Nick Craig and Fiona Clark win RS400 Nationals
by Rs media on 1 Sep 2008
RS400 UK Nationals 2008 Fotoboat.com
http://www.fotoboat.com
Nick Craig and Fiona Clark won the Gul RS400 UK National Championships with a day to spare - something of a trend this year in the RS classes. Second were David Jones and Mark Hogan, with Paul Hilliar and Steve Jagger in third.
The championships kicked off at Exe Sailing Club with two races in a shifty force 2-3. With a big left shift 30 seconds before the start, the early leaders were Chris and Kathy Iles, who port tacked the entire fleet.
However they were overhauled by Josh Metcalfe/Elaine Marsh and Mike Hart/Sally Kilpatrick, who quickly built a lead over the chasing pack. With the wind continuing to shift, Metcalfe/Marsh sailed a great last lap to win from Hart/Kilpatrick, with Nick Craig/Fiona Clark snatching third in the dying seconds of the race.
For race two, Simon Pritchard Jones/Ellen Miller stormed in from the left to lead from Craig/Clark, who quickly overhauled them and did a horizon job on the fleet. Behind them there was constant place changing, with Jones/Hogan eventually taking second, in front of Paul Hilliar/Stu Jagger.
On day two, competitors were treated to two races in fantastic conditions. The F3-4 breeze was accompanied by a sizable rolling swell. For the first race, Jones Hogan led at the first mark from Hilliar/Jagger and overnight leaders Craig/Clark. On the first downwind, Hilliar/Jagger took the lead and built a little gap from Craig/Clark. The leading pair pulled away but Craig/Clark never found a way past and finished second, ahead of Jones/Hogan.
In the second race John Cooper/Becci Wigley showed the early form, second at the first mark behind Craig/Clark before taking the lead on the first downwind. However in the building waves they succumbed to Craig/Clark and Hilliar/Jagger. Metcalfe/Marsh pulled through to take third place.
The third day of the championship took place in a light and shifty wind. Squib legend Chris Hogan sailing with June Riley led from the start, with Jones/Hogan chasing. By the second lap, Jones/Hogan had pulled ahead but with Craig/Clark not far behind. On the final run the wind really dropped off and Craig/Clark pulled through and win, with Hilliar/ Jagger coming in third.
For the second race, Jones/Hogan again showed their light wind pace to win by a substantial margin, again chased by Hogan/Riley and Craig/Clark, with the latter earning second place.
Day four saw Craig/Clark and Jones/Hogan leading at the first mark from Hogan/Riley. Craig/Clark gradually pulled away to stretch a lead from the chasers, with Metcalfe/Marsh storming through to third on the final run.
For race two, Craig/Clark led at the first mark from Jones/Hogan. These leading two had a race-long scrap ahead of Hogan/Riley but eventually Craig/Clark pulled clear to win and take the championship with a day to spare. Hilliar/Jagger did just enough to take third.
Day five brought light winds and the fleet sailed out to attempt a race. Metcalfe/Marsh were winning comfortably until the wind switched off and the race had to be abandoned.
Many thanks to Exe SC for being such wonderful and friendly hosts and to Phil Morrison and his race team for running slick and fair racing.
RS400 Nationals 2008 - Final overall positions
Pos |
SailNo |
Helm |
Crew |
R1 |
R2 |
R3 |
R4 |
R5 |
R6 |
R7 |
R8 |
Nett |
1st |
1237 |
Nick Craig |
Fiona Clark |
-3 |
1 |
-2 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
7 |
2nd |
962 |
David Jones |
Mark Hogan |
-5 |
2 |
3 |
-5 |
2 |
1 |
2 |
2 |
12 |
3rd |
1322 |
Paul Hilliar |
Steve Jagger |
-4 |
3 |
1 |
2 |
3 |
-6 |
4 |
3 |
16 |
4th |
645 |
Josh Metcalfe |
Elaine Marsh |
1 |
5 |
6 |
3 |
7 |
-10 |
3 |
-11 |
25 |
5th |
1082 |
Mike Hart |
Sally Kilpatrick |
2 |
10 |
-12 |
-15 |
6 |
4 |
6 |
8 |
36 |
6th |
1210 |
James Downer |
Jon Price |
-10 |
4 |
5 |
9 |
10 |
-15 |
5 |
5 |
38 |
7th |
1264 |
Chris Hogan |
June Riley |
11 |
-17 |
-13 |
10 |
4 |
3 |
7 |
4 |
39 |
8th |
1059 |
Steve Venables |
Richard Brown |
6 |
-16 |
4 |
8 |
5 |
5 |
13 |
-15 |
41 |
9th |
1251 |
Howard Farbrother |
Nathan Pinch |
9 |
9 |
9 |
4 |
-14 |
11 |
-12 |
6 |
48 |
10th |
1325 |
John W Cooper |
Becci Wigley |
8 |
15 |
8 |
6 |
12 |
7 |
-18 |
-18 |
56 |
11th |
1008 |
Phil Kennard |
Matt Wright |
15 |
-22 |
10 |
7 |
-21 |
17 |
11 |
7 |
67 |
12th |
1328 |
Michael Sims |
Elliot Banks |
13 |
6 |
7 |
40 |
18 |
-19 |
9 |
16 |
69 |
13th |
1117 |
James Sinclair |
Tom Watson |
18 |
13 |
11 |
12 |
9 |
9 |
-23 |
-19 |
72 |
14th |
1129 |
Martin Browne |
Dinah Holmes |
7 |
8 |
17 |
-18 |
17 |
16 |
8 |
40 |
73 |
15th |
1170 |
Sally Styles |
Martyn Styles |
12 |
11 |
19 |
-26 |
11 |
14 |
-21 |
9 |
76 |
16th |
1275 |
Sam Parker |
Anna Ludgate |
16 |
14 |
14 |
11 |
13 |
-20 |
15 |
-20 |
83 |
17th |
1121 |
Henry Maples |
Jane Bailey |
-19 |
19 |
-23 |
13 |
16 |
13 |
19 |
10 |
90 |
18th |
1097 |
Adam Savage |
Ash Johnston |
21 |
20 |
20 |
-22 |
-22 |
8 |
14 |
14 |
97 |
19th |
1215 |
Simon Pritchard Jones |
Ellen Milner |
26 |
12 |
21 |
20 |
8 |
-29 |
-29 |
12 |
99 |
20th |
1249 |
Andrew Ritchie |
Iain Ritchie |
17 |
21 |
-22 |
16 |
19 |
-22 |
16 |
13 |
102 |
21st |
1134 |
Nick Simmons |
Russ Morgan |
-24 |
18 |
16 |
14 |
15 |
18 |
-26 |
23 |
104 |
22nd |
1172 |
Alex Fleming |
Roger Gorman |
-23 |
-28 |
15 |
17 |
23 |
21 |
10 |
21 |
107 |
23rd |
1208 |
Leslie Arscott |
Mike Fisher |
-27 |
23 |
-25 |
21 |
20 |
12 |
17 |
17 |
110 |
24th |
1055 |
Colin Prince |
Tony Prince |
14 |
7 |
18 |
19 |
40 |
40 |
40 |
40 |
138 |
25th |
813 |
William Parrett |
Chris Grosscurth |
25 |
24 |
-27 |
27 |
-30 |
25 |
22 |
22 |
145 |
26th |
1177 |
Nick Barrett |
Sam Macnamara |
-31 |
25 |
24 |
25 |
29 |
40 |
20 |
24 |
147 |
27th |
1268 |
Alistair Rose |
Yvette Rose |
22 |
27 |
-30 |
-29 |
24 |
23 |
27 |
25 |
148 |
28th |
744 |
Fiona Bolt |
Ian Lewis |
-32 |
26 |
29 |
23 |
25 |
-33 |
24 |
26 |
153 |
29th |
951 |
Chris Iles |
Kathy Iles |
-38 |
29 |
-31 |
24 |
27 |
28 |
28 |
27 |
163 |
30th |
1073 |
Adam Oliver |
Clare Oliver |
20 |
32 |
28 |
32 |
33 |
24 |
40 |
40 |
169 |
31st |
976 |
Tim Garvin |
Dakin Lancaster |
28 |
-35 |
-35 |
28 |
26 |
30 |
30 |
28 |
170 |
32nd |
1233 |
Nick Francis |
Simon Edwards |
29 |
30 |
-36 |
30 |
34 |
31 |
25 |
40 |
179 |
33rd |
453 |
Simon Palmer |
Charlotte Burrans |
30 |
-34 |
33 |
33 |
31 |
27 |
-35 |
29 |
183 |
34th |
511 |
Danielle Franklin |
Tom Evans |
-37 |
31 |
-32 |
31 |
32 |
26 |
32 |
32 |
184 |
35th |
943 |
Don O'nions |
Mike Dieth |
34 |
-38 |
26 |
34 |
-37 |
34 |
33 |
30 |
191 |
36th |
924 |
Simon Mathews |
Penny Atkinson |
35 |
-36 |
34 |
40 |
28 |
36 |
36 |
33 |
202 |
37th |
683 |
James Bowman |
Sarah Roberts |
36 |
40 |
-38 |
35 |
36 |
35 |
31 |
34 |
207 |
38th |
1092 |
Alan Cooke |
Mark Lodse |
33 |
-37 |
37 |
36 |
-38 |
37 |
34 |
31 |
208 |
39th |
443 |
Hugh Fitzgerald |
Joe, Harry & Alfred Fitzgerald |
39 |
33 |
40 |
37 |
35 |
32 |
40 |
35 |
211 |
If you want to link to this article then please use this URL: www.sail-world.com/48388