CLUBS & CLASSES
KITE PHOTOGRAPHY
RS200 circuit
A record-breaking 507
sailors from across the UK
took part in the Magic
Marine RS200 National
Circuit, with Itchenor SC’s
Maria Stanley and Rob
Henderson taking overall
top spot. The pair sailed a
perfect series, counting 1,1,1
from wins at Exe, Itchenor
and Rutland to finish a
point ahead of rivals Matt
Mee/Emma Norris (Red
Wharf Bay), with 1, 1, 2.
Third were Tom Ballantine
and Hannah Peters/Maddy
Anderson, with Joe Adams/
Emma Lucas fourth.Olympic classes
A windy start to the RYA
Olympic Classes Spring
Series saw 39 boats and
boards at Weymouth &
Portland National Sailing
Academy. It was close in
the Finn, with Callum
Dixon's three bullets on
Sunday sealing first. It was
a repeat story in the 470,
with victory for Arran
Holman/Marcus Tresler.
Isabel Davies/Pippa
Cropley were top girls. Ben
Harris/Annabel Luxton won
in the Nacra. Windsurf wins
went to Imogen Sills (RS:X
8.5) and Andy Brown (9.5).Cockerill top of the roost
at Roadford Rocket
RS Aero world champion
Steve Cockerill won the
Exe Sails Roadford
Rocket charity race in a
tight finish, in Round 5
of the Sailing Southwest
Winter Series.
This year, the event at
Roadford Lake SC was
blessed with a good
weather window,
attracting 64 entries for a
2½hr pursuit race in a
decent Force 3, with
relatively balmy January
temperatures of 12
degrees. Local Laser 4.7
sailor Tom Griffiths led
foralapbeforebeing
overtakenbytheFireflyof
Angus Cook and Ellie
Hopper.Lastawaywas
theFoilingMothofDan
Ellis, who reeled in some
very quick laps until the
wind dropped in the final
15 minutes, which in turn
dropped him off his foils.
There was also not quiteenough wind on the fairly
broad downwind legs for
the spinnaker boats, but
Osprey sailors Peter and
Kelly Gregg did get in
amongst the
singlehanders to finish
10th. At the final time
gun, Cockerill (Stokes
Bay), sailing an RS Aero
7, had a 50-yard lead over
the Firefly of Cook-
Hopper (North Devon),
who had thwarted an
attack by RS Aero 9 sailor
Peter Barton (Lymington
Town). First Junior was
Noah Rees (RS Aero 7,
To r p o i n t M o s q u i t o ) a n d
first lady helm was Sarah
Cockerill (RS Aero 7,
Stokes Bay).
Compared to previous
years the rescue boats
hadapleasantlydull
afternoon! Profits of £300
were raised for the
Calvert Trust for the
disabled on Exmoor.Close finish for
RS200 winters
A close finish at the Rooster RS200
Winter Championship at Bristol
Corinthian YC saw the local team of
Alistair Norris and Helen Summersgill
claim the crown from Hayling’s Hamish
Walker and Emma Hivey, on equal points
and with virtually identical results.
It had been a closely fought battle at
the front on day one with some shifts
keeping the fleet on their toes; the second
day was then a breezier but tame-able
15-20 knots, which had the fleet
bamboozled and thrilled in equal
measure, as the flicking wind saw big
gains and losses upwind, and even more
up for grabs downwind. Keeping it
consistent were Rob Henderson and
Mari Shepherd, also from Hayling Island,
who finished third overall, having had a
close result with their nearest rivals,
finishing a point ahead of local John
Teague sailing with Jo Hewitson.SAILING SOUTHWESTA consistent series for Ewan Wilson and
FinArmstrongsawthemclaimtheNoble
Marine and Zhik-sponsored 29er winter
championship title at Draycote Water SC.
Race officer Ian Bullock allowed the fleet
togetoutoftheboatparkandhavesome
funwhentherewasnowindondayone,
following up with five great races on day
two. Light winds picked up, gusting over
20 knots in race four before settling for
the final race; Draycote delivered
signature shifty, tactical conditions.
Boat speed allowed some lengthy leads
but it was the shifts and gusts that proved
the winning feature; the leaderboard was
often rewritten downwind with a
well-timed gybe into a gust. Wilson and
Armstrong (Wormit/RTYC) won counting
two firsts and two seconds, while Chris
James and James Hall (HISC/RSouthern)
focused to claim second overall just a
point ahead of Henry Jameson-Toby
Atherton (HISC/Gurnard), with Bella
Fellows-Anna Sturrock (Yealm/Loch
Tummel/Royal Tay) close behind in
fourth and taking the girls’ prize. First
mixed team was Iain Bird-Anna Rowe.IN ASSOCIATION WITHShifts decide 29er
winter champs
Blithfield Barrel
Competitors were greeted by a bitterly
cold breeze with a northwesterly gusting
to 38mph for the fourth and final round
of the Blithfield Barrel.
The PRO briefed 50-ish boats; 23 then
took to the water, sailing for 10 minutes in
a snowstorm! As the storm clouds cleared,
Merlin sailors Andy Davies/Tom Pygall
claimed two bullets and overall Blithfield
Barrel victory, from 81 boats competing.
Fellow Merlin sailors Matt Biggs/Beka
Jones and Caroline Croft/Matt Lulham-
Robinson claimed second and third in
the series overall. First junior was Ross
Ferguson; first singlehander was Laser
sailor Julian Bassett.April 2018 Yachts & Yachting 91