RS700 European and Noble Marine UK National Championships at the WPNSA - Days 1 & 2
by Matt Carter & Pete Purkiss 30 Jul 2022 15:21 BST
RS700 Noble Marine National Championship at WPNSA - Day 1 © Phil Jackson / Digital Sailing
Day One
31 RS700s arrived at the Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy for the European Championships and Noble Marine UK National Championships. This included five Czech sailors who made the 18 hour trip.
We sailed out through the harbour into Weymouth Bay. Race one started cleanly and on time in 16 knots with big rolling swell making conditions challenging from the off. Rob Higgins and Theo Gayler led off the line chased closely by Matt Conner. Theo headed left while Rob went right splitting the fleet.
Rob made it to the windward mark first, followed by Matt Carter who was chased by Theo who ran into some weed slowing him down and Matt Conner round in fourth. Matt Carter chased Rob hard downwind and up the next beat to round first only to fall out the back of the boat on the bear away! That allowed Rob to round and Theo through.
Theo then chased Rob hard to the finish but didn't quite catch him. Rob crossed first with Theo second. Matt Carter recovered to third with Matt Conner fourth.
The wind moderated slightly to 14 knots for race two. Theo led up the first beat followed by Rob but Theo's spinney sheets got caught up. Rob charged to the leeward mark first with Theo second, and Matt Carter rounding next with Pete Purkiss hard on his heals. Ben Copper followed but rolled in downwind.
The places didn't change upwind and Rob led to the line, unfortunately missing the gate allowing Theo and Matt through to take first and second. Rob turned around in time to take third from Pete.
Day Two
Day two arrived with a light South Easterly breeze in the harbour but less wind in the bay. The race officer kept the fleet ashore until a South Westerly sea breeze filled in in the afternoon. In light marginal trapezing weather the first race got away in the harbour. Rob Higgins lead the fleet up the left hand side to round the windward mark ahead of Pete Purkiss and the pack.
The second beat saw Rob going left and getting the wrong side of a shift while Adam Phlon showed great speed on the right hand side to round the windward mark in first which he held to the finish. Pete held onto second and Matt Carter came through to third with Rob in fourth.
There was no variation in conditions for the second race but the RS700 fleet was treated to the outer loop course for the first time which introduced tight spinnaker reaching legs which mixed things up a bit. Michal Kotek showed great speed and following some place changing with Pete Purkiss came out on top with Pete second and James Clark in third.
The racing was close and Theo Galyer pulled through to fourth place enabling him to maintain the overall lead in the championship.
With wins for Adam Phlon and Michal Kotek the CZE team had a fantastic day.
Full results available here