Yachts & Yachting – August 2019

CLUBS & CLASSES

Lymington Town SC hosted 170 sailors across six

eets for the RS Summer Regatta, sponsored by

Harken UK and Rooster Sailing. Luke and Emma

McEwen (Royal Lymington) took the RS800 title,

with Ralph and Sophie Singleton second ahead of

Hugh Shone and Hannah Tattersall (CCSC/SSC).

In the RS500 eet, competing for the national

title, Royal Lymington’s Nick and Fanny Rogers

went to the wire with ex-world champions Tim and

Heather Wilkins (Gurnard), who nally took

victory countback.

With a 25-boat entry, the RS400s had the largest

eet and a close nish, with the title going to

Michael Sims/Jack Holden (Carsington), ahead of

Steve and Sarah Cockerill (Stokes Bay), and Jon Heissig/Nicky Grin (Llangorse).

First in the RS700s was Jerry Wales (Windsport) ahead of Robbie Bell (Snettisham Beach) and Ed

Reeves (Royal Lymington). e RS300s were won by Harry McVicar (Draycote) and Clive Eplett

(Frensham Pond) won the RS100s.

JANE BOWDEN

ALEX IRWIN ©SPORTOGRAPHY.TV

It was all about the tides for the

59th Yachtmaster Insurance

ree Rivers Race. A mixed eet

of 102 cruisers, keelboats and

dinghies made their way down

the River Bure to take part in

the 24-hour, 50-mile endurance

race. ere was excitement at

the bridges, where mast drops

timed to perfection contrasted

with the usual near misses.

Capsizes and MOBs added to

the drama for the cheering

crowds. e wind dropped

overnight, with those le

battling the tide paying dearly.

e race saw 42 retirements,

with some taking several hours

longer than their competitors,

depending on their choice of

route. First home was ames A

Rater Osprey helmed by Paul

Browning aer seven hours on

the water, 15 minutes ahead of

the second Rater, Ulva, helmed

by Ben Palmer. ird was

Richard Whitefoot’s Norfolk

Punt Comet, who was overall

winner with a corrected time of

just under nine hours.

All day afloat in the Three Rivers Race

RS Summer Regatta at Lymington Town

Burnham Squiddies team Joey Taylor

and Terry Hacker dominated the gold

eet series of the Tokio Marine HCC

RS Feva Nationals to claim the title at

South Caernarvonshire YC, with more

than 90 teams on the water over four

challenging days.

e opening day saw Freddie Fisher/

Gregan Bergaman Smith (HISC) posting

4,2,1 to lead overnight with Millie Irish

and Katie Byne (Draycote) keeping the

pressure on with joint points. A breezy

day two then saw Taylor and Hacker

(Blackwater/Hunts) nish on top, giving

them a rst place to take forward from

the qualifying series.

e nal series continued windy with

choppy seas and wind shis. It was

Taylor and Hacker who dominated to

take the title counting an impressive

1,2,1,1,1. Second were eo and Felix

Stewart (Windermere School), while

Tom Ahlheid and Tom Stratton Brown

were third overall.

Tough conditions

for Feva nationals

conditions for the fifth race of the

RORC season's points

championship, the 180nm RORC

North Sea Race from Harwich to

Scheveningen, which was won by

Ker 43 Baraka GP sailed by Harmen

De Graaf (NED), with Ker 51

Oystercatcher XXXIII sailed by

Richard Matthews (GBR) taking

Line Honours and correcting out to

finish third overall.

A breezy RORC De Guingand Bowl

110nm race from Cowes then

proved another tough test for both

crews and yachts, with Oyster 48

Scarlet Oyster, sailed by Ross

Applebey (GBR), scoring the best

corrected time under IRC to win the

race. Sigma 38 With Alacrity, sailed

by Chris Choules (GBR), was runner

up. Swan 38 Xara, sailed by

Jonathan Rolls, was third.

RS200 EuroCup at

Strangford Lough

Twenty-six RS200 teams made the

journey from Ireland, Scotland,

England and Guernsey for the

RS200 EuroCup at Strangford Lough

YC. After one day was lost to no

wind, there were four races in light

and shifty conditions - with Andy

Brown and Alex Sutcliše

(Tynemouth/Budmouth) the

overnight leaders – followed by a

big Sunday with a solid 20 knots,

gusting 25 and more. Most

managed to get the centreboards

out of the water and those who

stayed upright, scored well. Brown/

Sutcliše cemented their lead at the

top to claim the championship,

followed by Jill and Andy Peters

(QMSC), but the final podium step

saw the action come down to the

last race, with locals John McKelvie

and Charlotte Cotter claiming third

overall just a point ahead of David

Jessop/Sophie Mear (QMSC).

Vials & Turner claim Flying

Fifteen inland title

The UK’s competitive Flying Fifteen

fleet was out in force at Rutland SC,

Watson & Thompson

take GP14s

A 15-strong eet competed for the

Harken GP14 inlands title at Bristol

Corinthian YC, where Lawrence Creaser

and Jane Kearney (Hayling Island/South

Stas) won race one, with Ross Kearney/

Ed Bradburn (RNYC/South Stas) taking

the second. But Sam Watson, having

already won the Midland, Welsh and

Northern championships with a pair of

Andys (Hunter and ompson), and

sailing on this occasion with ompson

(Nantwich/East Antrim), claimed two

seconds to lead overnight, albeit with the

top ve boats all within four points of

each other. Day two was light and shiy

for four more races and Watson/

ompson added 1,3,2 to their scoreline

for the overall win. Kearney/Bradburn

claimed second on countback from Andy

Smith/Phil Hodgkins (Bassenthwaite).

RICHARD CRAIG SAILPICS.CO.UK

August 2019 Yachts & Yachting 79

IN ASSOCIATION WITH