RS200 National Championships - Excellent conditions

by Pete Vincent on 22 Aug 2012 Noble Marine RS200 Nationals 2012, being held at Exmouth Sailing Club, was a major day yesterday, Tuesday 21st August, for three important reasons.

- The weather played ball allowing three races to be run putting the championship back on schedule in excellent conditions.
- Ben Saxton/Toby Lewis sailed the most impressive day you could imagine winning all three races by a margin.
- The secondhanddinghies.com sponsored social and fancy dress party was a messy affair with the club running out of gin and rum – Wot!!!

The Wind went round to the South west but some black clouds gave PRO Phil Morrison a hard time with a couple of aborted gate starts but racing started in 8-10 knots. By the start of the last race it was up in the 14/16 knot area and by the last round downwind was truly lush. The winning margin Saxton/Lewis had in the final race was something to behold.

Behind it was a mixed day for the early contenders; Hamish Walker/Emma Hivey had a shocking first race but recovered with a second and fifth to remain in second overall. Jonny McGovern/Sarah Williams scored 2.7.3 to move up to third overall. Matt Mee/Emma Norris slipped with sixth and ninth and then the disaster of a broken gooseneck.

Jayne Johnson/Jamie Baker had a star day to win the silver division on the day but is behind Exe SC Ben Cornish/Charlotte Coleman overall in the silver division. Chris Bowers/Ian Mairs were the star turn in the Bronze but a little way behind John-Paul Marks/Emma Anderson overall.

Mention must be made of silver division Paul Lewis/Rosie Brearley who the first boat out of the gate in the final race and led round the first mark. Meanwhile Exe SC mark layers were having a fine day wrapping ropes round props and destroying engines to be popular winners of Duckhams at the secondhanddinghies fancy dress party fuelled by the boom of doom. It is a slow day this morning!!!

RS Class Association website