RS200 National Championships - Battle royal on Day 4

by Pete Vincent on 23 Aug 2012 Noble Marine RS200 Nationals, at Exmouth Sailing Club, fourth day of racing was a beautiful sunny day and Ben Saxton/Toby Lewis took full advantage to win the Championship with a day to spare.

On the way out to the course area there was plainly a good breeze as most crews popped kites and went for a good burn. The wind though had clocked westerly and was coming from Dawlish and it soon became very apparent there were major holes and lulls in between bursts of real planning .

Pathfinder Rob Gullen/Jack Holden kept going and headed for an ice cream on Dawlish Warren and were the original blue dot as they rounded the first mark miles in the lead. Saxton/Lewis had somehow extracted themselves out of an early start and headed over to the right and so were leading the following pack. When on the second beat the leaders headed for the right corner again Saxton/Lewis sailed round them and rudely disappeared into a massive lead. Behind Ed Whitehead/ Alice Kingsnorth won the fight for second with Matt Mee/Emma Norris third and pathfinders fourth.

The breeze was much firmer around a constant 16/18 knots for the start of the second race and the right was again paying. Roger/Jane Gilbert did the master class on sailing an opening beat and held a very good lead at the first mark and was never seriously challenged.

Mark Heather/Ed Cowell pulled through to second with Ian Sharps/Ellie Martin third. Ben/Toby were 10th around the first mark and slowly chipped away to finish fourth. This was more than good enough to make them Noble Marine RS200 National Champions with a day to spare.

Jayne Johnson/Jamie Barker capsized on the first beat in the first race yet somehow recovered finish ninth in the race and to be first silver division boat. There is now a battle royal between them, Ben Cornish and Sam Tozer for first silver overall. James Penty/Jon Evans were first bronze boat on the day but John-Paul Marks and Chris Bowers are now locked together in 39th and 40th overall in the fight for overall bronze Full results

RS Class Association website