RS200 Open at Papercourt Sailing Club
by Bill Grose 29 Apr 2017 17:28 BST
22 April 2017
Papercourt Sailing Club's RS200 Open on 22 April 2017 was a closely fought contest in fine weather with light southerly winds. Those who know the lake will know how tricky these conditions can be! Unfortunately, clashes with other events resulted in only four home boats turning out, but the racing still proved to be competitive and friendly.
The PRO, club commodore Frank Brown, set a traditional triangle/sausage course which served for the whole day despite some shifts in the general wind direction.
The first race saw the boat crewed by George Beck and Simon Hamment lead the way up the first beat, but the offwind legs allowed Bill Grose and Sally Cantello to sneak past to take the race. A big hole in the wind meant that Tom Key and Peter Howe parked up for a while, letting Craig and Rebecca Clarke take third place. The second race was sailed back to back, and again the offwind legs provided the challenge, with Beck and Grose battling it out on one side of the lake while Clarke took advantage of a gust on the other side to overtake them both and take the race.
After a substantial lunch, races 3 and 4 were held back to back. Despite much place changing in the dying winds they were both won by husband and wife team of Grose/Cantello with father and daughter team of Craig & Rebecca Clarke in second place.
Overall Results:
1st 1377, Bill Grose and Sally Cantello
2nd 946, Craig and Rebecca Clarke
3rd 845, George Beck and Simon Hamment
4th 483, Tom Key and Peter Howe