RSSailingStore.com RS Tera Start of Seasons Championships

RSSailingStore.com RS Tera Start of Seasons Championships © Emily Davis

RSSailingStore.com RS Tera Start of Seasons Championships © Emily Davis

RSSailingStore.com RS Tera Start of Seasons Championships © Emily Davis

Warm sunshine greeted 70 sailors arriving from all over the country at Northampton Sailing Club for the RSSailingStore.com RS Tera Start of Seasons Championships this weekend.

Unfortunately what little wind there was was shifting massively and the decision was made to postpone. With regular updates from the Race Officer Neil Barford, the sailors were kept well informed of postponements and settled in to a relaxing morning of card games and football while they waited for the wind to fill in, with music courtesy of DJ Marcus.

The regatta fleet enjoyed some on the water coaching with Matthew Caiger, Ellen Morley and Dylan Collingbourne and began their race series. Close racing ensued with much place changing and everyone benefitting from the coaching around the short course. A break for lunch and they were out again before the main feet had even launched for more coached racing.

Finally at 2.30 the launch flag went up and racing got underway. With very light shifty conditions there were big advantages to be made and lost on the beat. The first race was only one lap but this still allowed Alice Davis from Great Moor Sailing Club to form a commendable lead and take the win from Megan Hardiman (Bartley SC) in second and James Johnson (Windermere School) in third. In the Pro Fleet Dylan Mcpherson took the win comfortably from Tatiana Dickinson (DWSC) and Jack Lewis (Draycote Water).

Race 2 saw Alice battling closely with Tom Ahlheid (Frensham Pond) with Tom narrowly beating her at the end; Max Sydenham (Dell Quay SC) sailing his socks off to take third. In the Pros a change of fortune for Dylan left the way open for Sophie Johnson of Blackwater SC to take the win followed by Robbie MacDonald (HISC) and a consistent Tatiana third.

In race 3 Alice once more led the way round the course with Peter Cope (IOMYC) flying the flag for the Isle of Man in second, Toby Hatsell (Middle Nene SC) showing his knowledge of shifts in third. Jack Lewis took the win in the Pros, with Ralph Neville (Frensham Pond) getting into gear to take second and Sophie in third.

With the wind becoming very tricky, the decision to shorten the fourth race was made. Alice just kept ahead of Peter to take the win with Tom in third. Theo Stewart rose to the occasion in the Pros taking the win from Robbie Macdonald and Ralph in third.

The sailors returned to a delicious evening meal provided by the galley and a quiz laid on by DJ Marcus, overnight leaders were Alice Davis in the Sport and Sophie Johnson in the Pros.

Sunday dawned cooler and the promise of slightly more consistent (if light) conditions. After a short postponement the main fleet were launched with the hope of getting in as many races as possible.

The Pros set off in the light shifty breeze and Jack Lewis quickly took the lead. He was followed to the finish by Alastair Brown (Great Moor SC) and Theo Stewart (Windermere School).

As the Sports race drew to a close the wind died. Tom Ahlheid and Alice had battled it out with much place changing but in the end Tom clinched the win, Alice second and Peter Cope third. With the top 5 in the Pro fleet separated by only 3 points it was a very tight run thing, and the Sports places were also. However the wind was not playing ball, and after a short postponement on the water the PRO decided to send the fleet in for lunch and postpone further, in the hope of a fresher breeze. At 1.15pm the race team went out on the water and tried to relay the course; the wind had picked up but with shifts of up to 180 degrees it was an impossible task and the racing was abandoned.

This left Jack Lewis narrowly beating Sophie Johnson to the Pro Fleet Championship title, whilst the Sports Fleet was more clear cut with Alice Davis clearly Champion. The prizegiving quickly took place with generous prizes from our sponsor RS Sailing Store for places 1-6 in the main fleet, 1-3 in the regatta fleet and spot prizes aswell, given to those sailing in their first Championship.

Thanks to Northampton SC, their PRO Neil Barford and race team and RS Sailing Store. We hope to return next year for the Start of Seasons once more and look forward to entries from near and far.

• Sport Fleet Champion Alice Davis (GMSC)
  
• Pro Fleet Champion Jack Lewis (DWSC)
  
• Regatta Fleet winner William Johnson (AWSC)

Overall Results: