Gul RS400 Inlands at Queen Mary Sailing Club

Howard Farbrother and Dan Martin win the Gul RS400 Inland Championships © Alex Irwin / www.sportography.tv

42 boats for the Gul RS400 Inland Championships © Alex Irwin / www.sportography.tv

Matt and Ellie Sheahan at the Gul RS400 Inland Championships © Alex Irwin / www.sportography.tv

With a rather spicy forecast on the cards it was fantastic to see a bumper turnout of 42 boats arrive for the last event of the 2015 Magic Marine RS400 championship tour at Queen Mary. The event was to be a triple whammy of the Gul Inland Champs, Last Shout Champs and a celebration to mark fleet stalwart Howie Farbrother's arrival at a significant birthday milestone.

Saturday was always looking borderline and after a sensible period of postponement the race officer decided to abandon for the day at 1330. This provided ample time for either some local sightseeing or to take advantage of the excellent windsurfing rental facilities available – and basically stay out of the pub until the party started.

A local team led by Jenny "Duckhams Queen" Douglas and Lou Hosken did a fantastic job of transferring the rather functional QMSC bar into a venue worthy of such a significant birthday party and lined up a great evening of party games (think spiders, pin the head on the helm and adult twister) accompanied by a fantastic backtrack from Tim "wheels of steel" Garvino's 21st century DJ Decks and fuelled by the now mandatory Dark and Stormy lubricant.

A surprise announcement that "Howie and Lou" were (very) soon to become Mr and Mrs Farbrother gave further incentive for celebration and silliness. It was only a select few that made it back to the now mandatory après-apres campervan party - at which it was unanimously agreed it was a good thing Bedborough didn't have his guitar with him.

And then the sailing. Sunday dawned grey with a meaty (and very shifty) F3-5 to blow away the cobwebs. After a general recall from the over-enthusiastic fleet, in Race 1 it was QMSC Spanish new boys Thomas da Silva / Fred Rabacal who led for 2 laps before eventually being overhauled with Jon Gorringe / Nikki Bass taking the win, from Josh Metcalfe / Jack Holden and Mark / Paul Oakey. Howie and crew Dan Lever-Martin opened the leader board with a lowly 10th deciding to get all their misdemeanours out of the way in the first race.

Team Farbrother / Martin then had a serious inter-race discussion (or their hangovers lifted sufficiently to remember how to sail) and proceeded to storm the event with 3 bullets taking with it the Gul Inland championships for 2015. Not far behind were Jon and Nikki taking 2nd on countback from the Oakeys.

It was very tight at the top with 200-exile Josh Metcalfe crewed by Jack Aero Holden finishing only 1 point adrift of 2nd/ 3rd. The ever improving Ding Brown / Bex Witt proving they are a force to be reckoned with posting a very consistent set of 5th and 6th to take 5th, whilst Sprint Champion Sam I Am Knight crewed by John from Bartley SC sailed a blinder to finish 6th overall. Ben Robertson and Martin Booth were another team with an ever improving scoreline (suggesting a heroic performance in the bar) leading the last race for the first 2 laps and finishing 8th overall.

It was great to see Andy Hatch back out in his 400 again suggesting he will be back in attendance near the front of the fleet next year. Further down the fleet with 42 boats on quite a tight racetrack and some vicious gusts to contend with the racing was fast and furious, with many spontaneous slot gasket inspections and some particularly impressive leeward mark / kite drop/ handbrake turn manoeuvres being performed.

At the prizegiving Howard made special mention of the brilliant effort the Queen Mary 400 fleet collectively had put in to make the event such a success both on and off the water. With a very strong home fleet of over 30 boats QM is one of the premier clubs in the country and it's great to see it going from strength to strength.

As this was the last event of the season the overall 2015 Magic Marine Championships Tour prizes were then presented.

In 3rd place were Ding and Bex Brown, 2nd were Jon Heissig and Nicky Griffin and in a special birthday bonus 1st place and winner of a brand new jib courtesy of RS Racing it was Howard and Dan!

This was also class chairman Keith Bedborough's final event, now at the end of his 2 year stint, and he took the opportunity to thank his committee who have been a brilliant support ensuring that the class continues to grow. He handed the supremo baton over to Queen Mary's local hero Max Tossetti, who having been instrumental in the success of that fleet is the perfect choice to drive continued growth and development of the class overall.

A great weekend, a great end to the season and a couple of months off now (for some) before the feast of events planned for 2016 - including our first ever trip to Travemuende week described by some as a cross between Ibiza and Cowes Week. What can possibly go wrong?

Gul Inland Championships overall results: