Fox's Marine and Country Great Eastern RS200 Travellers Series Season Round-Up

Fox's Marine and Country Great Eastern RS200 Travellers Series © Roger Mant Photography

This year was the first year of an official RS200 Eastern Travellers series with sponsorship through National 12 star Tom Stewart's Fox's Marine and Country chandlery sailing kit and lifestyle store in Ipswich and a programme arranged rather at the last minute.

It kicked off with a blowy (which most of the events were) weekend at Waldringfield for their Easter Egg open. Waldringfield is club with a new 200 fleet of five regularly raced boats that are raced competitively and well, visitors Rheanna and Holly Pavey and Mark and Dom Smith enjoyed some remarkably close racing with the local boats.

Fox's Marine and Country Great Eastern RS200 Travellers Series - photo © Alexis Smith

The next weekend saw the biggest fleet of the series at Alton Water for an open shared with Fevas and 400s with 17 x 200s lining up for the start including a youth fleet in their superb brand new boats from the Royal Hospital School, a brace and half of Brightlingsea boats and a fair few of Alton's own sizeable 200 fleet involved as well. Close racing ensued especially on the second day which was run as 'almost' sprints. Great fun.

The Burnham Asymmetric Regatta was next - held over a beautiful weekend leading on to Aldeburgh, where Dave and Sophie from Grafham first started to stamp their authority on the series.

The show returned to Alton for their Autumn Regatta then on to the Royal Corinthian Yacht Club for their superb RS200 Open (and Excalibur Trophy dry run) last weekend.

The series was was won overall by Dave and Sophie from Grafham followed by Robin and Liz and Mark and Becky from Waldringfield.

Next year we hope to get more opens within university vacations and away from school exams to maximise attendance. We have had participants at all levels from national level contenders down to people who have just bought their boat. 33 crews took part at least once in 2016, next year if half of them race regularly in the events planned we will have a really great series.

In summary, a great first year with thanks to all of the clubs who hosted us, the individuals who arranged the events and Fox's for their sponsorship of the series.

Overall Results: