Volvo Noble Marine RS300 Nationals at Exe Sailing Club - Runners & Riders

2015 Volvo Noble Marine RS300 Nationals at Dovey © Doris O'Keefe

The medium range forecast for the Volvo Noble Marine RS300 Nationals at Exe SC from 8-11 September looks frightening, which throws up all sorts of questions... Just how big will those waves be? Who'll hold it together downwind? Will we sail at all? With crystal ball firmly in hand, let's see what the future may hold.

Team Trophy

Hykeham won the team trophy last year with an impressive result from their fledgling fleet. They will start as favourites again this year, particularly as otherwise-strong contenders from Emsworth, Sheffield Viking, Lymington and Prestwick have all failed to enter a full team. That leaves newbies of Stewartby and Warsash to take up the challenge. Warsash have the sea-sailing experience, Stewartby have greater RS300-experience. Hykeham have the talent. Enough said.

Junior

This could be a tough one – tough to find a competitor, that is. Like the retirement age, the limit keeps going up. Anyone under 30 could be in with a chance here.

Apprentice

With the fleet boasting more virgins than Essex, some of the newcomers are already going too quickly for the old hands' liking; this could be a very close call. Paul Watson from Bowmoor has already put in some impressive performances during the Grand Prix season as well as putting Matt "Mr Consistent" Jenkins in his place at Abersoch. Even newer-comer Nick Bubb, with an impressive nautical CV, looks quick already, but his downfall could be buying Declan's old boat. If the choppy is sloppy watch out for Robby Jonesy. Dark horse could be Iain Horlock from the home club, current Supernova champion and has the local knowledge. On the downside, he's never sat in an RS300 before.

Fidelis

Basically goes to one of the old hands who's had a shocker during the week. Could be anyone.

The Form

So to the main event, in no particular order apart from starting with the top 2 from the last 4 years.

• 544 – Dave 'Windy' Acres – The Emsworth Express
  Taking the defence of his title far too seriously - new boat, attended more Grand Prix events this year than collectively ever, even spotted drinking shandy... You know Windy never makes mistakes but perhaps after the Southerns the unflappable has started to flap.

• 411 - Steve Bolland – The Wessex Wizard
  Wizard with gaffer tape that is, which largely holds his boat together. Been down at Exe practising so much no longer needs a SatNav to find it. Apparently the local constabulary still have an outstanding warrant out on Steve from his last two nationals at Exe which could hinder his bid to regain the title.

• 476 - Steve Sallis – The Hykeham Hurricane
  Newly appointed fleet Mr Consistent, looking for a hat-trick in the lightweight category and will spearhead Hykeham's challenge to retain the team trophy.

• 328 - Tim Keen – The Yorkshire Yoda
  Short in stature he is. Desperately seeking his first championship win; with 2 of last year's top 5 AWOL is this Tim's big chance? Will he overcome the big 2 or will he be the Wenger of the North? Perhaps pending fatherhood will provide the maturity needed to mount a serious challenge.

• 524 - Matt 'The Major' Sargent – The Royal Artillery Rocket
  Recently promoted so now a Lieutenant Colonel and recently back from a tour of duty and rapidly catching up on his sailing, having already been spotted in Weymouth doing the 2000 Nationals. Needs the wind to be up so probably rubbing his hands in glee already, plus the sand in Devon will be nicer than that in the desert.

• 555 - Richard LeMare - The Mauve Missile
  Hot footing from his epic 'Round the Island in a 300' trip, Rich has certainly put time in the boat as preparation. Will it pay off? Will he have recovered? Will anyone care?

• 500 - Pete Ellis – The Stewartby Shaft
  Getting more consistent and faster each year, or are the rest of us just getting slower? If he can forget about his day job of singlehandedly building Crossrail and get into holiday mode he could have his best ever result. If.

• 518 – Luke Pepper – The Lincoln Lightning
  'I am your father, Luke' said Luke's father once. Great improvement last year, can it be sustained into 2016? Has improved his heavy-weather skills to complement his status as a light-air flyer. Has absolutely the best automated system for getting his boat off the top of his camper. Always draws a crowd hoping something will break and worth a prize in its own right.

• 481 - Martin Harrison – The Fishbourne Flyer
  When Squibs become just too exciting for Martin, he escapes the Isle of Wight on some sort of prison break to show us his RS300 pedigree. All too infrequent visitor at events, but quick and will be there or there abouts, especially if it blows - despite only being 5' 6".

• 337 - Paul Watson – The Bowmoor Bullet
  Another destined for a top 10 at his first Nationals, but will he survive the evening entertainment?

• 523 – Harry McVicar – The Draycote Degenerate
  New house, new career, new dream of winning the Nationals. Has the ability, just needs to hold it all together – a sensible young man so won't be distracted by excessive late-night drinking.

• 414 – Iain Horlock – The Supernova Shed
  Could be quick. Could be really quick. Playing on home turf so should know the way round but might find it a struggle to fit his 7 foot frame under the boom. We hope so anyway.

• 480 – Rob Jones – The Warsash Warrior I
  Bought Dave Acre's championship winning boat hoping for an easy ride to the podium. After a tough introduction to the class, started to show promise at the Southerns in that sloppy Solent chop. Part of the new Warsash posse; likely to be one of the last out of the bar.

• 527 - Ian Clark – The Warsash Warrior II
  Watch out for this one - he'd shop his own mum for a good finish. Warsash again and almost certainly the last to leave the bar.

• 317 - Martin Hutchings – The Warsash Warrior III
  Untested final part of the Warsash team. But could have the pedigree to spring a surprise. The biggest surprise at the moment is that he's still looking for somewhere to stay.

• 490 – Alistair 'Storky' McClaughlin – The Prestwick Pitbull
  Having recently won the FD Nationals will be full of confidence for the RS300s. Let's face it, if you can depower an FD you can depower anything. Will still be hoping for the light-end of the wind range though so may have to wait another year.

• 336 - Mark Taylor – The Ayrshire Athlete
  Having recently won the FD Nationals with Storky, will be full of confidence for the RS300s. No trapeze though which may slow him a bit. Also no genoa or kite. Or Storky. Will improve on his recent Nationals results though.

• 341 - Nick Bubb – The Lymington Layabout I
  Could probably make a barn door with a mast go quick. As previously mentioned, top tip for the apprentice trophy so long as he masters those tricky downhill sleigh rides. Will his triathlete wife have got him fit enough to compete with the likes of Windy Acres? Probably not.

• 313 - Ben Green – The Lymington Layabout II
  The oldest boat in the fleet, but only just – a couple of others must have been built the following day. Boat age is no barrier to speed in the RS300 fleet though and his 'never say die' attitude will hold him in good stead should the breeze get really frightening.

• 422 – Alastair 'Woody' Wood – The Gravesend Greyhound
  Will he take over as Chairman from Wizard and Shaft? That's all we need to know.

• 342 - Ian Hopkins – The Southport Streak
  Not seen since breaking his mast at last year's Nationals. It was sailable, honest! Hoping to keep his kit in one piece this year and finish all the races. Just don't get in a round with him – that's all.

• 318 - Gary Morris & Ben Deacon – The A Rig Arrows
  It will be good to see two of the flatter A rigs at the champs this year. Could well be very quick if the forecast is right. Will anyone else follow suit with the smaller rig as their bodies give up?

• 321 - Stuart Woodger – The Devon Dynamo
  'Look what you could have won'! One for the oldies, that. First introduction to the RS300 circuit racing was the slaloms - tough gig that one - will probably do less tacks and gybes in the whole champs and expected to find his feet. The only guy heading North to attend the Nationals.

• 417 - Dan Treloar – The IT Irritant
  Returns to the Nationals for the third time. Bound to take the AGM minutes and have more gadgets and gizmos than anybody else. Results tend to be directly proportional to alcohol intake.

• 515 - John Peters – The Hykeham Hawk
  Welcome return for the old man - well we think it is - records don't go that far back. Capt Sallis will be keen to ensure John plays his part for Hykeham in retaining the team trophy

• 479 - Julian Gunnell - The Bedfordshire Beast
  Lured into the RS300 from Phantoms by Shaft. Straight into his first Nationals and keen to make an impression - any impression will do.

• 373 - Rich Hargreaves – The Stewartby Star
  Another ex-Phantomer debuting to make a strong team from Stewartby. Good light to medium wind operator, but bemoans the "athleticism" of some others in a breeze. He clearly hasn't seen many of us.

You can still enter at event registration and weekend entry is available. Find all the event information on the RS300 Class Association website at www.rs300sailing.org/championships/cindex.asp?clselect=Home&eid=1353

Check in next week to see if it really was windy enough to blow your socks off and to see who disgraced themselves and why. We have daily wooden spoons to give out for this as well as daily fizz for those all-too-rare champagne moments.