Sail-World.com : RS Elite Nationals to close to call

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Sail-World.com : RS Elite Nationals to close to call

RS Elite Nationals to close to call

'RS Elite' RS Sailing Click Here to view large photo

With less than a week to go before the 2009 RS Elite National Championships it is an impossible call on who will make the podium, let alone the likely winner. The Championship will be hosted by the Royal North of Ireland YC on Belfast Lough, the home of the Irish Elite fleet and sponsored by North Down Tourism. It runs from 25 to 28 June.

Last weekend’s Irish Championship forerunner to the main UK event, was clinched by Steve Powell’s E’Tu from Lymington after a close battle with local sailor John Patterson in Momentary Laps. But a couple of weeks before it was Scotland’s Sean McClean in Elixir which excelled in the heavy air’s racing and triumphed in the Elite Class at the Scottish Series regatta.

Defending UK champions, the Brown family from the Royal Burnham fleet are bound to be in contention, although no-one has yet successfully defended the trophy in this closely fought class. Last year’s runner-up and ex RS K6 champions, Martin Wadhams’ team also from the new Lymington fleet will be out to put their name on the trophy that eluded them.

Other Irish sailors bound to be in contention include Simon Brien, winner of the Irish Nationals 08, and Mark Brien in Full Marks, who is always in the frame.

So with a list like that, and a number of other fast teams we’ve not even mentioned here, some of the top sailors are not even going to make it into the top eight, let alone onto the podium!

The RS Elite class is also renowned for knowing how to enjoy itself onshore, and as you’d expect the Irish lead the way in this particular discipline. They are out to show the shandy drinking English how their kind of generous hospitality works. By the time the prize giving closes next Sunday night we reckon there will be some very broken bunnies.

RS Elite - Entries to date for 2009 National Championships

1 James Pearson, David McMonagle Port Edgar YC
2 David Wood, Simon Wakefield, Fran Wood Stone SC
3 Charles Barron, Alex Martin, Joan Pride Hayling Island SC
4 J Ralston, Gavin Browne, Simon Robinson RNIYC
5 Mark Hunter, Ian Hunter, David Eccles RNIYC
6 Mark Brien, Mark Ennis, Mark McNeill RNIYC
7 Brian Shaw, Boyd Kane, Robin Flanagan RNIYC
8 Steve Powell, Buzz Keck, Charlie Merchant RLYMYC
9 D Baird, G Hardy, D Fusco/R Dennes RUYC/RNIYC
10 Jono Brown, David Brown, Lyn Brown RBYC
11 Shaun Maclean, Donald Maclean, Ian Maclean RFYC
12 Angus Bates, Yvonne James, Johnnie James RBYC
13 Mike Ennis, Gerry Reid, Mike Wright RNIYC
14 Mike Tong, Peter Wareham, Richard Curties Hayling Island SC
15 John Patterson, Stephen Polly, David Kelso RUYC/RNIYC
16 Michael Johnston, Stuart Elburn, Tim Parr BYC
17 Fiona Hicks, Lee Stevenson, Carol Graham RUYC/SLYC
18 TBC, Paul Fisk, Amanda Wadhams RLYC
19 Simon Brien, David Gomes, Stephen Milne RNIYC

by Martin Wadhams

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2:58 PM Fri 19 Jun 2009 GMT

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