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Noble Marine 2022 YY - LEADERBOARD

Noble Marine RS800 National Championship at Brightlingsea Sailing Club - Day 2

by John Mather 9 Sep 11:51 BST 7-10 September 2023
Kites up on day 2 of the Noble Marine RS800 Nationals at Brighlingsea © William Stacey

Day two of the RS800 nationals dawned with blue skies and a warm sun, much to the chagrin of the camping sailors whose tents morphed into saunas for the second morning in a row.

What was lacking however was wind with the sailing area resembling a mill pond through the haze so the PRO sensibly set a two hour AP allowing for the sailors to rest their weary legs after the prior day's squatting conditions. It did free up some time however for the daily prize-giving, handing out bibs for the top three and accolades for "speediest sailor / dodgiest GPS" from the prior day - and of course our mid-fleet heroes.

With the sun disappearing behind welcome clouds, some sailors turned their concern over yesterday's sunburn to whether the wind would build sufficiently - however as if knowing the gravity of the event, it started to build slowly from the South East and the fleets were dispatched promptly into the incoming tide.

It was the RS800s turn for the joyous outer loop, meaning any tactics gleaned from the prior day would have to be revisited. A three lapper was optimistically announced by the PRO and a fickle 6/7 knots rolled down the course, the windward mark barely in sight in the haze. It turns out that the "curse of the bibs" lives true - with Leo Wilkinson and Guy Fillmore involved in a start line altercation requiring spins, subsequently rounding the top mark towards the back of the fleet, only just behind Monique Vennis-Ozanne and John Mather who had struggled to find any pace in the lighter conditions. Luke and Emma McEwen however found some absolute rocket speed and led from start to finish. Other bib contenders emerged finding their pace, Joe Bradley and Hugh Shone posting a solid second, and Mathias Berthet and James Hall starting to crank up the pace - and also realising that it's preferable to have the daggerboard inside the slot, not under, whilst racing. As the fickle breeze whimpered on we were finished after two laps, and the standings blown open.

A similar setting for race two: a clean start for all and some of the closest racing of the regatta so far - with boat after boat rounding inches from one another. Thus started one of the greatest soak offs seen in fleet history with some boats on the verge of gybing and crews well and truly on the leeward, a fleet split at the leeward gate ensued much excitement, until a huge left shift ensured all those rounding the left-hand gate had a large advantage. Luke and Emma had not to worry as they were already so far ahead, Ben Palmer and Dicken Maclean spotting the shift well to post a second and best result of the event so far and Mathias and James in third.

No respite for the fleet with the AGM starting after racing followed by games and a pirate party, everyone is having a great time.

Results after Day 2:

PosSail NoHelmCrewClubR1R2R3R4R5Pts
1st1220Luke McEwenEmma McEwenRoyal Lymington YC‑422116
2nd1207Monique Vennis‑OzanneJohn MatherHill Head SC & HISC211‑1048
3rd1Joe BradleyHugh ShoneSwanage SC3542‑1214
4th1140Mathias BerthetJames HallRoyal Norwegian YC & HISC‑12435315
5th1144Leo WilkinsonGuy FillmoreMaidenhead SC & HISC165‑15517
6th1008Ben PalmerDicken MacleanHISC58‑103218
7th1188Fin ArmstrongEwan GribbinPaignton SC‑13378624
8th1204Martin OrtonIan BrooksChichester YC6‑1264925
9th1222Paul JenkinsPeter JenkinsEastbourne Sovereign SC99‑146832
10th1200Eddie BridleTom KyneBrightlingsea SC10789‑1134
11th1139David ConlonEd GibbonsBrightlingsea SC710‑12111038
12th907Tom WalkerAlice MastermanWitterings & HISC(OCS)DNC97746
13th1176Guy RivingtonAndrew WhapshottRS Sailing /Stokes Bay‑181111131550
14th820Bryan OrmondAnna OrmondQMSC(OCS)1313121351
15th1166Ralph SingletonNuala SellwoodRestronguet SC8‑1616141452
16th1043Blake TudorBrett TudorBrightlingsea SC111515‑161657
17th1241Stephen BrownPhilip BairstowUllswater YC1514‑18181865
18th1121Ben CleggAbi CleggBrightlingsea SC141717(DNC)DNC71
19th862Toby FreelandAlejandra GutierrezQMSC16(DNC)19191771
20th1054James LewisEd MooreDabchicks SC17(DNC)DNC171976
21st1156Huw WhitworthHarry WilsonDatchet Water SC(DNC)DNCDNCDNCDNC92
21st1203Tim GrattonArthur HendersonRoyal Thames YC(DNC)DNCDNCDNCDNC92

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