Rope4Boats RS200 Inland Championship 2023 at Grafham Water Sailing Club

RS200 Rope4Boats Inlands at Grafham Water © Paul Sanwell / OPP

Ever since the RS200 became the boat of choice for the prestigious "champion of champions" Endeavour Trophy, the RS200 Inlands, held at Grafham WSC on the preceding weekend, has been the ideal warm-up regatta for the country's national champions to test themselves against the established fleet. As such, the depth and quality of competition is top tier, and the racing is close and intense.

With a Southerly breeze coming over the village of Perry, the conditions were challenging, with irregular 30 degrees shifts, gusts and holes to contend with on both days, meaning consistency was key - sail clean, pick which shifts to tack on and which to sail through, and avoid getting stuck in a hole.

RS200 Rope4Boats Inlands at Grafham Water - photo © Paul Sanwell / OPP

At the end of day one, nobody had strung a perfect series together; overnight leaders and winners of race one were brother-sister pairing JJ and Jess Hammett from HISC. Most consistent, but not yet hitting their stride with a 6,6,3 were Ben Whaley and Lorna Glen of Parkstone YC, while the veteran SB3 sailor (and 2005 RS200 National Champion) Craig Burlton sailing with daughter Hennie sat 3rd.

Being at the heavier end of the fleet, we were looking forward to the forecast of more wind on Sunday, but the promised 20kts never materialised and we had an even trickier day of marginal planing conditions, still with the same patchy and fickle wind direction. Huge gains and losses were made on every downwind, with the top mark being so close to the windward shore that picking a side was a lottery as the gusts were only visible from way down the course.

RS200 Rope4Boats Inlands at Grafham Water - photo © Paul Sanwell / OPP

An impatient fleet and a change in wind direction meant there were a number of black flags in race five, but going into the final race, the event was wide open. Leaders after five races, counting 1,1,2,8 were new pairing David Jessop and Richard Thomas, but with some quick mental arithmetic they knew that JJ and Jess (with 1,3,3,6) and Ben and Lorna (also counting 1,3,3,6) were only one point behind. So, the stage was set for a three-way scrap for the win.

David Jessop & Richard Thomas during the RS200 Rope4Boats Inlands at Grafham Water - photo © Paul Sanwell / OPP

A punchy start from the starboard end saw David and Richard take an early lead, and they rounded the top mark in 3rd with Ben and Lorna right on their transom. JJ and Jess were somewhere in the bunch behind, but with their lightning downwind pace and cunning overtook both boats and stormed ahead. David and Ben closed up on the next beat, but James extended down the penultimate run to take a 10-boat length lead over David who followed to the favoured right, and Ben who rolled the dice and went left.

RS200 Rope4Boats Inlands at Grafham Water - photo © Paul Sanwell / OPP

Slowly, slowly the gap reduced; every cross was a little closer, and approaching the final windward mark JJ led David by a small margin. With a big lull in the middle of the course, Ben had committed to the far left, and every shift swung the pendulum one way then the other. A last-gasp left shift at the top of the course allowed Ben to pop out just at the front of the bunch, with six tightly-packed boats following close behind including James and David.

Somewhere well ahead, Simon and Katie Horsfield became the 5th different winner in six races, but it was Ben and Lorna coming home in 3rd who clinched the event win, followed by JJ and Jess, and then David and Richard. The prize-giving highlighted just how consistent Ben and Lorna have been this year as they swept up all the series prizes, and a big congratulations to them on a well-deserved defence of their Inlands crown. We don't have the space in our house for the trophy anyway... maybe we will next year!

Ben Whaley & Lorna Glen with RO Chris Clarke during the RS200 Rope4Boats Inlands at Grafham Water prize giving - photo © Lynne Clarke

Thank you very much to Grafham Water Sailing Club for hosting a fabulous event, to Rope4Boats for being the generous event sponsor, and to Rooster for the RS200 Championship Tour.

Overall Results: