RS700 Nationals at Torbay

by RS media on 5 Jun 2007 We have a National Champion! After a fantastic third day on the water, Paul Bayliss has done it again. Will Paul sail tomorrow? He's started on the free Weekend drinks in the RTYC bar . . . .

Earlier reports: -

Race Report Day 1

Glorious sunshine and a perfect 10 knot breeze welcomed the 51 competitors for the 2007 Gul RS700 National Championship at Royal Torbay Yacht Club.

Mark Nicholson led the fleet up the first beat first going hard left and then sailing to the port layline with Andy White playing the shifts up the middle in second. Mark gybed off at the top mark whilst Andy followed by Pete Purkiss, Paul Bayliss and Steve Butcher sailed on to what was the favoured side of the run and made some big gains. Andy White then proceeded to build a comprehensive lead and was never challenged with Paul Bayliss taking Steve Butcher for second and Pete Purkiss 4th.

Steve Butcher spotted a shift in the line and took advantage of a gap at the pin end to port tack the fleet and led out to the favoured right hand side of the course. He continued to lead at the windward mark followed by Tim Johnson, Andy White and Paul Bayliss. Steve played the right hand side of the run and held the lead but it was Dave Smithwhite who made the biggest gains by going left down the run. Steve led Dave by 4-5 boat lengths at the final windward mark and although Dave managed to sneak through at one stage in the dying breeze, it was Steve who pulled through to take gun.

The fleet gathered in the evening for a rules seminar by our RYA judge Peter Fitt and the class meeting before presenting the Seasure golden rudder stocks to the overnight leaders, Steve Butcher in the gold and Ed Reeves in the silver fleet. Everyone then enjoyed a hearty supper provided by Harken before seeking alternative amusement on the English Riviera.

Race Report Day 2

A quite depressing scene greeted the fleet with a flat calm in Torbay. Paul Bayliss gave an excellent talk on championship preparation. Fortunately by then a light breeze had filled in and the race officer sent the fleet out to play. Paul Bayliss won the pin end and led the charge to the cliffs where there was more pressure followed by Tim Johnson and Matt Humphries. On the second beat Matt managed to take Tim Johnson and a right hand shift and almost manage to take the lead. This was the order for the remainder of the race.

In race 4 it was again Steve Butcher showing some excellent form in the light conditions to lead at the windward mark from Dave Smithwhite and Andy Irons. Steve and Andy went for the gybe set allowing Dave to go for the straight hoist to sail into clearer air. Up the next beat Dave went right which allowed Andy to take the lead on a big shift only to lose it again as the wind shifted back. Andy closed again on the beat but couldn’t quite take the win. Carl Vining sailed through to take a well deserved third place.

The final race of the day was started in very light conditions. The right hand side of the course paid and it was Harvey Hillary who tacked first onto the layline. However Tim Johnson sailing in from the left took the lead whilst Paul Bayliss had deliberately overstood and sailing freer took second place at the windward mark. Tim immediately gybed off and was covered by the fleet which allowed Paul to take the lead and put Harvey in close contention for second.

The overnight holders of the Seasure golden stocks were Paul Bayliss in the gold fleet and Ollie page in the silver. The fleet then enjoyed a pasta supper followed by some very competitive go-carting all generously provided by Seasure.

Final Report to follow.

RS700 National Championship positions after day 3:

1 875 Paul Bayliss G Porchester 7pts 2 3 1 10 1 1 1 1
2 762 Tim Johnson G Chew Valley Lake SC 21 5 4 3 4 2 3 6 5
3 933 Matthew Humphrey G Weston SC 29 8 11 2 5 12 2 8 4
4 972 Dave Smithwhite M G Hayling Island SC 30 12 2 8 1 9 21 7 3
5 900 Andy White G Draycote Water SC 31 1 9 10 6 14 14 3 2
6 951 Stephen Butcher M G Hayling Island SC 38 3 1 11 8 31 27 5 10
7 X Tim Dickinson G Hayling Island SC 49 13 6 7 13 21 18 4 6
8 966 Nigel Walbank M G Lymington Town SC 67 31 8 15 9 32 5 23 7
9 952 Harvey Hilary G 68 21 12 25 34 3 4 17 11
10 825 Ed Reeves S Royal Lymington YC 73 7 30 20 33 8 8 11 19
11 1 Rob Chaplin G 79 20 13 12 16 41 40 10 8
12 962 Steve Marshall M G Corus SC 81 18 21 9 28 4 19 16 15
13 831 Mark Nicholson G Hayling Island SC 86 6 17 16 36 24 24 14 9
14 776 Griff Tanner G Queen Mary SC 90 10 20 5 24 20 11 DNC53 DNC53
15 906 Andy Holland G Hunstanton SC 96 23 32 17 25 10 7 26 14
16 716 Carl Vining M S Starcross YC 97 24 15 30 3 47 16 15 24
17 820 Philip Dickinson G Weston SC 105 25 26 22 11 15 6 DNC53 31
18 823 Andy Irons G 107 DNC53 7 29 2 7 9 DNC53 DNC53
19 970 Tim Polglase M G Hayling Island SC 113 16 5 28 37 44 35 13 16
20 963 Mark Pollington M G Hayling Island SC 114 14 34 19 22 11 32 25 23
21 724 Ian Martin S Bough Beech SC 119 26 33 42 17 27 12 20 17
22 950 Tim Garvin G Queen Mary SC 120 17 38 23 7 19 30 24 37
23 927 Alex Newton-Southon G 123 9 40 41 30 37 17 2 28
24 841 Richard Smith G Blue Circle SC 125 27 16 40 32 30 20 12 20
25 2 Ollie Page S Lancing SC 126 40 31 13 15 5 22 DNC53 DNC53
26 902 David Gorringe S Lymington Town SC 127 35 28 27 14 42 10 21 27
27 974 Gerard Hughes S 128 DNC53 18 4 40 17 42 19 30
28 835 Peter Sanders M S Queen Mary SC 129 22 24 26 47 36 26 18 13
29 908 Mike Dencher S Chew Valley Lake SC 133 33 37 14 35 18 29 27 12
30 843 Charlie Stowe S Grafham Water SC 134 30 10 36 18 34 34 9 33
31 767 Stuart Riches S Hunstanton SC 136 37 25 21 12 13 38 31 34
32 960 Ian Nolan S Hunstanton SC 136 32 19 33 21 33 13 30 21
33 861 Eddie Gatehouse S Chichester YC 137 11 35 18 26 40 44 29 18
34 765 Paul Hayden G Gurnard SC 140 28 36 6 23 28 33 33 22
35 912 Richard Allen S Carsington SC 148 38 23 37 27 25 15 22 36
36 761 Pete Purkiss M G Brightlingsea & Grafham 157 4 14 44 19 23 DNC53 DNC53 DNC53
37 873 Adam Golding S Hayling Island SC 158 15 27 24 39 29 31 32 DNC53
38 973 Simon Letten S Hayling Island SC 159 19 43 34 43 16 36 28 26
39 834 Tom Offer G Chew Valley Lake SC 161 34 29 31 38 6 25 36 41
40 905 Simon Forbes S Weston SC 169 29 22 39 29 26 41 34 29
41 953 Luke Yates S 199 DNF53 49 35 31 22 23 44 44
42 802 Gary Austin M S Lancing SC 205 41 39 32 46 39 28 35 32
43 732 Peter Shaw M S Carsington SC 212 43 44 38 20 43 39 37 35
44 934 Matthew Stark S Netley SC 238 44 41 45 45 46 46 38 25
45 726 Tim Royall S Mounts Bay SC 241 42 42 49 41 48 37 39 40
46 778 Andy Scott S Chew Valley Lake SC 252 DNC53 DNC53 43 42 38 45 41 43
47 922 Rob Hopper S 254 39 48 48 44 35 49 40 DNC53
48 892 Nick Collins S Queen Mary SC 262 36 45 51 50 50 43 DNC53 38
49 923 Dan Jaspers S 267 46 47 47 49 45 48 43 39
50 740 Jason May S Mounts Bay SC 268 45 46 46 48 51 47 42 42
51 891 Jim Hood S 309 DNC53 DNF53 50 51 49 DNC53 DNC53 DNC53
52 940 Howard Smith S Lyme Regis SC 318 DNC53 DNC53 DNC53 DNC53 DNC53 DNC53 DNC53 DNC53