Please select your home edition
Edition
X-Yachts Leaderboard 2024 1

RS200 Ladies Open at Burghfield Sailing Club

by Sally Campbell 10 Jun 2014 17:41 BST 7 June 2014

Saturday 7th June saw Burghfield SC host 15 lady helms and respective crews for the now annual RS200 class ladies day. As promised by the forecast the sailors were greeted with thunderstorms and heavy rain, this may have deterred prompt rigging but gave our guest race officer Mr Ian Sharps to deliver an excellent briefing and introduce Dr Chris Catt who was guest class coach/RS200 guru for the day.

By 11am the storms had passed, the breeze filled in and racing was underway. The schedule was six short races on a short windward leeward course. First out of the blocks in race 1 to round comfortably ahead was Burghfield local Lottie Harland sailing with Claudia Wilson. Through the course of the race they were overhauled by the more experienced teams. Emma Norris & Mat(ilda) Mee took the win followed by Claire Walsh & Darren (Daria?) McNamara with Ally Martin & Bethan Carden reliving their 420 days to round off the top three after much place changing.

Race 2 saw the breeze drop as the last of the storms rumbled by. Ellie Sharps crewed by Yan(a) Martin shot out of the line only for the race team to abandoned due to the lack of breeze and huge right shift, a bold move but a popular choice as an excellent lunch time postponement saw the sun really come out with a solid 10 knots of breeze to show Burghfield in all it's glory.

The re-run of race 2 and race 3 saw the Stanley sisters rise to the fore, Maria sailing with recent Itchenor open meeting winner Sophie Ormsby and Imogen sailing with Lucy Preston. Maria & Sophie took race 2 but it was Burghfield legends Caroline & Jan Martin who showed the fleet their class in the shifty conditions by winning race 3 and putting themselves in the frame for the title. Notably Kate Jessop & Gemma Long from Middle Nene in their first open event finished an excellent 4th place.

After a general recall race 4 saw Emma & Matilda return from an average start to their afternoon to lead from start to finish. Boats that contained a member of the Martin family proved to be in amongst it but Imogen & Lucy again grabbed 2nd place showing real consistency.

In the final race boats from the left side of the first beat come out strong with Imogen & Lucy leading and Emma & Matilda hot on their heels. By the bottom mark Emma & Matilda had overhauled Imogen & Lucy and these positions remained until the finish with some boats planing down the final run with a gradual increase in breeze. Prosecco conditions!

Overall this meant Emma & Matilda clinched the event by 2 points from Imogen & Lucy with Caroline & Jan pipping Ally & Bethan on count back to take an excellent 3rd place. Further down the fleet it was great to see teams growing in confidence and improving with the practice as the day went on.

After racing the teams were treated to a glass of fizz and beautifully set out afternoon tea courtesy of the local sailors and club. Dr Catt and Mr Sharps kindly led the debrief, with contributions and discussion from all those that were sailing.

Thanks to all the sailors for having such enthusiasm, the race team and the club for making this a really special event. We look forward to seeing even more girly helms next year and hopefully on the circuit in months to come.

Photographs from the fantastic Sportography.tv are available.

Overall Results:

PosSail NoHelmCrewClubR1R2R3R4R5Pts
1st1311Emma NorrisMatilda MeeRed Wharf Bay1‑65118
2nd1521Imogen StanleyLucy PrestonPapercourt‑4332210
3rd1422Caroline MartinJan MartinLee on Solent‑9415414
4th1467Ally MartinBeth CardenBurghfield3263‑814
5th1510Claire WalshDarren McNamaraBCYC25‑76316
6th1276Maria StanleySopohie OrusbyItchenor612‑121019
7th1540Ellie SharpsIan MartinBurghfield78‑94524
8th1329Trudie FellSam ChildsBurghfield5‑111010631
9th1360Kate JessupGemma LongMNSC‑119411933
10th317Sophie SingletonRalph SingletonDatchet10128‑13737
11th1325Charlotte SavageMike WoodLancing127‑1371238
12th1290Lottie HarlandClaudia WilsonBurghfield8‑131181340
13th1295Jenny CropleyHannah BurywoodRhyn YC‑13101291142
14th519Sue BrannamMichelle ProvenBurghfield141414‑151557
15th1330Flea HaddrellPete HaddrellBurghfield‑151515141458

Related Articles

1, 2, 1, 2… RS200 sailors this is your mic check
For the 2025 Nationals social programme 1, 2, 1, 2... RS200 sailors this is your mic check for the 2025 nationals social programme. Set your sails and your Spotify to "absolute bangers" - because the 2025 Noble Marine RS200 Nationals in Abersoch isn't just about racing. Posted today at 1:00 pm
RS200s at Bowmoor
Masters Championship and West Country Boat Repairs RS200 Southwest Ugly Tour event Bowmoor was delighted to welcome visitors from as far afield as Bough Beech, Castle Cove, Bartley, Draycote and Chew Valley for the 2025 RS200 Master's Championship and the third round of the West Country Boat Repairs RS200 Southwest Ugly Tour. Posted on 4 Jul
The Glastonbury of the UK Sailing Scene
Get your entry in for the RS200 Nationals at Abersoch in August! Move over The 1975, Raye and *checks notes* Rod Stewart (?!) - the countdown for the Glastonbury of the UK sailing scene is on. With 96 entries already locked in, the RS200 fleet are just a few sailors away from hitting the magic 100. Posted on 1 Jul
Stewart Brewing RS200 Scottish Tour Update
The fleet has been enjoying some east coast sea venues The Stewart Brewing Scottish Tour is back for 2025, and have been enjoying some east coast sea venues, with events at East Lothian and Tynemouth giving us a great start to the season. Posted on 25 Jun
Brendan and Ellen's Adventure to Warsash
A poem of the RS200 Summer Championship, Rooster National Tour & Sailing Chandlery EaSEA Tour event! RS200 Summer Championship, Rooster National Tour and Sailing Chandlery EaSEA Tour at Warsash. Posted on 24 Jun
Coppet Week Regatta 2025 at Saundersfoot
Disrupted by strong winds after the amazing spring weather After one of the longest stretches of Spring sunshine in West Wales for a long time the opening Sunday of Saundersfoot Sailing Club's Coppet Week Regatta saw a noticeable change in the weather. Posted on 13 Jun
RS Sailing Store partners with RS Nationals
Official chandlery partner for the noughty and RS Vareo class Nationals 2025 The RS Class Association is thrilled to announce that RS Sailing Store will be the official chandlery partner for the noughty and RS Vareo class National Championships 2025. Posted on 5 Jun
RS200 Sprint Championship at Waldringfield
Fast, furious, and above all - fun! Fast, furious, and above all - fun! That was the RS200 Sprints event run at Waldringfield SC on Sunday 1st June. With glorious sunshine, a high tide and a gusty F3-4 the stage was set for five short races (15-20 minutes). Posted on 4 Jun
RS200 SW Ugly Tour at Parkstone
Finishing up with a beer for tallying in and a huge spread of cakes With the forecast due to build throughout the day, and the threat of fog on the drive down, we all arrived to a warm welcome at sunny Parkstone Yacht Club. Posted on 2 Jun
RS200 Sprints entry closing soon
Waldringfield are hosting on 1st June Entry closes soon for the RS200 Sprints event at Waldringfield - building on the strong fleet at the Easter Egg with 20 boats we are running some dedicated sprint racing comprising fives races back-to-back on the afternoon flood. Posted on 27 May