RS Feva Rooster Grand Prix 1 at Itchenor Sailing Club

Megal winners in Rooster Grand Prix 1 at Itchenor © Chrissie Le Petit

We arrived on Saturday morning, it was hot and sunny 29 degrees. The club is right on the edge of Chichester Harbour and the dinghy park is decking which goes out over the mud banks. You have to be very careful not to drop any split rings or shackle pins! There was a steady 6-10 knots of wind, and 30+ boats rigging up in the boat park.

The race area on Saturday was in the channel a short distance from the club, just before the Bosham channel. It was narrow and very tidal.

Races 1 and 2 had shifty conditions and favoured those staying in the channel upwind and playing the shifts. Big gains were made downwind by staying out of the channel and gybing down the shore. Ed Stubbs and Noah Kenny mastered this technique by soaking down the margins and gybing when the bottom got too close.

Race 1 was won by Ed and Noah from Lyme Regis Sailing Club, followed by Ollie Atkin and Adam Craig from Cardiff Bay SC / Burghfield SC and Zoe Lomas-Clarke & Mark Soars from Frensham Pond Sailing Club in 3rd. Pippa Paley and Noah Helm from Starcross SC / Lyme Regis SC had their best race of the weekend finishing in 5th.

Race 2 again won by Ed & Noah with Felix Howe and Laslo Drummond in 2nd and Ollie Atkin & Adam Craig in 3rd For races 3 and 4 the tide had swung 180 degrees and was now heading out. The windward mark was positioned precariously close to a sand bank and Ed & Noah ran aground and 5 or 6 boats sailed into a hole at the windward mark.

They were still there when the leaders came around again and lapped them.

Race 3 was won by Ollie & Adam with Zoe & Mark in 2nd and Ed & Noah in 3rd.

Race 4 was more of the same, it was a very short race and was won by William Stratton-Brown & Will Ahlheid of Frensham Pond SC, with Ollie & Adam in 2nd and Zoe & Mark in 3rd.

At the end of the first day the racing was led by Ed and Noah, with Ollie and Adam in 2nd and Zoe & Mark in 3rd.

On the Saturday evening there was Thai Curry in the club and disco, the food was excellent and great fun was had by all.

Sunday dawned a very different day, it was overcast and a little bit cooler. The forecast of strong winds and possible thunderstorms at lunchtime threatened to cut the racing short. The race area today was a lot further down the channel due to the direction of the wind.

Race 5 started in around 17-18 knots and built as the race went on. Ed & Noah had a 200m lead at the top of the first beat, but not gybing off soon enough on the run meant they underlaid the gate a bit and got blown over trying to make up height to the lay line. The wind picked up to 22-23 knots and there were capsizes left right and centre.

Ollie & Adam capsized and had spinnaker issues which left them out of the race. About 30 minutes in the heavens opened and lighting moved in from the channel. The wind picked up and visibility drew in. The race was won by Ed & Noah with William and Will in 2nd and Jack Hodgkins and Isabella Barnes in 3rd.

Overall the event was won by Ed & Noah, with Ollie and Adam in 2nd and William & Will just pipping Zoe & Mark to 3rd place.

Heavy rain ensued for the next 2 hours whilst most packed their boats away still in their wetsuits. The club grounds were flooded, as was most of the surrounding area. But that didn't put a damper on the weekend.

Thanks go to Itchenor Club for their support in hosting the event. Thank you for your continued support Rooster, our series sponsor, and to all the sailors and parents!

Overall Results: