RS Games 2018 at the WPNSA: RS300 National Championship Overall

With past or present RS300 sailors having picked up three other national titles already this Summer the time had come to sort out the home championship. Would it be one of the old fleet hands or welcome newcomers or returnees from the International Moth, Laser, Phantom, Laser or Aero fleets who would come out on top?

The first day had started miserably with torrential rain and a decided chill, not at all in keeping with the Summer so far, before clearing up ahead of racing with sunshine and a decent 10-12 knot breeze in the main.

Day two was just bl**dy perfect with sunshine, warmth and 15-18 knots out in Weymouth Bay for three races in sensational waves, despite Race Officer Arky trying to kill us all by wiping us out against the RS100 fleet.

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RS300 Nationals day 2 at the RS Games - photo © Alex & David Irwin / www.sportography.tv

What would day three bring? With a decidedly dodgy forecast for the final day – wind, lots of it – the decision was made to try and run four races to get ahead of schedule. Rumours were spreading like wildfire that we'd be out in the Bay again in up to 25 knots. This would be a war of attrition. In the end we settled for Portland Harbour with the wind in the low 20s. So the scene was set – Steve Bolland, Dave Acres and Paul Watson (all in the top 4 last year) were in the box seats after the first two days but with half the regatta still to run everything was still up for grabs.

Watson was hoping for more wind and longer beats to bring his athletic frame in to play. So too Mark Cooper. Greg Bartlett was hoping the salt wouldn't mess up his luxurious head of hair. Acres has never had an athletic frame, nor much hair come to that, and was hoping experience would count for everything. What we were all hoping for was some close racing and we weren't to be disappointed.

RS300 Nationals day 2 at the RS Games - photo © Alex & David Irwin / www.sportography.tv

For the first race of the day Richard Le Mare, outgoing class chairman and boat whiffler extraordinaire, was putting his own athletic frame to good effect in the boisterous conditions to equal his best result of the regatta. However, it was Bolland, Watson and the wily Acres who took the podium positions.

Race seven and the wind was properly up now. Watson would have taken the race had he not binned it on the last run. Le Mare would have taken another 4th had be not binned it on the last run. Bolland and Acres, the dogs, took 1st and 2nd with Watson recovering to 3rd after giving himself a stern talking to.

RS300 Nationals day 1 at the RS Games - photo © Alex & David Irwin / www.sportography.tv

After two physical races we were all taking in energy bars, gels, bananas and drinks, unless you were one of the unlucky ones who lost the lot on the first capsize. We were all hoping for some respite but Arky was being far too efficient and turning us round far too quickly.

So, on to race eight. Paul "Go Left" Watson unbelievably went left for the eighth time in a row and was clearly revelling in the conditions. A few of us were hanging on waiting for a mistake and it was Bolland, that lucky so-and-so, who pounced on the last run to win narrowly from Watson, Acres and Le Mare. To be honest, anyone of these four could have taken any of the races so far today with places changing constantly upwind and down.

RS300 Nationals day 1 at the RS Games - photo © Alex & David Irwin / www.sportography.tv

So was that it for Bolland? He was clearly hanging and thought he'd done enough to sit out the final race. Le Mare was having none of it though and wouldn't reveal the minutiae of the SIs. Bolland stayed out, hoping Le Mare would bin it again.

As it was, Bolland tried to get the race over with before he got even more tired and actually led the fleet at the first mark for once. No need of kinetics downwind. What was all that about anyway? That's libellous that is. As the race progressed, Bolland, Acres and James Phare pulled ahead until Watson pulled a rabbit out the hat by hitting, you guessed it, hard left on the final beat to take another 2nd.

RS300 Nationals prize giving at the RS Games - photo © Alex & David Irwin / www.sportography.tv

And that, ladies and gentleman, was that. As the wind rose on the final day there was a distinct reluctance to go afloat from the old hands. Only newbie Nick Orman had got changed. He's clearly never sailed an RS300 in 30 knots or he'd have known better, unless that is standard attire for Phantom sailors. With a collective sigh of relief racing was binned for the day and Orman trudged back to the changing rooms.

RS300 National Championship Prize Winners:

• Team Trophy: Bowmoor SC (Paul Watson and Charlie Sansom)
• Endeavour Trophy: Mark Newton from Thorney Island SC
• McLube mid fleet prize (12th place): Jamie Freeman from Great Yarmouth and Gorleston YC
• Day one Clive Everest Cup: Steve Bolland from Bristol Corinthian YC
• Day two Southern Sailboats Salver: Steve Bolland from Bristol Corinthian YC
• Day three Speed Sails Trophy: Steve Bolland from Bristol Corinthian YC
• Fidelis Trophy: Harry McVicar from Draycote Water SC
• Wooden spoon: Nick Bolland and Matt Sargent
• Apprentice: Greg Bartett from Starcross YC
• 1st Youth: Lionel Boats Trophy: Greg Bartett from Starcross YC
• 1st Silver: Holt Cup: James Phare from Queen Mary SC
• Master: RMW Marine Cup: Steve Sallis from Hykeham SC
• 5th: Greg Bartett from Starcross YC
• 4th: Richard le Mare from Notts County SC
• 3rd: Dave Acres from Emsworth and Thorney Island SCs
• 2nd: Paul Watson from Bowmoor SC
• 1st RS300 National Champion: RS Challenge Trophy: Steve Bolland from Bristol Corinthian YC

Overall Results: