RS400 Rooster Northern Championship and Trident UK Northern Tour at Carsington Sailing Club

RS400 Rooster Northern Championship and Trident UK Northern Tour at Carsington © Helen Penty

Carsington SC hosted the Rooster RS400 Northern Championships, which also combined as the second event in the Trident UK Northern Tour. A fleet of fifteen boats that included twelve visitors assembled and rigged in the sunshine, knowing the forecast was for something less glamorous.

Four races were scheduled for Saturday afternoon, with a strict cut-off time of 5pm to allow plenty of time for evening entertainment.

RS400 Rooster Northern Championship and Trident UK Northern Tour at Carsington - photo © Helen Penty

Martin Penty and Dave Borrett from Beaver Sailing Club showed impressive consistency in an afternoon of shifty winds, rain showers, lulls and gusts to record three bullets. Only Jon Gorringe and Derek Hill from Parkstone Yacht Club came close to Martin and Dave's consistency, recording a 2 and 3. No other team managed two results in the top three.

The shifting conditions were challenging for the OOD, having to re-lay the course several times to accommodate the 90-degree changes in wind direction. The rain showers and dying wind resulted in many teams shivering like Scooby Doo and Shaggy in a sticky predicament, before the Race Officer returned the fleet ashore long before the cut-off time, boosting the sale of hot drinks and cakes whilst everyone tried to warm up.

After a large pie and mash supper, the sailors entered competitive mode again as they split into teams to battle it out to be named quiz champions for John Cunningham's now legendary Saturday night quiz. At half time, the draw for the Trident UK vouchers was made with Caroline Exley winning the £25 voucher, Gerard Barron winning a £20 voucher and Louise McKeand winning £15.

RS400 Rooster Northern Championship and Trident UK Northern Tour at Carsington - photo © Helen Penty

On Sunday morning the sun was out again, and with more wind than the previous day, there was hope of burning off the portions of pie and mash. Whilst Martin and Derek had a dominant lead, all was to play for. Again, the wind shifted more than 90 degrees at several times during the day, resulting in the course being changed to different corners of the lake at several times.

This time there were different winners, with Hamish Gledhill and Ross Southwell (West Riding SC), winning the first, and Dave Exley with Harry Fox (Leigh and Lowton SC) sailing together for the first time and now finding form, winning the second and third.

In the first race, Martin and Dave managed to disentangle themselves from the pack by going left up the penultimate beat, when most others went right, to finish third, and now had one hand firmly on the Northern Championships. Alastair Rimmer and Ollie Brown (Bassenthwaite SC) were the most consistent performers of the day with the best overall scores with a 2,2,3.

RS400 Rooster Northern Championship and Trident UK Northern Tour at Carsington - photo © Helen Penty

Before what was to be the last race of the day, a squall battered the fleet for 2 minutes before vanishing without a trace. Whilst Hamish and Ross were OCS, John Cunningham and Nicky Cokayne, who recovered from an earlier chilly dip (not the one to be eaten with tortilla chips), hit the committee boat end of the line at speed and pulled out a huge lead on the rest of the fleet who were becalmed on the line.

Not believing the size of their lead and seeing the rest of the fleet still on the start line, John and Nicky sailed back to the fleet, assuming they had started a minute early.

Martin and Dave's sixth place was enough to secure the overall win, with Dave and Harry's two wins taking them to second place ahead of Hamish and Ross in third.

Martin Penty and Dave Borrett, overall winners - RS400 Rooster Northern Championship and Trident UK Northern Tour at Carsington - photo © Helen Penty

At the prize-giving, prizes were distributed from both event sponsors, Rooster and Trident UK, with the Rooster endeavour prize being awarded to Nicky Cockayne, for having to endure a cold swim and having to endure her helm giving up a 200m lead to sail back to the becalmed fleet.

Martin Penty thanked Carsington for a well-organised and enjoyable event.

Prizes:

Rooster Overall Winner - Martin Penty and Dave Borrett
Rooster Endeavour Prize - Nicky Cockaye
Trident Hats - Martin Penty, Dave Borrett, Dave Exley, Harry Fox, Hamish Gledhill and Ross Southwell
Trident UK Vouchers - Caroline Exley, Gerard Barron and Louise McKeand

RS400 Rooster Northern Championship and Trident UK Northern Tour at Carsington - photo © Helen Penty

Overall Results:

Harry Fox - RS400 Rooster Northern Championship and Trident UK Northern Tour at Carsington - photo © Helen Penty