Volvo RS Feva Grand Prix at Whitstable Yacht Club

RS Fevas at Whistable YC © Nick Champion / www.championmarinephotography.co.uk

RS Fevas at Whistable YC © Nick Champion / www.championmarinephotography.co.uk

The fourth and final RS Feva Grand Prix at Whitstable Yacht Club on 8th and 9th July started with excellent conditions.

Saturday morning brought light yet sailable wind and non-stop sunshine making the day lovely for both on land and shore. On the water, the first race was a light one with large shifts and patchy wind providing an tactical race for all sailors. Tom Storey and Ollie Kent Yorkshire Dales SC won this followed by Alice Davis and Alastair Brown Great Moor SC and Sophie Johnson and Becky Caiger Blackwater SC and Sevenoaks School. The second race provided more wind with close racing and a difficult start line. Will Caiger and Caitlin Morley Sevenoaks School and Burnham SC took the race win, Tom and Ollie 2nd and Sophie and Becky in 3rd. The final race of Saturday had much the same conditions with wind still building causing a tight finish with Tom and Ollie just beating Sophie Johnson and Becky Caiger.

Saturday evening gave us a beautiful sunset and a warm marquee for sailors to checkout their sun tan, (or burn in many cases!). Whitstable town's restaurants and shops provided much entertainment for the sailors that evening.

Sunday morning didn't seem hopeful with patchy wind and strong tide, however gradually the wind filled in to a nice North-Easterly covering the course. As race 4 started the wind dropped off completely, swung round 180 degrees and picked up again meaning the race officers attempt at race 4 had to be abandoned. Once the wind had filled in on the opposite direction the race team quickly re-laid a course, race 4 was on the way again. Large shifts and on and off wind meant hard but interesting sailing eventually ending with Tom and Ollie taking first,William Caiger and Caitling Morley in 2nd and Ethan Gerrell and Tom Barnes from Queen Mary SC and Royla Torbay SC in 3rd.

RS Fevas at Whistable YC - photo © Nick Champion / www.championmarinephotography.co.uk

The final race provided us with much the same. As before Tom and Ollie took the first with Will and Caitlin in second. This meant, once all boats were ashore and the bananas donated to the sailors were kindly distributed, Tom and Ollie took first in both the overall Grand Prix series and the Whitstable event with Will and Caitlin second in the event and Sophie and Becky in third.

RS Fevas at Whistable YC - photo © Nick Champion / www.championmarinephotography.co.uk

The UK RS Feva Class Association would like to thank Whitstable YC for a super weekend, the club and surroundings allowed all those who made the journey to have a super time, the event management was top class and the members of the club made all competitors and their families feel very welcome.

Next for the RS Feva class, the BIG one the RS Feva WORLD Championships in Medemblik – Netherlands!

Overall Results: