RS200 Winter Warmer at Itchenor Sailing Club

RS200 Winter Warmer at Itchenor © Peter Saxton

Day 1 of the winter warmer threw 20 knots and a little drizzle at the 8 boats that made it to the race course.

Race 1 saw 3 recalls before finally getting away. George Yeoman & Sophie Ormsby led Mark Powell & Charlotte Lawrence round mark one but after a close downwind Tim Saxton & Holly Scott had managed to take the lead from Robert Gullan & Rosie Sibthorp. Up the next beat George & Sophie made up the lost ground to lead at the top and hold on till the finish ahead of Ed FitzGerald & Lisa McDanell.

Race 2 had George & Sophie leading at the top again followed by Rob & Rosie and these 2 were attached by a piece of elastic all race closely followed by Jack Holden & Amy Yeoman. The race finished in that order.

Race 3 and Tim & Holly smashed the starboard end and led from George & Sophie who subsequently fell in on the bear away. The wind picked up to gusting nearly 30 knots as Rob & Rosie hunted down Tim & Holly, managing to cross them on the downwind only to have to give room at the mark. Jack & Amy sailed consistently to their third 3rd place.

Overnight George & Sophie lead from Rob & Rosie and Jack & Amy on equal points in second. Day 2 arrived with 5 knots and a fast flowing tide that made things interesting for the race officer.

Race 4 saw pretty much the whole fleet arrive at the same point at the windward mark with Charlie Roome & Eddie Glennie managing to squeeze round and sail into a decent lead. They were followed by George & Sophie all the way round the course till the last leg where Rob & Rosie managed to come "screaming" in on the port lay (there wasn't much wind but they made a lot of ground) to secure second followed by the ever consistant Jack & Amy who recorded their fourth consecutive 3rd place.

Race 5 saw Rob & Rosie and Tim & Holly escape for another epic battle around the race course with Rob & Rosie leading most of the way but with Tim & Holly right on their heels. At the top mark for the last time Tim & Holly managed to squeeze past and hold on for their second win that could prove decisive if they are able to beat both George & Sophie by one place and Rob & Rosie by two.

At the start of race 6 Rob & Rosie were over the line and had to go back which in the huge tide would appear to be game over. Tim & Holly had a great start with Frances Peters & Claire Lasko in the middle of the line, whilst George & Sophie managed to win the ship end and tack out the tide first. However a big lift allowed Frances & Claire and Tim & Holly to get round the marks in 1 & 2. George & Sophie split down the run to pull back past Tim & Holly, but on the next beat the positions were reversed and held to the finish. Frances & Claire won by a margin, Rob & Rosie meanwhile had managed to fight all the way back to 4th.

This meant that it is first blood on count back to Tim & Holly over Rob & Rosie at the end of the first weekend of the Winter Warmer at Itchenor on 12 points, George & Sophie settle for 3rd with 14 points.

Thanks to the Race Committee; Roger Yeoman. Phil McDanell, John Tremlett & Tom Trevelyn.

The next weekend will be the 7/8 February and racing will start at 11am. See you then!

Overall Results: