Volvo Noble Marine RS100 National Championships - Day 1 overall

by Sally Campbell on 18 Sep 2015 Volvo Noble Marine RS100 National Championships – 22 RS100 sailors appeared for their National championships from Thursday 17 September to Sunday 20 September, with three races each day. The event is being run by the Royal Torbay Yacht Club with generous sponsorship from Volvo and Noble Marine Insurance.

The racing was going to be close with National, World, Inland and Sprint champions scattered through the fleet. However there will be a new RS100 National Champion crowned as the holder, Neil Freeman was absent with knackered knees.

The forecast for day one was for a Force four to five south westerly, but the first start commenced in a Force two westerly with Mostyn Evans timing his rigging to perfection, approaching the line under spinnaker straight from the dinghy park.

Race one

The pin end paid with David Smart quickly out of the blocks and pushing hard left to take advantage of the left hand shift to the predicted south westerly, leading at the first mark closely followed by Alistair Dickson and Steven Lee.

On the first run, Smart over stood the leeward mark and swam trying to drop the kite. That let Dickson and Lee through, but Lee was confused by a change of course hooter and decided to try to finish on the second lap, losing out on a certain win. He was heard by the fleet to say: “**##** #$*## xx??%& **£$xxx!!! ?”. He escaped with a verbal warning. With all the early leaders getting over-excited, Huw Powell and Brett Aarons were starting to revel in the growing breeze pulling through the fleet to take first and second followed by Tom Powell and Alistair Dickson.

Race two

The wind had picked up to a good force four. Smart was again quick off the pin end and crossed the fleet on port, but gently made his way back through the fleet with the aid of another swim. At the front the Port Dinorwic mafia showed everyone how to sail fast in a breeze, with Greg Booth and Dickson vying for the lead, with Booth winning out in the shortened two lap race. Local ‘boy’ Chris Cunningham (AKA Captain Birdseye) was enjoying the breeze, using his facial hair to good effect to take third with Huw Powell fourth and class chairman Mark Harrison taking a hard earned fifth.

Race three

Dickson nailed the pin end start going left with Booth and Powell in hot pursuit. At the top mark, Dickson approached on starboard while Cunningham, who had taken the right side approached quickly on port. While most appreciate that the port tacker should give way, Cunningham had other ideas and adopted the ‘I’m sure I can make it’ tactic. Dickson had to take evasive action, although Cunningham described it as ‘aggressive luffing’. Quite how ducking Cunningham’s stern can be described as ‘aggressive luffing’ was beyond all bar Cunningham who did his turns.

The run proved decisive with some big pressure to be found. This was most effectively smelled out by kiwi Brett Aarons, who took the bullet from the ever consistent Huw Powell, with Booth third, Dickson fourth and Luke Deegan fifth having shown increasing speed as the day progressed.

John Burns took the trophy for most capsizes in the day with eight, reduced to five by the class chairman by excluding ‘righting incompetence’.

With no discards in play, after three races the top ten is close and reads:
1) Huw Powell (Seven points)
2) Brett Aarons (Nine)
3) Alistair Dickson (10)
4) Greg Booth (13)
5) Mark Harrison (20)
6) Steven Lee (20)
7) Chris Cunningham (23)
8) Tom Powell (23)
9) David Smart (24)
10) Luke Deegan (30)