RS200 Winter Warmer at Itchenor Sailing Club - Final Weekend

Final RS200 Winter Warmer at Itchenor © Rob McArthur

Final RS200 Winter Warmer at Itchenor © Rob McArthur

Final RS200 Winter Warmer at Itchenor © Rob McArthur

This weekend was the last weekend of the Itchenor RS200 Winter Warmer series. We had 16 boats out racing over the weekend in great Spring conditions. Going into the weekend only the rule book could separate the top boats with Tim Saxton & Holly Scott leading on count back from Rob Gullan & Rosie Sibthorp.

Saturday brought 15 knots and 15 degrees which made for great racing for the series decider after the close finish after the previous round.

The first couple of races were held in a strong tide against going upwind meaning that the teams had to pick a side and stick to it, although there was no obvious way to go once the boats came together at the top mark.

Andy Shaw & Pippa Horne made the best of a good start in race 1 leading around the top mark and sailing into a healthy lead, however in a race for the title Tim & Holly started strongest with two 2nds in the first 2 races.

Rob & Rosie came back from their disappointing first couple of races to post two bullets and a forth to bring them back into contention as Tim & Holly's goose neck snapped in race 4 of the weekend and a make shift repair was needed to finish the day.

George Yeoman & Sophie Ormsby came back from a disappointing first race to close the gap on the series leaders posting 8-1-2-2-1 to lead the weekend after one discard over night with the ever consistent Andy & Pippa in second with 1-4-3-4-2.

Sunday was chillier and lighter and, with a strong tide, the up wind track was a bit one sided for the first couple of races with the tide against at the start proving particularly tricky. George & Sophie used this to their advantage taking two 1sts in the first two races with Rob & Rosie and Charlie Roome & Eddie Glennie keeping the racing tight.

As the tide started to turn the race track became a bit more open and Will & Rob Henderson started to come into their own posting two seconds with Charlie & Eddie also stepping up the pace with a good win in race 8, but then a 6th in race 9.

Rob & Rosie had to retire in the last 2 races due to injury which allowed Tim & Holly, who had had a rough start to the day, back into contention for second place in the series. But George & Sophie managed to finish the day with a 1-2 winning the weekend, with Charlie & Eddie's consistency paying off as they snuck into 2nd by 1 point.

This meant that in the overall series Tim & Holly and Rob & Rosie were still tied after another 10 races, with Tim & Holly taking 2nd based on the number of firsts, however George & Sophie had managed to swing the points enough to take the series win the for second year in a row.

Thanks must go to Roger Yeoman and his team of John Tremlett, Harry Roome, Olly Gilchrist, Mark Struckett & Charles Hyatt for running the racing, it would not have been possible without their help.

Overall Results: