Gul RS800 Grand Prix at Eastbourne Sovereign Sailing Club

Mick Whitmore and Sarah Smith blasting during the Gul RS800 Grand Prix at Eastbourne © Gary Smith

The RS800 fleet returned to the venue of the successful 2007 Nationals for their final circuit event of the year, and weren’t disappointed. Sun, breeze and a social shared with the 200 fleet reminded us all why the 800 is the boat to sail!

Saturday saw 10-15 knots and a strong tide running, with a premium on practising Garda starting and getting right. Ben McGrane and Roz Allen (Selden) had the best of the day, taking two firsts and a 3rd to lead overnight from Charlie Roome and Dave Steed who had a couple of 2nds and a 3rd to be close behind. Neil Baker and James Hughes lay 3rd after a consistent string of top 5 results, showing they are getting ready for a challenge at Garda at the end of the month.

Sore heads greeted the fleet on Sunday morning, and a strong sea breeze of 20 knots filled in early, providing a glamour day of racing to end the Gul Grand Prix for this season. Andy Jeffries and Allyson Ody, Neil Ashby and Sam Proctor, and Chris Webber and Jim Baldwin all showed pace in the breeze, but no one could catch McGrane and Allen overall who picked up two more bullets to win the event from Jeffries and Ody, with Roome and Steed taking third.

The handicap prize for the weekend was won by Ashby and Proctor, reminding everyone that their early season form at windy multi class events was no fluke. It must be noted that alongside a strong fleet of 8s at Eastbourne, 2 more filled the top 10 of the Lord Birkett at Ullswater, showing the depth of the class across the UK.

Full circuit results to follow… now to Garda at the end of July, and the UK Nationals at Exmouth in September.

Overall Results: