RS400 GUL Grand Prix at Bartley SC

by Debbie Darling on 19 Apr 2012 RS400 GUL Grand Prix was held at Bartley Sailing Club, its first RS400 event, on the 15th April 2012 and was met with a great turnout of 19 entries, 10 of whom were club members.

The cool northerly breeze blowing a across the lake presented the OD with a few challenges and the sailors with some gusty, shift conditions.

The first race started on time and rooky RS400 sailor Adam Whitehouse lead round the windward mark and for the first two laps. The wind quickly shifted and increased leaving the course skewed with and some entertaining sailing. Nick Craig crept into first position, followed by Jasper Barnham and Mike Hart. Craig capsized at the leeward mark but managed to hold his position. In the penultimate lap, Mike Hart’s toe strap broke to leave him being over taken by Caroline Whitehouse.

The OD squared up the course for the second race which was still very gusty and shifty but lead to less position changing and Nick Craig lead with Jasper Barnham second and Mike Hart third.

After lunch and the third race was held in calmer winds. Nick Craig lead from the start with Caroline Whitehouse second and Mike Hart chasing her down in third. Howard Eeles started at the back of the fleet and managed to get into fifth position with some skilled downwind sailing bringing him through the fleet.

The final race saw a keen fleet needing to be general recalled due to a massive clump of boats over at the pin end. In the subsequent start Nick Craig did turns on the start line which left him at the back of the fleet. Caroline Whitehouse lead for one lap but was soon to be hunted down by Nick Craig who again showed his excellent downwind ability to come through from the back. The battle for overall second commenced between Barnham and Whitehouse with places changing in the last two laps. James George who had a day of gear failure ended up splitting them with Craig first, Whitehouse second, George third and Barnham fourth.

The endeavour prize was awarded to Amber Brown and Simon Butts for having never sailed together before and completing all races in the highest position.

Thanks from the fleet to the OD’s Dorion Roe and Mike Gibson and the rescue crews for a great day!

Results:

1	1383	Nick Craig	Toby Lewis	Frensham Pond	1	1	1	1	4
2	1379	Caroline Whitehouse	Sam Pickering	Bartley	3	4	2	2	7
3	1275	Jasper Barnham	Graham Sexton	Snetisham Beach	2	2	4	4	8
4	1082	Mike Hart	Sally Killpatrick	Port Dinorwick	5	3	3	5	11
5	1296	Howard Eeles	James Griffiths	Bartley	7	5	5	6	16
6	561	Sam Knight	Tony Cliffe	Bartley	9	6	6	7	19
7	1380	Derek Campbell	Guy Mason	Bartley	11	7	7	8	22
8	946	Mark Blackham	Rob Slack	Chase / Bartley	8	9	8	10	25
9	854	Chris Brown	Jamie Brown	Weston	Dsq	12	10	9	31
10	550	Amber Brown	Simon Butts	Weston/ Bartley	14	11	9	11	31
11	1201	Neil Peacock	Sue Peacock	Bartley	10	10	11	12	31
12	826	Adam Whitehouse	Chris Barley	Weirwood/Bartley	4	8	Rtd	Dnc	32
13	556	Mike Whitehouse	Karen Whitehouse	Chelmarsh/ Salcombe	13	13	12	13	38
14	1344	James George	Izzy Mitchell	Queen Mary	DNF	DNS	DNF	3	43
15	767	Jeremy Shinton	Gary Russam	Bartley	6	DNS	DNS	DNS	46
16	1205	Ian Sumner	John Russell	Bartley	DNF	14	13	DNF	47
17	1165	Lyndon Gamersil	Gareth Shiers	Bartley	12	DNS	DNS	DNS	52
18	1118	Richard Domoney	Sarah Kemp		15	DNS	DNS	DNS	55
19	1339	Mark Reddington	Colin State	Bartley	RTD	DNS	DNS	DNS	60