RS double hander open meeting at Alton Water Sports Centre

RS double hander open meeting at Alton Water © Steve Greenwood

RS double hander open meeting at Alton Water © Steve Greenwood

Saturday dawned with a decent wind but very cold and raining and not at all like June. With 14 x RS200s entered and 7 x Fevas and 4 x RS400s this was a big weekend for what started as a small trial event for the venue. OOD Gavin Johnson set a windward-leeward course with a leeward gate to allow the crews to think a bit and got everybody off on time in the morning.

The gusty wind claimed some early victims in the 200 fleet in the initial races and duckings were taken - wisely the Fevas and 400s managed to keep their rigs out of the lake.

Five races were raced on Saturday as the forecast for Sunday was very light indeed. Tired people left the centre that evening and reports of people falling asleep at dinner tables that night were received.

Sunday dawned with a lot more wind than forecast; it was 'howling' at around 6 knots, swinging around the compass and the fleets went out again but waited for a while to see where it was going to swing to eventually. All three Sunday races were completed in a sailable (just about) breeze that filled a little as the day progressed.

In the 400s the racing was dominated initially by Oli Harris and Xander Drayson (Alton Water) who dropped down the list as the wind lightened losing to Bob and Maria Peak (Alton Water) and Dave and Ian Heersum (Hickling Broad) when all the races were completed.

In the Fevas it was close racing throughout especially between Ellen Morely and Sophie Johnson, Dylan Collingbourne and Caitin Morely (all from Burnham) and Matt Smith and Issy Taylor Jones (Brightlingsea/Alton Water and Royal Harwich). With the results going right down to the wire, Matt and Issy won finally, a great result in only their second open meeting in the Feva.

In the 200s Jonathan Lewis, who coaches most of the Fevas, and Jo Tribe (Burnham) won showing that the coach can still walk the walk, but they were chased closely by Kathryn Hutton Penman and Matt (Corinthian Otters) Ben and Liz Alexander (Deben) and Rebecca and Sarah Bines (Brightlingsea).

Towards the rear of the fleet dads whose youngsters were sailing either Fevas or 200s had a great race for the lower places. Hopefully this will be the start of a 200 Eastern Travellers' series in 2016 with a couple of follow on events already scheduled for this year too.

Prizes were presented by Mike Taylor and thanks given to the club volunteers who manned the committee boat and RIB and to the centre staff and catering team.

RS double hander open meeting at Alton Water - photo © Phil Reeves

RS200 Results:

RS400 Results:

RS Feva Results: