chris Catt & Katherine Martin and George Yeoman & Sophie Ormsby. Behind, there was the most almightly pile up with half the fleet all racked up together and there was a lot of pushing and shouting as everyone tried manoeuvre themselves past each other. At the next top mark the wind completely died. The Charles' managed to sneak across the tide with Matt Mee & Emma Norris following suit along with Dicken Mclean & Hannah Young. These 3 pulled out a commanding lead and the race was eventually finished under the Q flag.

Race 2 saw Matt & Emma and the Charles' get away again after good starts, the Charles' slightly too good as they were found to be OCS once they finished. The Rusdens showed themselves to bounce back after the previous race to take the win ahead of Matt & Emma with Dicken & Hannah staying consistent with another 3rd.

Race 3 and the tide had turned, this was confirmed by Emma Norris asking if "the water had changed direction". After another couple of general recalls the race got under way and at the top mark it was George & Sophie who led from Charlie Roome & Eddie Glennie and Ian Martin & Nicky Macgregor. George & Sophie managed to escape up the next upwind with the help of the tide and Charlie & Eddie managed to hold onto 2nd ahead of Ian & Nicky. A note worth mention here goes to Tim Saxton & Holly Scott who achieved the only capsize of the day, missing out on their 6th place in the process.

Race 4 started all clear and George & Sophie again came out well from the right handside however slightly misjudged the lay line which allowed Ben & Lucy to round the mark in 1st and sail away from the rest of the fleet and finishing with a healthy lead which they needed in order to have enough time to get back to Hayling then back to Itchenor for the party. Behind George & Sophie held off Josh Metcalf & Ally Martin to take 2nd with Ian & Nicky with another top 5 in 4th.

Overnight consistency was paying off for Matt & Emma who held a lead over Ian & Nicky and Ben Dicken & Hannah in 3rd. Everyone then got all dressed up in their best smart cas as the sailing club put on a dinner and drinks. It has been confirmed that if anyone had "never seen Matt Mee do a shoe!", he has now made that beginner step of drinking out of a flip flop, kindly donated by Ally and apparently a cream cheese bagel is also accompanied by mango chutney after a night out (must be a northern thing).

On Sunday morning there were murmurs of who was drunk the night before, who had made a muppet of themselves etc etc, but these were only rumours. Eventually the focus turned back to the racing and after the experience of the previous day racing was postponed till the sea breeze came in.

RS200s at Itchenor - photo © Mary Pudney

When the fleet finally got race 5 underway after another general recall it was George & Sophie who hit their straps first and picked up where they left off leading at the top mark from Josh & Ally and the Charles' showing that dark'n'stormies are indeed rocket fuel. These 3 escaped with the help of Matt & Emma who had managed to catch the windward mark stopping anyone else from rounding. Josh & Ally plugged away round the race course eventually catching George & Sophie on starboard up the last beat, who put a leebow tack in forcing Josh & Ally off into the tide. The next cross was a matter of inches but George & Soph managed to lead out to the mark and with the tide helping them back downwind held on to the finish.

Matt & Emma came back in race 6 with the bullet leading from start to finish holding off challenges first from Josh & Ally and then George & Sophie but never looking troubled. Ben Ainsworth & Ellie Assinder eventually pulled through to 3rd.

Race 7 saw David Jessop & Clare Michelmore come out the starboard end of the line and judge the lay line perfectly to lead round the top mark with Matt & Emma and eventually overhaul them on the run and extend round the rest of the course. Ian & Nicky managed to take 3rd place but more importantly for the results George & Sophie had managed to pull back to 4th and with the second discard coming it meant that a lot of people could drop big scores.

RS200s at Itchenor - photo © Mary Pudney

In the final race, 3 Itchenor boats went off the starboard end and headed right early and rounded the windward mark with Andy Shaw & Pippa Horne leading George & Sophie and Maria Stanley & Pete Matthews. At the bottom Maria & Pete had moved into 2nd but the important part was where Matt & Emma were. Going into the 2nd lap George & Sophie were 3rd and Matt & Emma 6th which would leave George & Sophie with the win, however by the last lap Matt & Emma were 4th and closing down George & Sophie. On the final downwind George & Sophie had managed to stay clear comfortably in 3rd and sailed all the way to the lay and gybed which allowed them to hold onto 3rd place and the overall win.

RS200s at Itchenor - photo © Mary Pudney

This meant for the second time in 2 years an Itchenor member had won the open. Matt & Emma who were the most consistent boat over the weekend finished a comfortable 2nd with another Burghfield boat, Josh Metcalf & Ally Martin in 3rd.

A massive thanks must go to PRO Bruce Grant & his team who did so well to get all 8 races in considering the conditions. Other thanks go to George Rice, Sailing Manager, who was working tirelessly behind the scenes and also to Nick Griffiths, House Manager, for putting on the dinner and party.

More Mary Pudney photos from day one can be found here and day two here.

Overall Results: