Noble Marine Rooster RS400 National Championships

Noble Marine Rooster RS400 National Championships - Day 4

by Tom Halhead 4 Aug 2023 11:48 BST

After "super-size" Wednesday (Day 3) had the fleet checking out the local kart track and minds being stretched by Oppenheimer with the day blown off, vans rocking and tents blowing around overnight, it was confirmed we were on for "Big Thursday" - with a race to catch up it was going to be a bit of a fitness test.

A pretty lively ride out to the start saw the fleet greeted by 18-22 knots in the vicinity of the start for race 6. Clearly a little bit too much time spent chatting onboard the pathfinder though as they didn't bother turning up until 30s after the gun - a strong candidate for the daily Duckhams but nothing like the litany of nominations that ensued on the following attempt; something our brilliant photographer for the week, Lee Whitehead, described as "carnage".

The stand-out effort, perhaps being Jeremy Stephens' attempt to turn the gate boat into a catamaran, reverse off and head back for another nibble. The race management was again superb and with 1.5mile+ legs set for the 70 boat fleet it was the sort of high-speed, open water, tight racing that shows the 400 at its absolute best.

Noble Marine Rooster RS400 National Championships 2023 day 4 - photo © Lee Whitehead / Photolounge

The usual suspects featured at the front throughout the day, with Edd & Ben showing some lightning pace (clearly honed on the kart track...) to take the first race from Roger & Keith followed by Ollie & Esther.

Race 2 saw the order reversed with Ollie & Esther taking the gun from Roger & Keith then Edd & Ben.

Race 3 saw the wind build further and Lee reporting gusts beyond 30 from the safety boats. A slightly reduced fleet set off with tired legs - well worth it though for some of the best conditions of the year downwind. Roger & Keith took this one from Edd & Ben and Ollie & Esther, leaving the battle for the title finely poised going into the last day with a mere two points between the three of them.

Noble Marine Rooster RS400 National Championships 2023 day 4 - photo © Lee Whitehead / Photolounge

Two races are scheduled tomorrow in a slightly lighter breeze - thankfully little to trouble our generous sponsors Noble Marine today and much of the Rooster kit on show, keeping the fleet nice and toasty in the Northerlies.

Mount's Bay are again proving to be incredible hosts; having just tucked into a Hog Roast and Ice Cream we've got a Ska band warming up, and a raffle for a new kite (generously funded by RS Sailing) coming later in aid of the Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust. No sign of too many heading off for an early night yet...

Editor's note: the 'Mighty Off beats' were certainly well and truly enjoyed by all, Tom Halhead was lucky enough to win the spinnaker and we raised over £1160 for the Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust, thanks to the generosity of the sailors and club members. Now with just 3 points between the top 3, it's going to be an exciting finale!

Noble Marine Rooster RS400 National Championships 2023 day 4 - photo © Lee Whitehead / Photolounge

Results after day 4:

Pos	Sail	Selec	Helm	Crew	Club	R1	R2	R3	R4	R5	R6	R7	R8	Pts
1	1541	G	Edd Whitehead	Ben Whaley	Parkstone YC	‑3	1	(DSQ)	2	2	1	3	2	11
2	1526	FGL	Ollie Groves	Esther Parkhurst	Beaver SC	‑5	3	1	‑7	1	3	1	3	12
3	1533	G	Roger Gilbert	Keith Bedborough	Dalgety Bay Sailing Club	‑6	‑11	4	1	3	2	2	1	13
4	1528	FGL	Christopher Eames	Rachel Tilley	Queen Mary SC	1	‑26	2	‑6	6	4	4	4	21
5	1535	G	Tom Halhead	Paul Hilliar	Llandegfedd SC	‑10	4	3	3	‑10	6	5	6	27
6	1376	G	Sam Knight	Chris Bownes	Bartley SC	‑8	2	5	4	‑31	7	6	5	29
7	1398	G	Phil Murray	Neil Schofield	Tynemouth SC	‑32	12	‑17	5	11	11	7	9	55
8	1479	FGL	Chris Webber	Nicki Webber	Pevensey Bay SC	2	7	10	‑20	4	13	20	‑22	56
9	1400	GM	James Stewart	Sam Parker	Netley Sailing Club	‑21	‑20	11	12	8	9	11	7	58
10	1481	GM	Howard Farbrother	Jack Munnelly	Lymington Town	RDG	‑25	9	‑19	12	5	8	14	59
11	1414	S	Sam Watson	Geoff Edwards	Budworth SC	7	6	6	22	(DSQ)	8	(DNC)	10	59
12	411	GM	Richard Cain	Barney Dearsly	Starcross Yacht Club	4	8	18	11	14	(RET)	‑19	11	66
13	1469	MSY	Martin Powell	Arun Powell	Parkstone YC	‑30	‑23	13	14	9	10	18	12	76
14	1377	GM	Neil Bevington	Alan Skeens	Lee on Solent	‑24	5	22	(RET)	18	15	12	13	85
15	1410	FGL	Jacob Ainsworth	Kayleigh Roberts	Tynemouth sc	‑28	22	20	‑31	16	12	9	8	87
16	1532	GM	Steve Norbury	Andy Hill	Warsash SC	13	13	‑34	17	‑24	14	10	24	91
17	1362	GO	Mike Saul	Oliver Kent	yorkshire Dales	14	9	‑26	18	‑25	21	16	17	95
18	1439	FOS	Kevin Podger	Heather Chipperfield	Lymington Town SC	15	10	8	27	20	(DSQ)	17	(DNS)	97
19	1239	G	Paul Cullen	Matt Sargent	Weirwood Sailing Club	16	‑37	12	23	5	23	‑27	19	98
20	1539	FLS	Steven Broomfield	Jenni Lewis	Lymington Town	22	19	23	‑33	13	(RET)	13	16	106
21	1189	OS	Steve Restall	Chris Stubbs	Downs SC	9	16	‑55	34	7	18	25	(DNS)	109
22	1515	OS	Paul Bartlett	Greg Bartlett	Starcross Yacht Club	19	18	‑24	21	22	16	14	(DNC)	110
23	1004	S	Tom Purdon	Sam Purdon	Strangford Lough	‑39	24	25	16	19	17	‑36	18	119
24	1456	G	Alex Oyston	Philip Cowans	Tynemouth Sailing Club	23	‑31	15	13	15	26	‑40	28	120
25	1455	FG	Garry Knott	Amy Hinsliff‑smith	NCSC	11	27	14	8	17	‑50	45	(RET)	122
26	767	CMS	Chris Larr	Abigail Larr	Draycote Water	20	‑32	16	26	‑32	19	21	21	123
27	1489	MS	David Swift	Rob Burgess	Warsash SC	27	‑40	32	9	23	‑34	15	26	132
28	1363	OS	Ross Ryan	Oliver Ryan‑Moore	Notts County SC	17	14	‑37	32	21	22	26	(RET)	132
29	1513	MS	Neil Parkhurst	Ian Parkhurst	Beaver Sailing Club	31	28	29	10	28	‑39	24	‑34	150
30	971	FLS	Simon Kitchen	Abbi Hooper	Grafham Water SC	12	33	31	25	34	‑38	‑37	15	150
31	1437	BF	Justin Smith	Sarah Batchelor	Tynemouth SC	‑56	‑46	33	15	29	20	41	20	158
32	1530	FOS	John Cooper	Becci Wigley	Lymington Town	‑36	30	30	28	26	24	28	(RET)	166
33	1524	FS	Stuart Halman	Anna Walsh	Leigh and Lowton sc	‑35	29	19	‑36	30	27	33	30	168
34	690	B	Jeremy Stephens	Thomas Kliskey	PZSC	(OCS)	42	7	35	41	(DSQ)	35	29	189
35	506	B	Alex Zamaria	Rob Staines	Saltash SC	29	38	21	43	27	42	(DSQ)	(RET)	200
36	1184	B	Christopher Spencer	Edward Smith	Hooe Point Sailing Club	‑45	41	35	29	‑43	29	29	37	200
37	880	S	Tim Le Couilliard	James Le Couilliard	King George Sailing Club	‑50	36	27	42	38	(DSQ)	31	33	207
38	1493	FLOS	Geoff Holden	Bernice Holden	Locks Sailing Club	33	‑43	43	30	40	31	30	(RET)	207
39	1435	FOS	Matthew Sheahan	Ellie Sheahan	Warsash SC	‑53	‑52	42	45	51	30	23	23	214
40	1547	FMS	John Hobson	Rebecca Ogden	Notts County Sailing Club	37	15	36	24	33	(DSQ)	(DNC)	DNC	216
41	877	S	William Findlay	Peter Gilmore	Strangford Sailing Club	40	‑58	46	‑58	45	32	32	27	222
42	1427	FLMS	Carl Whitehead	Carol Milner	Filey S.C	25	45	‑49	39	39	37	43	(DNC)	228
43	1271	S	Peter Greig	Mike Greig	Mounts Bay Sailing Club	‑63	55	45	‑62	44	28	34	25	231
44	1417	BO	Andy Ritchie	Malc Ritchie	Hykeham SC	48	34	28	(DNC)	(DNC)	35	22	RET	238
45	1536	BO	Jonty Challis	Nic Allen	Lee on Solent	38	‑66	53	(DNF)	35	36	52	31	245
46	1179	B	Ben Martin	Darren Cushley	RUYC / Strangford Lough	42	35	‑47	44	46	40	38	(RET)	245
47	1325	LS	James Logan	Philippa Logan	Notts County SC	18	‑60	44	49	42	47	49	(RET)	249
48	573	BL	Tim Stickley	Florence Kerr	Lymington Town SC	51	17	‑66	47	48	45	42	(RET)	250
49	1470	BMO	Gareth Griffiths	Ian Peace	Island Barn	‑60	‑64	48	48	36	41	51	35	259
50	1503	MS	Nick Daniels	Mark Aitken	Warsash SC	34	21	41	57	37	(DNS)	(DNC)	DNC	261
51	762	BFY	Paul McMeekin	Jane McMeekin	Strangford Sailing Club	26	53	50	38	‑56	46	48	(DNC)	261
52	1521	BM	Andy powell	Chris Rolfe	warsash	‑65	‑54	54	46	52	33	44	36	265
53	1422	FG	Bruce Mills	Andrea Jarman	Warsash SC	47	39	65	53	55	25	(DNC)	(DNC)	284
54	1324	BM	Richard Watney	Grant Shoebridge	HISC	57	‑65	56	54	‑64	48	39	32	286
55	1501	BO	Ken Twemlow	Goiz‑Eder Aspe‑Juaristi	Notts County	41	50	39	52	58	(DNS)	46	(DNC)	286
56	1345	BF	John Woolcock	Gemma ORourke	Mounts Bay Sailing Club	46	49	40	40	47	(DNC)	(DNC)	DNC	293
57	1432	BM	James Alsop	Simon Edwards	Queen Mary SC	‑64	51	61	51	49	43	50	(RET)	305
58	856	BY	Conor Mcveigh	Laurence McVeigh	Strangford sailing club	54	‑56	51	55	54	44	47	(RET)	305
59	1430	BMY	Simon Mathews	Jack Fussey	Lancing SC	52	62	62	37	50	49	(RET)	(DNC)	312
60	1487	BO	Andrew Bray	Sarah Bevington	Lee on Solent	43	47	59	50	53	(RET)	(DNS)	DNC	323
61	1263	FOS	David Stockton	Anna Warren	Wimbleball	44	61	38	(DNS)	(DNC)	52	DNS	DNC	337
62	1462	BFL	Dennis Watson	Nikita Watson	Lee on Solent	49	63	52	41	62	(DNC)	(DNC)	DNC	338
63	1287	MS	James Bowman	Andrew Gladstone	Starcross Yacht Club	55	44	57	56	57	(RET)	(DNC)	DNC	340
64	603	BMO	Mostyn Evans	Phil Davies	Mounts Bay SC	58	48	60	(DNF)	60	(DNC)	DNC	DNC	368
65	1025	B	John Gabbie	Erin Gabbie	Strangford Sailing Club	62	57	58	(DNF)	(RET)	51	RET	DNS	370
66	1525	BFLO	Martin Hart	Moira Hart	Notts County Sailing Club	59	59	63	59	59	(RET)	(DNS)	DNC	370
67	1294	BO	Mike Grant	Alan Birse	Largs	61	67	64	60	61	(DNC)	(RET)	DNC	384
68	1201	BFLO	Matt Green	Sharn Ward	Mounts Bay SC	66	(RET)	(RET)	61	63	DSQ	DNC	DNC	403