RS400 Southern Championship at Warsash Sailing Club

RS400 Southern Championship at Warsash © David Swift

Warsash Sailing Club welcomed the RS400 fleet to the Hamble for this year's Southern Championship, and if ever a weekend captured the full range of what RS400 sailing is about — from shore-based camaraderie to testing on-the-water racing — this was it.

Saturday: When the Wind Wins

With a forecast that left no room for doubt, the race team made the wise call to cancel Saturday's racing in advance rather than send the fleet out into conditions that would have been a step too far even for this famously robust fleet. The decision freed up the day for what the RS400 class arguably does better than anyone: enjoying itself ashore.

Club games, a hiking bench challenge, a BBQ, and a live saxophone player providing the soundtrack to the evening ensured that no one went home wishing they'd stayed at home.

Shoreside during the RS200 EaSea Tour, RS400 Southerns & RS600 Rooster National Series at Warsash - photo © Mark Turner

Sunday: Four Races, Plenty of Breeze

Sunday still delivered a healthy dose of wind, but the race team rose to the occasion and sent the fleet out for four well-run races in close to champagne conditions: a south-westerly 15-20 knot breeze and a short sharp chop. With 33 boats on the startline, the competition throughout the fleet was fierce from gun to finish.

RS400 Southern Championship at Warsash - photo © David Swift

Credit to the fleet for keeping things clean off the line — the race officer's warning at the briefing was clearly taken seriously, and the starts were notably well-behaved throughout the day perhaps helped by a tide pushing the fleet off the line for much of the day. Once the boats were racing, however, it was a different story: the downwind legs were fast, furious, and unforgiving, with the breeze sending boats hunting for big gains at the cost of the odd spectacular capsize. All part of the fun.

At the sharp end, it was Sam Knight and Chris Bownes from Lyme Regis Sailing Club who produced the performance of the weekend. Three race victories allowed them to head for shore a race early to give Bownes' back a well-earned rest. A thoroughly deserved Southern Championship title for the heavy wind specialists.

Second place went to Tom Halhead and Paul Hilliar from Llandegfedd Sailing Club (5 points nett), who were the class of the fleet in Races 1, 2 and 4 with two wins and a first to count. Their championship, however, will be remembered as much for cruel misfortune as for brilliance: in Race 3, running well inside the top three, Halhead cut the corner of the windward mark a bit too fine, catching the anchor chain on his rudder and snapping the rudder downhaul. This caused the rudder to immediately fly up; the following pack did well to avoid a pile-up as Halhead tried to regain control of a rudder-less boat.

Christopher and Rachel Eames from Chew Valley SC completed the podium in third on 7 points. Behind the top three, Hamish Gledhill and Ross Southwell (West Riding SC) were a solid fourth on 11 points, with the home club's Ian Walker and Robin Kirby fifth.

Prize winners in the RS400 Southern Championship at Warsash - photo © Laurie Callaghan

It was also great to see such a strong fleet drawn from right across the country, with clubs represented from north to south. A particular mention to the northern contingent who made the trip south in numbers — a real testament to the strength and depth of the class.

Thank You, Warsash

A huge thank you to Warsash Sailing Club, the race team, and every volunteer who made the weekend happen. Running a 71-boat event across three fleets — 33 RS400s, 30 RS200s, and 8 RS600s — in those conditions is no small undertaking, and the quality of the racing reflected the quality of the organisation. It's a club that knows how to look after a fleet. Thanks also to our Southern and National Tour sponsors, Sailing Chandlery and Rooster.

The RS400 Southern Tour continues — keep an eye on the calendar, entry for the next event at Parkstone YC, 18/19 July will be open soon. See you on the water.

Overall Results: