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Noble Marine 2022 YY - LEADERBOARD

Noble Marine Allen RS100 Nationals at Royal Torbay Yacht Club - Day 1

by Jeremy Troughton 29 Sep 2023 11:28 BST 28 September - 1 October 2023

Luckily Storm Agnes had passed through by the time the RS100 fleet set sail for day 1 of the Noble Marine Allen RS100 National Championships, the penultimate fixture on the Rooster National Tour, but the wind was still blowing hard enough to make it exciting on the water.

The first race saw the fleet get away cleanly and Huw Powell lead at the windward mark, followed by David Smart, Andy Jones and Jeremy Troughton, who gybed early to clear his air, was headed in good pressure and then lifted, gybed back and was surprised (as the heaviest sailor in the fleet and not used to overtaking anyone downhill) to be in the lead at the bottom mark. Huw showed his dominance again upwind on the second beat overtaking Jeremy to lead into the second downwind leg, who again played his lucky card downwind leading at the bottom gate, with a nice tight rounding into the third beat - only to notice a shortened course flag flying on the committee boat, so bearing away and sailing down to the finish line to give Huw the win - not a great way to lose a race! The second group were also confused as to the course change with Andy Jones passing Nigel Wakefield and James Ross in the closing stages to snatch 3rd.

For the second race, the length of the upwind leg was reduced and Nigel showed the fleet a clean set of heels hitting every shift upwind and down, leading from start to finish. Huw and Jeremy had a close tussle throughout with Huw (again) coming out on top, with Netley's Bart Brigden showing good pace claiming 4th ahead of Stephen Jones.

The third and final race of the day was seeing some tired legs, and for the author, normal service being resumed with the breeze slightly easing, Huw showed his class once again winning, but following a battle with Matt Johnson from Weirwood - definitely one to watch for tomorrow after spinnaker pole issues counted him out of the first two races - outside of that it was the team from Netley completing the top 5 with James Ross 3rd, Nigel 4th and Bart 5th.

Overall a good day for Team Netley with the top 5 places all going to Netley sailors - but the comment overheard in the changing rooms from the Chew Valley team sort of implied that team Netley would self-destruct in the bar ahead of day 2 - time will tell!

Results after Day 1:

PosSail NoFleetHelmClubFidelis TrophyHelm Age GroupR1R2R3Pts
1st508GoldHuw PowellRed Wharf Bay/Netley SC Master1214
2nd145GoldNigel WakefieldNetley SC & Lymington Town SC  4149
3rd421GoldJeremy TroughtonNetley SC  231015
4th373GoldJames RossNetley SC  58316
5th268GoldBart BridgenNetley SC  94518
6th130GoldStephen JonesChew Valley Lake SCYesMaster75618
7th505GoldAndrew JonesChew Valley Lake SCYesMaster371121
8th379GoldMark HarrisonGurnard SCYesMaster69823
9th370GoldNils JolliffeNetley SC  811928
10th364SilverDuncan BarrNetley SC Master1312732
11th523GoldDavid SmartChew Valley Lake SCYesMaster10101333
12th509GoldClive EplettFrensham Pond SCYesMaster116RET38
13th300GoldLeighton KingNetley SC  15131240
14th259GoldIan GregoryFrensham Pond SCYes 12141440
15th239GoldMatt JohnsonWeirwood SC  RETDNC244
16th526GoldMostyn EvansMounts Bay SCYesMaster14161545
17th238GoldGavin ThompsonChew Valley Lake SC  17171650
18th222GoldMike BoswellRoyal Brighton YC Master1615DNS52
19th174GoldDaniel WebberChew Valley Lake SC YouthDNCDNCDNC63
19th183GoldDavid TarrKillaloe SC  RETDNCDNC63