Gul RS700 Nationals at Royal Torbay Yacht Club - Day 1

Race 1

The Torquay National Championships started with a poor wind forecast with the race officer announcing that we would head out to sea to see if the wind would appear. Well, race one got underway in 4.2 knots of wind off the committee boat. A couple of OCS boats went by the way side but it was Mike Dencher who made it to the windward mark first followed closely by Colin Dacey then Steve Marshall. A very light wind leeward course followed with some major place changes and a bit of a melee was made even worse by a change of course indicated at the leeward mark confused by the leaders as a shorten course. So, with the leading pack heading off the wrong way Jon Heissig tried for a come back by reading the flags correctly.

Colin Dacey made the most of the light winds to take the first line honours of the 2009 national championships and a very well done. Mike Dencher followed closely in second with Richard Allen coming in third.

Race 2

Race 2 started in a couple knots more breeze than race 1. Richard Allen was leading at the top mark followed by Tony Dencher then Mike Dencher. At the bottom mark it was very close with Michael Barnes, Richard Allen, Mike Dencher, Tony Dencher and Ed Reeves all rounding together.

On the second lap it was Michael Barnes in pole around the windward mark with Tony Dencher on his heels. Michael gybed off left and Tony went right. Richard Allen and Ed Reeves were next and also gybed off left. Left paid off with Michael still first at the leeward mark and Ed coming through from fourth to second. Richard maintained his third down the run but then let Tony through just before the finish with a kite wrap on the gybe at leeward mark.

The fleet came off the water grateful to have got a couple of good races in despite the light winds and the even lighter winds forecast. A number of competitors felt that a swim in the harbour together with their boats was required given the hot weather! Royal Torbay Yacht Club served up a great carvery dinner to sustain the fleet through the evening and the next three days of racing.

Results after Day 1: