RYA Spring Series - Champions crowned at Hayling Island

by Lindsey Bell on 21 May 2013 The 2013 RYA Olympic Classes Spring Series winners were crowned this weekend, following the final event of the three-weekend series at Hayling Island (18-19 May).

The annual Series provides home-grown talents the chance for some early-season racing against Olympic and Paralympic classes competitors, and some of the British Sailing Team’s top performers.

Two weekends of racing at the Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy in March and April had set the stage for a fitting series finale at Hayling Island Sailing Club, where honours were at stake in the 49er, 470, Finn and RS:X fleets.

Entries were slightly lower than usual, with a number of young British Sailing Team talents studying feverishly during this school and university exam season, but there was no shortage of talent on show across the two days of light wind racing.

470 Junior European silver medallists Mike Wood and Hugh Brayshaw were prevented from a clean sweep of weekend victories at the hands of Jonny McGovern and Ben Palmer, but their second place at HISC was enough to earn them the overall Series title for 2013.

The 470 women’s Series crown went to Jo Freeman and Katie Tomsett, who were the top female crew and third 470 overall this weekend.

Henry Lloyd Williams and Sam Batten got off on the wrong foot in the first of the weekend’s 49er races, penalised for a false start in the opening race, but they kept their cool to win three of the remaining five races to claim weekend honours and the Spring Series title in the skiff class, with HISC’s own Tim Gratton and Chris Taylor in second overall.

British Sailing Team Pathway sailor Peter McCoy made the best of his return to Finn racing after completing his university exams, winning four of his six races – but it was Ogsdon SC’s Harry Briddon who took the overall Series victory, finishing fourth at this weekend’s event.

Windsurfer Ali Masters clinched the Spring Series title in the RS:X 9.5 division with a fourth place from this weekend’s racind. Kieran Martin, who’s set to represent RYA Volvo Team GBR at this summer’s ISAF Youth Sailing World Championships, claimed weekend honours over British Sailing Team rival Tom Squires, while Matthew Barton took the top step of the weekend podium in the RS:X 8.5 fleet.

Along with Masters, Calshot’s Sebastian Round was the only other sailor to contest all three Spring Series weekends, and walked away with the RS:X 8.5 Series title for 2013.

RYA Olympic Development Squad Manager Barrie Edgington said: 'Hayling Island Sailing Club hosted on a great weekend which provided a decent challenge in the currents and light winds of Hayling Bay, befitting an end of series showdown and the fight to secure RYA Grants to this summer’s international championships.

'It was also particularly poignant to have the Finn in action – a class which played such a big part in Bart Simpson’s sailing career. He was a long-time member of the host club, and his memory and contribution to sailing were fondly remembered in the Commodore’s tribute at the weekend’s prize giving.'

RYA Olympic Classes Spring Series Weekend #3 (18-19 May) winners:

49er
1. Henry Lloyd-Williams-Sam Batten
2. Tom Gratton-Chris Taylor
3. David Conlon-Ed Gibbons

470
1. Jonny McGovern-Ben Palmer
2. Mike Wood-Hugh Brayshaw
3. Jo Freeman-Katie Tomsett

Finn
1. Peter McCoy
2. James Hadden
3. Paul Childs

RS:X 9.5
1. Kieran Martin
2. Tom Squires
3. Joe Bennett

RS:X 8.5
1. Matthew Barton
2. Emma Wilson
3. Sebastian Round

2013 RYA Olympic Classes Spring Series winners:

RS:X 9.5
1. Ali Masters
2. Tom Squires
3. Kieran Martin

RS:X 8.5
1. Sebastian Round
2. Robert York
3. Imogen Sills

49er
1. Henry Lloyd Williams
2. Tim Gratton
3. Tom Bucktrout

470 W
1. Jo Freeman
2. Amy Seabright
3. Anna Burnet

470M
1. Mike Wood
2. Robert Gullan
3. Craig Dibb

Finn
1. Harry Briddon
2. James Hadden
3. Paul Childs

2.4mR
1. Megan Pascoe
2. Carol Dugdale
3. John RYA website