Magic Marine RS Tera Inland Championships at Draycote Water

Pro fleet racing in the Magic Marine RS Tera Inland Championships 2014 © Steve Greenwood

Sport fleet racing in the Magic Marine RS Tera Inland Championships 2014 © Steve Greenwood

Tom Storey wins the Sport fleet at the Magic Marine RS Tera Inland Championships 2014 © Steve Greenwood

Sixty-nine boats from clubs as far afield as Royal Torbay and Wormit in Scotland entered for the RS Tera Inland Championships sponsored Magic Marine at Draycote Water SC over the weekend of 28th and 29th June.

The first race on Saturday was a shifty and overcast affair of between 6 and 10 Knots, with the race team, led by PRO, John Rhode setting a great course in the North Easterly breeze.

First away were the PRO fleet and was lead by Henry Jameson and then Alex Butler both of Hayling Island SC, after some extremely close racing Charlotte Ormerod of Oxford SC followed these two home.

The Sport fleet got away and was lead from start to finish by last year's winner Jack Lewis of Draycote Water SC, Jack was chased all the way to the line by Tom Storey and then Henry Rastrick, both of Ripon SC.

Race two in the PRO fleet saw Henry Jameson win, followed by Oscar Cubitt of Alton Water Sports in his first event in the bigger PRO rig, then Alex, race three saw another race winner in Ossian Bracegirdle of Hayling Island SC with Bethan Matthew of Aldeburgh Yacht Club second and Henry in third.

Race four saw Alex take his second win of the event, with Lucy Greenwood of Alton Water second and Henry Collison also in his first event in the PRO rig third. This left the top three overnight as Alex, then Henry and Bethan.

In the SPORT fleet Tom took race two followed by Ethan Miles of Emsworth SC and Henry Rastrick, Race three saw Ethan take line honours, then Tom and Ben Batchelor of the Isle of Man Yacht Club third.

Race four saw Jack back at the front, then Henry and in third Freddy Wood of Hayling Island SC. This left the top three overnight as Tom, then Henry and Jack.

After sailing, a chance to relax with a great evening meal for the competitors and supporters, a presentation to retiring Head Coach Jonathan Lewis and a brilliant, entertaining and challenging family quiz compared by Richard Pye, with questions prepared by Alison Jones and Inge Pye.

Sunday dawned with sunshine and some breeze, which was a fantastic surprise, blowing straight over the trees on the Northern shore, a very different challenge for the race team and the young sailors, dealing with shifts, gusts, bends and some significant light patches on the race course.

In the PRO fleet, Ana Patterson of Ripon SC was fast out of the blocks to take race five, followed home by the two Henrys, Jameson and Collison, race six proved to be one for the locals with Daniel Lewis and Harry Jones of Draycote Water taking first and second, with Bethan in third.

In the SPORTS, Henry took his first event win, followed by younger brother Jamie, then Tom, race six saw Jack take his third win of the series, followed by Ben and Maddie Wylie of Ripon SC third.

For races seven and eight, the breeze had started to build in patches, making for some big gains for those that chose the breezy side of the track, with some large areas of very little breeze on the reservoir, this made for some tight, very tactical racing.

In the PRO, Henry took his second win of the series in race seven, then Archie Hainsworth of Alton Water and Ana in third, it was still all to play for in race eight, Daniel Lewis used his local knowledge to great effect moving from seventh to first place up the last long beat, and was followed home by Henry who took the title with Bethan in third.

In the SPORTS, Freddy took his first win of the series in race seven, then Ethan and Roscoe Martin of Ogston SC in third, any one of three sailors could have won the title in race eight, Harrison Pye of Draycote Water used his local knowledge to win the race, hotly pursued by Maddie in second and Angus Kilpatrick of Hayling Island SC in third.

With five different race winners in the PRO and six in the SPORT, this fleet is proving to be very competitive.

The RS Tera Class Association would like to thank the members and staff of Draycote SC, who proved magnificent hosts, particular thanks to David Rowe, for organising safety, boat parking etc., John as PRO and all the other volunteers who helped make this an event to remember.

The Class must also thank Magic Marine and GJW Direct Insurance, without whom we would not be fortunate enough to be able to hold such great events.

The prize giving was hosted by PRO John Rhode and ARO Jeremy Davy, as well as the championship prizes, the Dawn Bissett Endeavour Trophy was awarded to Abby Hire of Royal Lymington Yacht Club and the Champion Club Shield to Hayling Island SC (1, 2, 7)who won on count back from Ripon SC (1, 3, 6).

Next Championship event for the RS Tera fleet is the National Championships at Derwent Reservoir SC 22nd to 25th August, for more details on this or other events or about this thriving Junior class please go to www.rstera.org

Pro fleet results:

Sport fleet results: