RS Feva Grand Prix at Thorpe Bay YC
by Debbie Darling on 21 May 2012
Bollé RS Feva GP 2012 at Thorpe Bay YC Linzi Swindon
The Bollé RS Feva Grand Prix was held at Thorpe Bay Yacht Club last weekend, 19th and 20th May 2012. TBYC hosted a fantastic event laying on good race management, lovely food, decent weather (especially Sunday), top class debrief and a warm welcome.
The forecast was cold, cloudy but a decent breeze. In reality the 34 boats were met with light winds and hazy sun shine pushing through the high clouds. Racing started earlier than normal for a Feva GP due to tides and Race Officer Rupert Snow explained to the sailors that flood tides were slack but ebb tides rip out down the Thames. A postponement went up whilst the race team waited for the fleet to get to the race course in 5 knots of breeze.
The first race got away clear but a calm patch appeared downwind of the committee boat and began creeping towards the Feva course. As the wind strength dropped boats started dropping their kites as they drifted downwind. The race was shortened to one lap and it was Jenny Smallwood and Jamie Webb first with Chay and Stirling Taylor second followed in third by Anna Prescott and Jess Eales.
The wind disappeared, the tide started to ebb, boats struggled to stay with the committee boat so after an hour of waiting, rafted around the committee boat, racing was abandoned for the day.
TBYC had laid on a debrief from Mark Asquith ex-49er Olympic Development Squad sailor, the informative session was followed by a complimentary meal for competitors.
Sunday started grey and damp but perfect sailing conditions. The fleet got away on a black flag start after the first recall. Shifty 15 knots of breeze with flat water and slack tides meant the fleet were well split and evenly matched up the first beat. First at the windward mark was Flynn Davies and Daniel Lewis with Elliott Wells and Jake Todd second and Max Mathews and Guy Rivington in third. By the leeward gate it was Elliott and Jake rounding to starboard as Max and Guy rounded in unison to port through the gate. Incredibly close racing in flat out hiking conditions.
The race was shortened to three laps but leaders Max and Guy failed to spot the flag as did Elliott and Jake. Jenny and Jamie were first to spot the flag and took another win. second to finish was Anna and Jess whilst Tom Darling and Will Dolin spotted their mistake and rehoisted to make it back to the finish to stay in third.
The third race got underway quickly and it was local boats at the front. Leading at the first mark was Jourdan Swindon and Alex Bradley with Elliott and Jake second and Mo Hopper and Tally Eyre in third.
By the leeward gate Phoebe Warren and Tabby Peel had taken the lead which they held to finish as the breeze dropped to 10 knots. Max and Guy climbed to second with Elliott and Jake third.
The fourth race saw one boat caught black flag . Leaders at the windward mark were Flynn and Daniel again with Wills Murray and Will Ormerod in second then Sam Grade and Katie Prescott in third. Lots of changes at the front of the fleet with different leaders at different marks eventually it was Chay and Stirling taking the lead at the final windward mark which they held to the finish. second Elliott and Jake; third Anna and Jess.
The last race got away after a short postponement for a wind shift. The ebb tide was starting to affect the course but a big right shift half way up the beat allowed the back markers back into the race. First at the windward mark were local sailors Alex Farrell and Alex Warrington but as the breeze picked up again to 13 knots the fleet closed up. By the finish it was Tom and Will taking the win; second Max and Guy. A third for Anna and Jess was good enough for them to win the event.
Racing was incredibly close at the front of the fleet with two points separating the top four.
Full Results:
Place
|
Points
|
Sail No
|
Name
|
Helm
|
Crew
|
Club
|
Races sailed
|
1
|
11
|
4355
|
|
Anna Prescott
|
Jess Eales
|
Hayling Island
|
5
|
2
|
12
|
2383
|
|
Jenny Smallwood
|
Jamie Webb
|
Wraysbury Lake SC
|
5
|
3
|
13
|
4344
|
|
Chay Taylor
|
Stirling Taylor
|
Burnham Sailing Club
|
5
|
4
|
13
|
4332
|
|
Elliot Wells
|
Jake Todd
|
HISC
|
5
|
5
|
15
|
3105
|
|
Tom Darling
|
Wil Dolin
|
Hayling Island
|
5
|
6
|
19
|
4890
|
|
Max Mathews
|
Guy Rivington
|
Tudor SC
|
5
|
7
|
22
|
2047
|
|
Flynn Davies
|
Daniel Lewis
|
Burnham Sailing Club
|
5
|
8
|
33
|
2012
|
|
Phoebe Warren
|
Tabitha Peel
|
Emsworth SC
|
5
|
9
|
33
|
4043
|
TBYC 1
|
Alex Farrell
|
Alex Warrington
|
TBYC
|
5
|
10
|
39
|
2508
|
|
Jamie Jobson
|
Eve Gadd
|
RTYC
|
5
|
11
|
44
|
4085
|
|
Samuel Grade
|
Katie Prescott
|
Lymington Town
|
5
|
12
|
51
|
4071
|
|
Max Duce
|
Ben Farenden
|
TBYC
|
5
|
13
|
55
|
839
|
|
Jonny Watkins
|
Wil Taylor
|
Dabchicks SC
|
4
|
14
|
55
|
2000
|
|
Jordan Swindon
|
Alex Bradley
|
TBYC
|
5
|
15
|
56
|
4530
|
|
James Eales
|
Katie Cruikshank
|
HISC
|
5
|
16
|
61
|
1883
|
|
Harvey Martin
|
Will Ward
|
Ogston Sailing Club
|
5
|
17
|
64
|
4039
|
|
Wills Murrey
|
Wil Omerod
|
Oxford Pirates
|
4
|
18
|
65
|
3811
|
|
Rebecca Lewis
|
Fiona Mulcahy
|
RYA
|
5
|
19
|
65
|
4051
|
|
Alex Hadley
|
Teddy Elmore
|
TBYC
|
5
|
20
|
77
|
2215
|
|
Max Griggs
|
Cody Griggs
|
Royal Torbay YC
|
5
|
21
|
78
|
4604
|
|
Kathryn Hutton Penman
|
Niamh Davies
|
Burnham Sailing Club
|
5
|
22
|
78
|
4361
|
|
James Scott
|
Sam lythgoe
|
Welsh-Harp London
|
5
|
23
|
80
|
4079
|
Blond Feva
|
Madeleine Hopper
|
Tally Eyre
|
TBYC
|
5
|
24
|
83
|
3710
|
|
Loes Eikman
|
Nynke Nell
|
WV Aalsmeer
|
5
|
25
|
84
|
4354
|
|
Oskar Bisset
|
Taylor Knobbs
|
Downs Sailing Club
|
5
|
26
|
85
|
3424
|
|
Coutney Bilborough
|
Callum Dixon
|
DSWC
|
5
|
27
|
100
|
862
|
|
Oliver Barnes-Dean
|
Peter Snow
|
TBYC
|
5
|
28
|
104
|
4385
|
|
Libi Askew
|
Emily Proud
|
HISC
|
4
|
29
|
105
|
4622
|
|
Buzz Gilks
|
Poppy Gilks
|
QMC
|
5
|
30
|
113
|
4850
|
|
Greg Watson
|
Maddie Shields
|
TBYC
|
5
|
31
|
117
|
4150
|
|
Vicky Little
|
Jacob Allard
|
TBYC
|
4
|
32
|
118
|
3458
|
|
Izzy Davies
|
Lucy Pirkill
|
Ichnor
|
1
|
33
|
126
|
4222
|
|
James Russell
|
Lauren Russell
|
Alton
|
5
|
34
|
132
|
4102
|
|
Matt Hill
|
Joe Reeve
|
Burghfield
|
1
|
35
|
133
|
3908
|
|
?
|
|
|
1
|
RS Class Association website
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