RS 400 Southern Tour event at Eastbourne Sovereign SC
by Mick Whitmore on 22 Sep 2016
Eastbourne Sovereign SC RS 400 Class Association
Light winds were forecast all week prior to the event, then on Friday WindGuru started changing colour to Orange with the odd splash of dark Red scattered across Saturday.
Luckily for us at Eastbourne the forecast direction was Northerly all weekend, this is offshore for us and meant near mill pond conditions on the beach and a perfectly flat sea looking out from the clubhouse.
Once out by the Committee boat however, anchored just a mile from the shore, and looking back upwind, if you hadn’t already realised by the wild ride out, Its was proper bloody windy, averaging 24 knots with some gusts at 30 knots, this focused the mind of those brave enough to launch and those stupid enough to stay out for all three races.
Matt Fowler and Greg Shipley clearly loved the conditions taking the win in all three races, with Mike Green and Alex Smith recording a two, three, two and Matt and Ellie Sheahan a three, two, three. With the racing just off the beach, spectating was great, watching one of the bigger gusts flatten both Matt and Mike simultaneously, sailings easy, looking from the beach!
Sunday and a less wind eight – twelve knots, sunshine at times, this tempted out all of the boats for some close racing. Somehow the entire fleet was over for the first start of the day, the black flag then keeping us in check for the rest of the day.
Mick and Sarah Whitmore took the first two races of the day and followed up with a second. Mike and Alex had a two, five, one.
Matt and Ellie a four, two, three with Matt and Greg having a three, three, four.
Matt and Greg’s sublime performance on Saturday meant they maintained their lead and were worthy winners, a gaping big hole in their kite, and a few aches and pains, memories of an eventful weekend at Eastbourne.
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