RS Vareo Open at Llandegfedd Sailing Club

Llandegfedd RS Vareo Open winners (l-r) 2nd place Kevin Weatherhead from South Cerney SC, 3rd place Chris Smith form Llandegfedd SC, 1st place Luke Fisher from Emberton Park © Llandegfedd SC

After having bank to bank white horses at Tata Steel, South Cerney, and Milton Keynes it was very welcome to have a weather forecast that made this event sound quite reasonable.

Saturday started off in good spirits with nine RS100s and seven RS Vareos which was a bit disappointing given last year's turnout and the excellent weather.

Saturday's wind decided to have fun with the race officer and we had the course laid three times for the three races. The first race appeared to be quite straight forward with the RS Vareos separating out as per the expected order.

The second race was saw more odd wind effects, as everybody went for a port end start, and Kevin went for a port flyer; a last minute wind shift sent everybody off on port with Kevin a poor last. Kevin decided to tack away on starboard and found an amazing lift, after which the port tack gave Kevin a several hundred yard lead at the first mark (luck rather than skill maybe but all part of the day's fun). The rest of the race got more bizarre as half way down the second run the spinnakers got dropped in favour of a tack. Finally the wind returned to normal with the back markers hurtling downwind with spinnakers flying and the front runners stopped dead in their tracks. Kevin finally lost his lead on the finishing line with a schoolboy error to Dan, but as luck would have it Dan had missed a gate and was marked DSQ.

Those white horses then appeared - not on the forecast but we have had had everything. Race three was a real physical trial - separating everybody by physical stature more than anything else.

Just to be different Sunday arrived with a dead calm and not much prospect of filling in so sadly the racing was abandoned and we all packed up early. Thankfully the Saturday results were enough to give us a prize giving, and an early drive home.

Luke Fisher had been most consistent with three seconds - taking home the first prize. Kevin had a single first thanks to Dan's DSQ so took second. Chris Smith from Llandegfedd took third.

Thanks to all at Llandegfedd SC for running this event.

Overall Results: