Noble Marine Allen RS100 Nationals at Brixham Yacht Club - Day 1

Noble Marine RS100 National Championships at Brixham day 1 © Gareth Fudge / www.boatographic.co.uk

Inevitably, there's lots of adjectives for first day of a champs. Square or cube that when sailing, travel and events have been restricted by you-know-what. And there's been no wind since forever, at least when it was of any use anyways.

But Brixham delivered; the fog cleared, we planed towards Paignton and Cunard's mothballed Queen Victoria to race in a shifty, gusty F3-F4 SW, blowing off the shore (which always disorientates this sailor at least, surely a SW should come from the open sea?).

So which adjective to start with. Perhaps 'rusty' (no not my dad, for those in the know) but to describe Andy Jones who started the day with an eleventh then remembered what to do and rampaged two bullets in the following two races to sit third overall. Perhaps the same 'rusty' adjective, plus words of [expletive deleted] astonishment apply to twice-champion Brett Aarons who, after a typically assured race one win, capsized twice in race 2. Wha?

Then there's Huw Powell. Assured? Consistent? Poised? Well he's certainly king-of the hill, with a 3-2-2 and more of his favourite lashings of breeze coming tomorrow. But he may rue runs in races 1 and 3 where he found lulls on the right, particularly letting Andy past for the bullet in race 3.

Huw's 5 points clear of dark-horse James Ross who's leading the Netley Massive's (most welcome) invasion, second overall with a 6-3-3.

Next is 'ungrateful' 'fast learner' Nigel Wakefield who a couple of weeks ago was asking your correspondent for advice, then seemed to spend today being that nemesis that makes you wonder if this is personal. Nah, it's just blinkin' fun racing. But pipping me at the last in race 3 for fifth having earlier fallen in on a gybe shows he's trying.

Noble Marine RS100 National Championships at Brixham day 1 - photo © Gareth Fudge / www.boatographic.co.uk

A slight digression. A few champs ago, and more recently in his POSH report and his 'runners and riders' for this event, my fellow RS100 journalist Mr Wobbly-Blue-Stripe Smart pigeon-holed this correspondent as a pond sailing, light-weather ne'er do well. Perhaps that'll be tomorrow David. Probably, but the pond sailor is currently fifth overall regardless.

Special mentions also go to:

• Steve Jones for his obstructive, blocking manoeuvre windward-capsize right at the windward mark.
• Jeremy Troughton for his failed lassoing of the spreader mark with his kite sheet, hence narrowly dodging a spectacular debacle.
• Mark Harrison for breaking a shroud halfway through race 2, asking me if I had a spare, sailing in, fitting it. Then whinging we did not orchestrate a General Recall, meaning he was 3 minutes late for the next start. Darn good effort, but all just to gain one place over a DNC.
• Dedicated, taking-it-too-seriously-whilst-actually-taking-the-mickey John Elms, (unluckily) buddied with David Smart, for interrogating Screwfix et al as to whether they had wobbly blue tape. Understandable, they all denied such a product was even on their systems, or even a thing.
• Captain Calamity Mostyn Evans, for failing to bring the wrong sails and managing to rig his boat faultlessly, despite not having Pippa there to supervise.
• The Netley team for finally breaking out of Southampton's borders and coming out to play. They're having a campsite BBQ tonight (think in terms of the chaos when the Death-eaters ransacked the Quidditch world cup site). Hopefully, this will slow some of them down for windy day 2.
• And finally, but foremost, superstar Brixham YC's Commodore and support team for spending the day in the oggin, launching and later catching the 600, 300 and 100 fleets. Thank you.

More photos: gdjfudge.zenfolio.com/p210146455
Event website: www.rs100.org/championships/index.asp?eid=2087

Results after day 1: