Please select your home edition
Edition
Rooster Women's Wetsuit Range

RS200 Spring Championship and Rooster National Tour Round 1 at Queen Mary Sailing Club

by Andrew Wishart 20 Mar 13:08 GMT 16-17 March 2024

In a word, shifty. The RS200 Spring Championships at Queen Mary SC were much more a mental challenge than a physical one, with pressure differences and huge shifts deciding the leaders.

In the RS200s the pink boat of Mark Thomas and Alex Ling got off to a flying start, finding an advantage buried deep in the right-hand corner of the first beat to lead by some distance at the first mark. They would never relinquish that lead, although Owen Bowerman and Annabelle Orme did reel them back in somewhat. It was striking how spread out the fleet were in the first race, as the early season rust was shaken off and getting the shifts wrong led to big losses.

In race two the fleet was a lot more closely packed, with Paris Thomas and Marta Uncio Ribera upgrading their third place in race one to a bullet. Matt Venables and Bethan Matthew also came to the fore taking second, despite Venables reportedly being hampered by back pain at the tender age of 28.

In race three it was your correspondent's turn to lead. At the first windward crew and I were cursing the race officer for adding an extra lap to the last race of the day, but to our surprise and delight we managed to extend away. Admittedly that was at least in part due to Owen and Annabelle turning their attention to defence with Matt/Beth and Paris/Marta snapping at their heels.

Overnight it was tight at the top. Paris and Marta edged it on 8 points, but a gaggle of three crews were all tied for second on 9 points. After refuelling in the clubhouse, much of the fleet decamped to the local pub to follow the rugby, catch up on off season developments, and plan for this year's pilgrimage to Mounts Bay.

The promise of more wind on Sunday didn't really materialise, with 7-12 knots greeting the sailors. But those that spent a bit longer than yours truly looking at the forecast realised the defining feature of the day would be the breeze unsteadily but surely tracking right. In the day's opener Mark/Alex, the right-hand corner connoisseurs, were again at the front. This time Owen/Annabelle did reel them in. But by engaging them in the run in to the finish, they allowed a late charge from Nina and me to sneak past the pair of them at the final leeward mark.

I can't really tell you what happened in the next race, but Paris and Marta got back to winning ways while some of us committed repeated acts of self-harm by going left upwind. A mention too for Victoria Hinkovska and Nik Wolfe, who are fairly new to the boat, posting an excellent second place.

Going into the decider Paris and Marta led by a solitary point from Owen and Annabelle. Owen finally upgraded to victory following a remarkably consistent set of results on a tricky weekend. But guess who was behind them - Paris and Marta again proving they had the measure of the conditions and some excellent speed to take second and the regatta by virtue of having two race wins to Owen and Annabelle's one.

Thanks to RO Paul Stainsby and team for setting a great course in testing conditions, Queen Mary SC for hosting, and our EaSEA tour sponsors Sailing Chandlery for the prizes. Thank you also to our RS200 National Championship Tour sponsor Rooster.

Next up is the Waldringfield Easter Egg on 29-30th March. Enter online at waldringfieldsc.com/news

and then Itchenor SC on Saturday 20th April for coaching from Ben Whaley and an open meeting on Sunday 21st April. Entry will be available shortly at www.itchenorsc.co.uk/booking/type/open-events.

Overall Results:

PosSail NoHelmCrewClubR1R2R3R4R5R6Pts
1st439Paris ThomasMarta Uncio RiberaQueen Mary SC31‑441211
2nd1667Owen BowermanAnnabelle OrmeHayling Island SC2‑5233111
3rd1295Andrew WishartcrewQueen Mary SC5311‑8616
4th297Mark ThomasAlex LingHayling Island SC16‑727420
5th1358Charles WhitakerLucy GatesQueen Mary SC‑104586326
6th1007Victoria HinkovskaNiklas WolfeQueen Mary SC‑98652829
7th740Ben HardenLucy ElleryBurnham SC7‑9875532
8th1452Alistair HodgsonElla SpainDraycote Water SC‑1310964736
9th1604Matt VenablesBethan MatthewSutton/QMSC/RTYC423(DNC)DNCDNC43
10th463Edward JonesRuth LawQueen Mary SC61110911(DNC)47
11th770Douglas StruthMarion HeronQueen Mary SC87‑1311101147
12th849Charlie MuldoonAmy Hinsliff‑SmithBartley SC11‑13111091051
13th909James HobsonO D KieranWarsash/ Looe SCs‑1212121212957
14th288Stephen LemmonAlan PoveyLittleton SC‑14141413131266
15th1478Ben TeagueLibby AskewAbersoch SC(DNC)DNCDNCDNCDNCDNC85
15th1507Finley SouthonPatrick SouthonBough Beech SC(DNC)DNCDNCDNCDNCDNC85

Related Articles

RS200 South West 'Ugly' Tour 2024 overall
Another fab season for the tour The West Country Boat Repairs RS200 south west 'Ugly' Tour has come to a conclusion for another year, and what a year it has been! Posted on 1 Nov
Sailing Chandlery RS200 EaSEA Tour 2024 Overall
Congratulations to Paris Thomas and Marta Uncio! Congratulations to our 2024 Sailing Chandlery EaSEA Champions Paris Thomas and Marta Uncio! The second year of the East and South East Area Tour was another great success, a full year of racing with close competition and a great turnout of boats. Posted on 22 Oct
Stewart Brewing RS200 Scottish Tour 2024 Overall
Congratulations to Brendan Lynch and Ellen Clark / Anna Sturrock Congratulations to Brendan Lynch and Ellen Clark / Anna Sturrock, winners of the Stewart Brewing Scottish Tour 2024! Posted on 22 Oct
Sandy Shell 2024 at Hayling Island
Described as the unofficial RS200 Sprint Racing Worlds Described as the unofficial RS200 Sprint Racing World Championship, the Sandy Shell is hosted annually by HISC. Originally a battle between boats from Hayling Island & Itchenor Sailing Clubs, the trophy is presented to the top team from either club. Posted on 21 Oct
SW Ugly Tour at Chew Valley Lake
A surprisingly warm October Saturday, just squeezing in ahead of the arrival of Storm Ashley Chew Valley Lake SC played host to the final event in the 2024 RS200 South West Ugly Tour (kindly sponsored by West Country Boat Repairs) on a surprisingly warm October Saturday, just squeezing in ahead of the arrival of Storm Ashley. Posted on 21 Oct
2000 sailors win 2024 Endeavour Trophy
Oliver Groves & Esther Parkhurst claim dinghy champion of champions title Oliver Groves (27) and Esther Parkhurst (25) representing the 2000 class have won the Endeavour Trophy after a close final day battle that went right down to the wire writes Sue Pelling. Posted on 13 Oct
63rd Endeavour Trophy Day 1
2000 sailors take overnight Endeavour lead With a clean sweep of podium positions (1,2,2,3) Oliver Groves (27) and Esther Parkhurst (25) representing the 2000 class are the overnight leaders of the 63rd Endeavour champions of champions event. Posted on 13 Oct
63rd Endeavour Trophy Training Session
Dinghy champion of champions event under way at Burnham-on-Crouch Crisp, spring-like conditions and a light breeze greeted the 30-strong fleet of dinghy champions this morning for the 63rd Endeavour Trophy dinghy champion of champions invitational event writes Sue Pelling. Posted on 11 Oct
RS200 Inland Championship at Grafham
Gains could be made on those final runs if confidence was there Once again we made the trip to Grafham Water for our Inlands (part of the Rooster Championship Tour) with a promising forecast for the weekend. Posted on 8 Oct
Netley SC RS200 Club Championship
Thirteen teams taking to the start line Whilst the RS200 Inlands were taking place at Grafham Water Sailing Club (and being won by a Netley SC member), Netley Sailing Club hosted its club RS200 championship with thirteen teams taking to the start line. Posted on 7 Oct