Volvo Noble Marine RS800 Nationals at Castle Cove Sailing Club

Volvo Noble Marine RS800 Nationals at Castle Cove Sailing Club - Day 1

by Hugh Shone 21 Aug 2015 14:12 BST 20-23 August 2015

It's on! Many boats arrived a day in advance but all good intentions of a practice sail were put pay by fog and heavy downpours. Despite this continuing into Thursday morning the race team and competitors remained undeterred and charged out to the race area for 2 races on day one of the 2015 RS800 Nationals.

Whilst the weather was a bit grim, the wind was perfect allowing for some classic Portland Harbour flinging about. All money was on a general for race one given the electric atmosphere! Fastest out of the blocks were Matt Humphreys and Amy Cartwright who flung off the pin end and careered into a solid 1st place. Behind things were a wee bit more feisty with Tim Saxton and Fiona Hampshire holding off Pete Barton and Chris Feibusch (future class Chair obviously benefitting from class Chair bonus speeds) in 2nd and 3rd. The course was condensed and it seemed to favour pinging the left hence a battle royal throughout the fleet in order to hit the favourable side in a healthy lane. Once ahead and clear you were on the money.

Race two and the wind had built ever so slightly. This time around it was Tim and Fiona who broke free to lead around the top. Matt and Amy remained in close contention as these two boats built a healthy lead over the fleet. Further back there was an almighty offensive/counter offensive going on between Hugh Shone/Hannah Tattersall, Russ Gibbs/Jamie Dawson, Hugh Watson/Andy Watkins and Roger Philips/Will Crocker. It was the Hs who cannoned their way into 3rd.

The evening was spent skittleing (the Dorset technique) to varying degrees of success. In the end Taste the Rainbow (Matt Humphreys, Amy Cartwright, Andrew Blundell and Maddie Fenner) beat clear favourites (given their qualifying score) Old Fogies + 1 in an alcohol fuelled duel of belly-flopping over skittle allies. The food was Bon and involved a lavish chocolate fountain and shots.

Onwards!

Results after Day 1:

Pos	Sail No	Helm	Crew	Club	R1	R2	Pts
1	1203	Tim Saxton	Fiona Hampshire	Royal Torbay YC	2	1	3
2	1200	Matthew Humphreys	Amy Cartwright	Weston SC	1	2	3
3	1204	Roger Phillips	Will Crocker	Burghfield & Emberton Park SC	4	4	8
4	1189	Hugh Shone	Hannah Tattersall	Castle Cove SC	6	3	9
5	1219	Peter Barton	Chris Feibusch	Lymington Town SC	3	7	10
6	1133	Hugh Watson	Andy Watkins	Emsworth SC	5	6	11
7	1129	Luke McEwen	Emma McEwen	Royal Lymington YC	7	9	16
8	1212	Andy Jeffries	Allyson Jeffries	Eastbourne Sovereign SC	8	8	16
9	1113	Ben Schooling	George Kingsnorth	Datchet Water SC	9	10	19
10	1195	Paul Jenkins	Peter Jenkins	Eastbourne Sovereign SC	10	12	22
11	1202	Andrew Blundell	Maddie Fenner	Warsash SC	11	11	22
12	1164	Russell Gibbs	Jamie Dawson	Starcross YC	18	5	23
13	1154	David Steed	Louise Steed	Netley SC	14	13	27
14	1057	Sarah Martin	Dan Kilsby		13	14	27
15	1166	Ralph Singleton	Sophie Singleton	Datchet Water SC	16	15	31
16	1050	Joe Joyner	Will Broom	Lyme Regis SC	15	16	31
17	1163	James Green	James Trewick	Beer SC	12	23	35
18	1146	Martin Orton	Ian Brooks	Chichester YC & Trearddur Bay SC	19	17	36
19	1010	John Warburton	James Clapham	Chew Valley Lake SC	17	20	37
20	983	Chris Cowan	Stu Moore	Weston SC	23	18	41
21	1132	Mick Whitmore	Sarah Smith	Eastbourne Sovereign SC	24	19	43
22	1144	Daniel Goodman	Debbie Robertshaw	Datchet Water SC	22	24	46
23	1148	Steven Greaves	Caroline Edwards	Rickmansworth SC	21	26	47
24	1211	Philip Gladman	Natasha Gladman	Itchenor SC	20	28	48
25	1058	Ian Lodder	Tom Prower	Itchenor SC	32	21	53
26	1091	Alex Benfield	Nick Ireland	Stokes Bay SC	28	25	53
27	922	Ian Paterson	Carol Paterson	Grafham Water SC	27	27	54
28	1169	David Williams	Nick Searle	Itchenor SC	25	30	55
29	1045	Richard Smith	Ellie Smith	Wilsonian SC	DNF	22	58
30	1099	Alistair Hodgson	Penny Hooper	RYA	29	29	58
31	1062	Cameron Moss	Darrol Moss	Lyme Regis SC	26	33	59
32	1047	Adam Knight	Peter Knight	Guernesy YC	30	31	61
33	1015	Simon Payne	Fenella Williams	Oxford SC	31	32	63
34	1052	Mark Sewell	Matt Barker		33	34	67