Volvo Noble Marine RS700 National Championship at Plymouth - Day 2

Volvo Noble Marine RS700 Nationals day 2 © Tom Gruitt / www.tom-gruitt.co.uk

Volvo Noble Marine RS700 Nationals day 2 © Tom Gruitt / www.tom-gruitt.co.uk

Variable conditions greeted competitors for the second day of the Volvo Noble Marine RS700 National Championships. The shifty north westerly breeze varied between 4 and 22 knots across the day. Three races were run with three different winners.

In the first race Ian Swann took a port flyer and initially led the fleet but at the windward mark it was Jerry Wales leading with Ian Swann second coming into the windward mark from the left hand side of the course. Places changed regularly on the second beat and the following downwind leg. At the finish it was Jerry Wales first, Ian Swann second and Simon Letten third.

The wind was light for the first two laps of the second race. Jerry Wales and Dave Smithwhite rounded the windward mark together with Wales overtaking Smithwhite on the first leg to the spacer mark. These two pulled away from the fleet on the downwind leg. On the second beat Smithwhite and Wales split tacks with Smithwhite going further to the right hand side of the course and picking up a shift to the right and going into the lead. Robbie Bell, last year's national champion pulled up to third and these positions were held to the end of the race.

There was more breeze for the last race of the day, however it was very shifty. Boats arrived at the windward mark in the top ten from both the left and the right hand sides of the course with Neil Ashby showing the fleet the way round and holding an impressive lead. Richard Wadsworth rounded in second place. There were several capsizes on the downwind and much place changing on the second beat. By the finish Jerry Wales pulled through to second behind Neil Ashby and Richard Wadsworth.

Volvo Noble Marine RS700 Nationals day 2 - photo © Tom Gruitt / www.tom-gruitt.co.uk

Results after Day 2: (five races, 1 discard)