RS Games – Magic Marine RS500 Worlds at Weymouth - Day 1

by RS Class Association 16 Aug 2011 21:37 BST 16-20 August 2011

Day one of the Magic Marine RS500 World Championship and Weymouth didn’t disappoint. As the wind built, so did the anticipation in the boat park; there were some nerves as well as a fresh south-westerly blowing across the dinghy park.

Crews from around the world had come together to take part in the second championship for this young class with entry numbers doubling from 2010; 52 boats hit the water representing eight nations... it made for a spectacular start line.

Two windward-leeward races (with a windward spreader mark and leeward gate) were held on a large course set in Weymouth bay. The waves were significantly bigger on the ocean than in the shelter of the harbour, and added an extra boat-handling challenge on top of the gusting force 5 winds.

The first race got away with just an individual recall and it was clear that Dutch crew Barend Hiltermann and Max Blom meant business as they flew up the first beat. Brits Alex Taylor and Bryan Mobbs were hot on their tale, and then came a gap before the following pack. Close racing was had in various groups throughout the fleet. The downwind legs were hairy and claimed a few victims, but made for some high-adrenline, high-performance sailing. The Dutch safely sealed their first place with Brits coming second and third – Phil Highfield and Tamsin Butcher put in an impressive performance and held off the three other boats chasing them down in their pack.

The second race saw a general recall and everyone was called back to the start line for a second try, and race officer ‘Arky’ didn’t miss the opportunity to fly his enormous black ‘Guinness’ flag (which stands in for a normal black flag). It wasn’t long before he had everyone battling up the first beat again, and the leading two teams once again showed the way; this time it was GBR Alex and Bryan heading the charge, taking a commanding lead which they held until the end of the race. Mike Saul and Meg Fletcher finished in third to seal off a good, consistent day of racing for them.

Competitors gathered back on land after nearly four gruelling hours on the water and, needless to say, all were physically worn out and in need of some liquid refreshment, amply provided by Spinnakers bar in the impressive Olympic venue. Perhaps the highlight of the day was being a part of, and looking back on, 53 black spinnakers belting 3.3 nautical miles down to the start line.

RS Games Day 2 Video: (by fotoboat)

Results after Day 1:

Pos	Sail No	Helm	Crew	R1	R2	Nett
1st	799	Alex Taylor	Bryan  Mobbs	2	1	3
2nd	899	Barend Hiltermann	Max Blom	1	2	3
3rd	536	Mike Saul	Meg Fletcher	4	3	7
4th	665	Phillip Highfield	Tamsin  Butcher	3	8	11
5th	625	Tim Wilkins	Heather Martin	6	5	11
6th	659	Peter Curtis	James Cutis	8	4	12
7th	112	Johan Rook	Malin  Broberg	5	10	15
8th	934	Jon Partridge		10	6	16
9th	795	David Houghton	John Symonds	7	9	16
10th	837	Michiel Geerling	Hilde Van Susante	9	14	23
11th	668	Michael Corney	Gareth  Donks	18	7	25
12th	709	Peter Mathews	Karen Mathews	16	11	27
13th	509	Ian Jubb	Bonnie Moody	12	17	29
14th	763	Willemijn Van Susante	Nick Van Alphen	14	15	29
15th	937	Cosmas Grelon	Will Stephens	19	12	31
16th	525	James Tanner	Lucinda Tanner	17	16	33
17th	941	Marit Bouwmeester	Claire Blom	11	26	37
18th	654	Frank Van Leeuwen	Lennart Van Den Dool	20	19	39
19th	939	Lars Schkade	Justin TSE	13	27	40
20th	940	Nico Honor	Olivia Maincent	29	13	42
21st	922	JeremyBickerton	Derek Ness	28	21	49
22nd	911	Richard Rot	Marieka Gijzel	15	36	51
23rd	733	Rogier Grobbee	Sjon Grobbee	33	18	51
24th	737	Stéphanie Grootscholt	Chantalle Grootscholten	35	20	55
25th	614	Emma Taylor	Ben Brown	25	30	55
26th	708	Karen McGrath	John McGarth	27	28	55
27th	519	Simon Payne	Hope Halstad	22	34	56
28th	938	Peter Simpson	Louis  Bond-Smith	21	38	59
29th	89	Tobias Gustafsson	Max Freiman	38	24	62
30th	624	Allan Fraser	Linda Fraser	32	31	63
31st	566	Jeni Tod	Kate Tod	42	22	64
32nd	821	Stephan Fassberg	Jonathan Fassberg	31	33	64
33rd	818	Richard Morley	Sue Morley	37	29	66
34th	636	Will Summers	Sam Delo	36	32	68
35th	928	Luca Carlini	Rodolfo Rubinno	30	40	70
36th	538	Emily Talbot	Annabel Larkin	34	41	75
37th	884	Finlay Curran	George Jorgensen	40	35	75
38th	649	George Wilson	Laura Wilson	39	37	76
39th	604	Richard Mathews	Sam Hughes	41	39	80
40th	533	Andy Chapman	Melissa Chapman	DNF	23	81
41st	777	Marleen Blomsma	Jody De Jager	23	BFD	81
42nd	831	PeterTowend	Sabine Towned	24	DNC	82
43rd	936	Francesco Bozano	Filippo Bucciarell	RAF	25	83
44th	51	Martin Johansson	Axel  Johansson	26	DNC	84
45th	881	Debbie Darling	Charlie Darling	43	DNC	101
46th	851	Annika Ellerbrock	Wibke Wriggers	DNC	DNC	116
46th	748	Anne-Marie Zmura	Keith Sykes	DNF	DNC	116
46th	935	Matteo Pilati	Flavio Pilati	DNC	DNC	116
46th	564	Lawrence Gibbons	Kevin Olsson	DNC	DNC	116
46th	546	Ian Patience	Michelle Ackroyd	DNF	DNC	116
46th	601	John Spelman	Tom Spelman	DNC	DNC	116
46th	633	Tom Richardson	Chris Owens	DNC	DNC	116
46th	671	AmyHulley	Sophie Payne	DNF	DNC	116
46th	616	Scott Room	Ian Preedy	DNF	DNC	116
46th	926	Tim Bilbrough	Courtney Bilbrough	DNC	DNC	116
46th	561	Rebecca Hannam	Justin Hannam	DNC	DNC	116
46th	508	Ian Maris	Tally Watson	DNF	DNC	116

More information on the RS Association website.