RS400 Inland Championship at Grafham Water Sailing Club

RS400 Inland Championship at Grafham © Tim Olin / www.olinphoto.co.uk

RS400 Inland Championship at Grafham © Tim Olin / www.olinphoto.co.uk

RS400 Inland Championship at Grafham © Tim Olin / www.olinphoto.co.uk

The cool temperatures and heavy rain may have deterred a late rush of entries for the RS400 Inland Championships, part of the RS400 Championship circuit sponsored by Rooster Sailing, but the 30 entries who made it to Grafham Water Sailing Club had a weekend to remember. If you had warm snuggly (is that a word?) winter sailing gear, Saturday was a memorable sail in a decent F4/5 gusting plenty breeze.

For those that were digging deep into the corners of their sailing bag for extra ways to bulk out their summer togs, it may have been a slightly less enjoyable experience and a visit to the tour sponsor would be recommended.

The fleet launched for three races on Saturday on the outer loop of a shared course with the RS800s. Each race was started under a 'U Flag, which may have caught the odd boat out over weekend, but it got all the races away first time, which was welcomed in the conditions.

Michael Sims, returning to the fleet for the third time, with new crew Jack Holden from Carsington SC, were soon in control of the first race, and took the win ahead of Barrie Thornton and Nick Hunt from Scaling Dam. Sean Clearly and Annalise Nixon from Oxford SC were third.

The conditions remained constant for the second race, and as with the first race, the boats that explored the edges of the beat rather than the middle were favoured. This time Thornton and Hunt had the better of Sims and Holden, with Jon Willars and Richard Bramfield from Welton SC finishing third.

Sims and Holden were back in front for the third race, taking the win ahead of Cleary and Nixon, with Thornton and Hunt taking third.

The fleet headed in for warm showers with Sims/Holden and Thornton/Hunt showing great consistency in the conditions. Most other crews were carrying a heavy score from some mishap or other and hoping a new day would provide the opportunity to discard a day one score.

In the evening the fleet did what the fleet does best over a good meal a few beers with good company, and for those who wound up in the local pub fun and games with an ironing board, cardboard box and ice cubes. Thanks to Richard Ashwell who sacrificed his dear Grandma's ironing board in the name of sport, and special mention must go to Ross Southwell representing the British Army who can crawl in and around places no-one has been before. More about all that can be found on various social media feeds. Fortunately, everyone made it out alive, and mostly unharmed.

Sunday morning arrived with sunshine, light winds and several sore heads. The fleet headed out for the 10:30 start, with a few more pairs of sunglasses than you'd expect, to be greeted with a 15 minute postponement for the light winds to settle into a steady breeze.

Richard Catchpole and Gary Coop from Leigh and Lowton had studied the forecast and nailed the pin end and headed left to benefit from the backing breeze. Thornton and Hunt followed suit and headed left. Both had to hold their nerve whilst the wind veered temporarily and their strategy looked doomed, but it soon returned to allow them to lead around the windward mark. In the dying breeze Catchpole/Coop took the win ahead of Thornton/Hunt and Sims/Holden.

The fleet were sent ashore in the dying breeze, before racing for the day was abandoned. After the four races Sims and Holden were crowned Inland Champions, ahead of Thornton/Hunt and Catchpole Coop. Hamish and Rachel Gledhill from West Riding Sailing club had pulled through to take a 4th in the last race which was enough for them to squeak into fourth overall ahead of Cleary and Nixon in fifth.

At the prizegiving Michael Sims thanked Grafham Water Sailing Club for a great event.

RS400 Inland Championship at Grafham - photo © Tim Olin / www.olinphoto.co.uk

Overall Results:

RS400 Inland Championship at Grafham - photo © Tim Olin / www.olinphoto.co.uk