RS Feva End of Season Championship at Datchet Water SC

Wed, 14 Nov 2012

The RS Feva End of Season Championship became a big family affair this year, with 153 boats from across the ‘RS family’ joining in at Datchet Water SC on November 10/11. The 51 Feva’s were joined on a trapezoid course by 35 RS 200’s; whilst RS 100/300/400/500/600/700/800’s raced on a second trapezoid course.

The forecast was a chilly but sunny 10 knots but in reality cloud and a max five knots, was the order of the day.

The first start was delayed allowing time for the sailors and race team to get ready after a prolonged competitor briefing. After a black flag start, racing got away clear, an hour after the schedule.

Leading at the leeward mark was Tom Darling and Will Dolin with Will and Matt Taylor in second and Harvey Martin and Will Ward in third. With the wind fickle and dropping, Tom and Will managed to hang on to win race one; second Harvey and Will; third Arran Holman and Josh Haynes. Conditions were made extremely challenging as the committee boat was restricted to a 'fixed' mooring which resulted in lack of space whenever the wind swung right.

The race team managed to 'tweak' the course for the second race and the 200's were sent off whilst the Feva's were still plodding around the long course. The second race started and leading at the windward mark was Robbie and Alex King with Arran and Josh in second whilst Hannah Bristow and Bobby Hewitt were third. By the leeward mark Elliott Wells and Jake Todd had climbed through to second with Hannah and Bobby still in third. The shifting conditions enabled Robbie and Alex to extend their lead at the second windward mark whilst Hannah and Bobby battled with Elliott and Jake to keep swopping places only to let Tom and Will through on the final beat.

As the wind dropped and the boats glided down the final run it was Elliott and Jake who coasted ahead and took the win from Tom and Will in second with Robbie and Alex dropping to third. The third race was abandoned, as the wind dropped further and the sun set, so the boats were sent home.

On Sunday, a thick frost and thin fog covered the area. The campers looked cold but the club provided a great breakfast. At 10 am on the dot, the starts got away in bright sunshine and a less shifty five knots, which built to eight knots at times.

Leading at the first mark was Arran and Josh despite starting 10 seconds late at the committee boat end but close behind was Courtney Bilbrough and Orla Mitchell, with Edward Norbury and Charlie Hutchings in third. Elliott and Jake pulled through downwind to lead at the second windward mark after overtaking Courtney and Orla with Harvey and Will now in third. But there were more place changes to come with Arran and Josh getting back in front upwind with Courtney and Orla second whilst Elliott and Jake dropped to third. The close racing continued right up to the end but pulling back to take the win was Elliott and Jake; second Arran and Josh; third Courtney and Orla.

After a one minute silence for Remembrance Sunday the fleets got away for race 2. Leading at the windward mark was Alex and Robbie; second Arran and Josh; third Harvey and Will. Arran and Josh took the lead up the second beat with Robbie and Alex in second whilst Samuel Grade and Katie Prescott climbed to third. Arran and Josh won by a good margin; second Robbie and Alex; third Sam and Katie.

The third race of the day saw Clark Rutter and Matt Thornton ahead with Robbie and Alex in second whilst Tom and Will regained their form in third. Tom and Will took the lead up the next beat and then extended it at the final windward mark with Robbie and Alex in second then Sam Lythoge and James Scott in third. The final race was won by Tom and Will with Robbie and Alex second; third Sam and James.

After three and a half hours on the water, the race team decided to abandon race 8 and the fleet was sent home. This gave Robbie and his brother Alex the title of 2012 EOS Champs, through their consistency over the five races. Last year’s EOS champ Arran Holman crewed by Josh Haynes came a close second whilst Tom Darling and Will Dolin held onto third place by winning the final race.

Results are final as of 15:06 on November 11, 2012

Feva Fleet

Sailed: 5, Discards: 1, To count: 4, Entries: 53, Scoring system: Appendix A