RS Elite Nationals overall

by Martin Wadhams on 4 Sep 2012 At the 2012 RS Elite Nationals, the Class took another significant step forward with this exceptional Championship. The largest fleet in the Elite’s young history was peppered with hugely experienced names from across the small boat racing world including a Gold medallist, international and national champions. Hosted by the ultimately prestigious Royal Yacht Squadron in Cowes and with the whole fleet based in their harbour in front of the Castle, no-one will forget the setting, their welcome and the efficiency with which they ran this regatta both on and off the water.

Day one was windy – to the point that highly experienced and amiable (in equal measures) PRO Jonathon Peel stated that 'Very few other dayboat classes would have raced at all today'. Despite a number of big broaches there was no damage greater than a broken spinnaker pole. Crauford McKeon, Paul Bowen and Rupert Harding in Kandoo III were immediately fast out of the blocks with two wins in the first two races, but a sixth in the final race of the day put them a point behind the ultra consistent Eloise sailed by Andy Jameson, James Grant and Lizzie Vickers with 4, 2, 1. All eyes had, of course, been on the reigning Miss Northern Ireland, Tiffany Brien in Kin, sailing with her Dragon Edinburgh Cup winning Dad Simon Brien and local star Graham Bailey – and their opening day 2, 9, 2 put them in third.

Day two was possibly even more testing with patchy breeze and seven hours afloat due to a delay while new breeze arrived and settled. Kandoo followed a win with a tangle with a fishing pot which put a 35th firmly on their score-card. Impressively, best performance of the day with 5, 7, 2 went to Peter Lister in Pipefish, sailing with blond-in-a-boat Pippa Wilson and David Hales – and loving every nerve wracking minute.

Martin and Amanda Wadhams and Paul Fisk sailing their new boat Kiss came out top on day three, leading around the top mark in the first two races of the day and eventually posting 3, 1, 7. Kandoo opened with an 18th after even they could not recover more from a dodgy start and now their pressure was fully on – both discards spent and three races still to go in very tricky conditions. Following up with 2, 1 demonstrated impressive mental recovery… and, we gather, a slap from the crew. This put them at the top of the board going into the last day’s showdown.

Defending champions Jono, Lyn and David Brown in Aeolus, lying in fifth overall, led the final race from the outset on day four with Kin in second and Eloise third. Kiss was lying sixth and worked up to third, enough to prevent Aeolus beating them overall. But Eloise dropped places and that allowed Kin to take second overall as the numbers were crunched in all the leading boats, mark by mark.

But the day belonged to Kandoo – they took no risks, rounded the top mark in eighth and climbed to fifth, comfortably good enough to deservedly lift the 2012 National Championship title after showing blistering pace across the wind range.

From the moment RS Elite owner Charlie Egerton-Warburton of the RYS took on the role of 2012 Championship Organiser, the event’s success was assured. Charlie and his family pulled it off in such comprehensive style that it will be a tough act to follow. The social programme was relentless – and special thanks should go to Julia E-W who selflessly tested countless Wight Vodka cocktail mixes earlier in the year in the pursuit of the perfect blend for this event. Sponsorship from Crewsaver, Sebago, Nonsuch Bay Resort, Corries Cabin, Paul Newell Sails, Island Ales and countless more Isle of Wight companies ensured the overall prize-giving table was better stocked than Sainsbury’s!

So, the RS Elite Class moves forward and the next exciting event on the calendar looks set to be on Antigua, where the stunning Nonsuch Bay Resort have a fleet of RS Elites simply beckoning.

NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP COWES 2012

 

BOW NO	SAIL NO NAME	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10 TOTAL POINTS		WITH TWO DISCARDS	FINAL OVERALL POSITION
19	70 Kandoo 3	1	1	6	1	35	3	18	2	1	5	73	20		1
30	61 Kin	2	9	2	2	1	22	2	5	9	2	56	25		2
10	5 Eloise	4	2	1	3	9	8	5	3	3	7	45	28		3
1	84 Kiss	3	4	7	7	4	15	3	1	7	3	54	32		4
20	33 Aeolus	5	8	3	4	8	10	1	4	10	1	54	34		5
21	66 Pipefish	10	3	11	5	7	2	4	8	2	10	62	41		6
36	8 TNT	14	6	4	19	3	4	14	6	12	4	86	53		7
11	12 Escapade	16	7	5	10	22	9	11	25	4	26	135	84		8
4	49 Swallow	18	20	10	12	11	1	21	31	11	8	143	91		9
29	4401 Momentary Laps	13	12	38	27	13	28	6	9	6	9	161	95	10
18	64 Toucan	12	15	8	34	5	21	15	17	17	15	159	104	11
33	50 Anchorman	9	17	9	24	6	7	30	19	15	22	158	104	12
26	82 Livez	25	26	24	17	19	16	7	21	38	13	168	104	13
31	29 Galadrial	38	13	16	20	2	6	8	18	24	23	168	106	14
22	4 Limelite	8	21	14	6	12	20	22	20	18	14	155	112	15
2	58 Sea Breezes	11	5	21	8	10	24	17	22	27	21	166	115	16
5	1 Ciao Bella	6	11	13	23	16	26	23	14	12	20	164	115	17
35	48 OinkSqueal	15	22	23	23	20	11	9	12	18	17	170	124	18
12	52 b'Have	7	38	38	38	15	17	12	16	13	12	206	130	19
15	83 Fullmarks	22	10	38	38	29	25	10	10	20	11	213	137	20
13	63 E'Tu	23	38	38	21	16	5	25	7	14	30	217	141	21
38	44 Timeless	21	23	12	18	18	12	24	26	22	18	194	144	22
14	34 Flo	38	16	20	14	21	19	20	15	28	19	210	144	23

 

25	55	Wombat	17	14	19	20	32	13	29	27	21	24	216	155	24
23	67	More T Vicar	26	19	22	11	26	18	16	23	25	25	211	159	25
17	43	Trigger Broom	38	24	15	30	24	14	26	28	8	28	235	167	26
37	22	Excalibur	20	18	18	22	28	29	19	36	23	38	251	177	27
24	23	Matterhorn Jack	38	38	17	15	27	27	34	11	16	31	254	178	28
3	46	Flying A	24	25	26	24	14	32	35	13	30	27	250	183	29
6	6	Duel	38	38	38	9	23	23	27	24	38	16	274	198	30
32	62	Eliterit	38	38	38	25	33	31	13	29	29	6	280	204	31
27	2515	No Angel	19	29	38	28	30	30	28	33	34	38	307	231	32
39	38	No Permission	28	28	38	32	31	33	32	32	31	29	314	243	33
16	80	Soak Therapy	27	30	28	33	25	34	36	34	36	35	318	246	34
8	2725	Freebie	29	27	25	36	37	36	33	35	32	33	323	250	35
28	10	X-Tension	30	31	27	34	34	35	31	30	33	34	319	250	36
34	26	Swan Song	38	38	38	35	36	37	37	37	35	32	363	287	37

 

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