2014 RS300 National Championships

2014 RS300 National Championships - Day 2

by Clare Sargent on 17 Aug 2014

Volvo Noble Marine RS300 National Championship Alan Henderson

On day two of the 2014 RS300 Volvo Noble Marine UK National Championships, with a dire forecast for the weekend (well it is Scotland in August), four races were scheduled at Prestwick SC. It was windier than day one, 15 knots rising to 20 or so as the day progressed. With waves as high as the festival goers at Glastonbury it was going to be a tricky day. Like a midget at a urinal you were going to have to be on your toes for this one.

Race three and Richard LeMare, getting edgy as his missus was on her way up, took out a couple of boats on the start line allowing Duncan Jenkins and Matt Sargent to lead the way up the beat. Steve Bolland managed to grind them down however over the next three laps and took the lead and the win on the last run. Dave Acres and Tim keen also turned in good results.

Race four showed the benefits of proper championship preparation. The last three in the bar on Thursday night finished the race one, two, three – Bolland, Acres and LeMare in that order.

Volvo Noble Marine RS300 National Championship © Alan Henderson

The wind rose in strength noticeably for race five. The beats were clearly going to be as painful as taking a woman shopping, but at least they weren’t going to take as long. Bolland and Matt Jenkins went left on the opening beat and were one, two at the top mark with Matt Sargent just behind. Despite three more laps and some epic reaches these positions remained until the finish. Tim Keen put in another good result followed by Paul Rigg showing exceptional boat handling at his first 300 Nationals.

By the time the final race of the day started the waves had reached epic proportions and the fleet was looking more nervous than a long-tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs. Bolland led initially from Sargent but Acres came through to lead by the end of the first lap. Bolland retook the lead on the second and final beat to lead narrowly at the windward mark. Downwind, Bolland binned it near the gybe mark on a quite outrageous wave. Sargent gybed first but Dave’s was a beauty, the Audrey Hepburn of gybes that allowed him through to take the win from Sargent, Rigg, Matt Jenkins and Neil Beveridge.

The post-race entertainment was typically Scottish, haggis followed by whisky-tasting and several visits to an amply stocked bar.

Overall, Bolland still leads from Acres and Sargent on five, twelve and 20 points respectively.

As we look out at the race area ahead of day three the wind is howling and moaning like the soundtrack to a horror movie. Will we race, time will tell.

Volvo Noble Marine RS300 National Championship © Alan Henderson

Volvo Noble Marine RS300 National Championship Overall Results:

Rank	HelmName	SailNo	Club	Team No	Team Name	R1	R2	R3	R4	R5	R6	Total	Nett
1st	Steve Bolland	411	Bristol Corinthian SC			1	1	1	1	1	-6	11	5
2nd	Dave Acres	480	Thorney / Emsworth	8	Thems	3	2	4	2	-11	1	23	12
3rd	Matt Sargent	524	TI SC	8	Thems	7	-13	3	5	3	2	33	20
4th	Tim Keen	328	Shefield Viking SC	9	Sweet Pink Roses	2	3	5	-13	4	7	34	21
5th	Matt Jenkins	323	Shefield Viking SC	9	Sweet Pink Roses	5	4	-10	6	2	4	31	21
6th	Neil Beveridge	416	Prestwick SC	1	Prestwick 1	-12	6	6	11	7	5	47	35
7th	Duncan Jenkins	454	Aldenham SC	5	Port Tack Flyers	11	5	2	10	-13	10	51	38
8th	Steve Sallis	476	Hykeham SC	7	Hyke1	6	12	11	4	10	-14	57	43
9th	Harry McVicar	523	Aldenham SC	5	Port Tack Flyers	8	10	9	8	8	-13	56	43
10th	John Wilson	502	Prestwick SC			-14	8	12	7	6	11	58	44
11th	Richard Le Mare	426	Barnt Green SC			13	11	-14	3	12	8	61	47
12th	Pete Ellis	500	Aldenham SC	5	Port Tack Flyers	-26	14	13	15	9	9	86	60
13th	Paul Rigg	445	East Lothian YC			(37.0 DNS)	37.0 DNS	7	9	5	3	98	61
14th	Peter Mackin	360	Bolton SC	9	Sweet Pink Roses	-20	16	8	14	15	17	90	70
15th	Dan Skinner	379	Aldenham SC	6	Taut Trim Terific	16	17	16	12	-20	16	97	77
16th	Thomas Whitehead	374	Prestwick SC	2	Slender	4	15	18	25	-28	18	108	80
17th	Dave Sinclair	503	Prestwick SC	1	Prestwick 1	10	7	(37.0 DNF)	37.0 DNS	16	15	122	85
18th	Luke Pepper	518	Hykeham SC	7	Hyke1	19	18	17	18	14	(37.0 DNF)	123	86
19th	Tom Moore	410				23	19	15	16	-25	20	118	93
20th	David McCardel	507	Prestwick SC	1	Prestwick 1	18	9	(37.0 DNF)	37.0 DNS	18	12	131	94
21st	Andy Bayliss	321	Hykeham SC	7	Hyke1	17	22	21	17	17	-26	120	94
22nd	Mark Taylor	336	Prestwick SC	3	Alligator	-24	24	20	19	19	19	125	101
23rd	Mark Newton	354	TI SC	8	Thems	22	23	19	20	-24	21	129	105
24th	Alasdair Cattanach	403	Prestwick SC	3	Alligator	15	-28	23	21	26	23	136	108
25th	Alan Sinclair	508	Prestwick SC	3	Alligator	-29	20	22	22	22	24	139	110
26th	Ian Hopkins	342	Southport SC			-27	21	24	24	23	25	144	117
27th	Dan Treloar	417	Aldenham SC	6	Taut Trim Terific	-30	25	25	27	21	22	150	120
28th	Mark Henman	450	South Shields SC			25	26	-27	23	27	27	155	128
29th	Alistair Mclaughlin	490	Prestwick SC	2	Slender	9	29	(37.0 DNF)	37.0 DNS	37.0 DNS	37.0 DNS	186	149
30th	Joe Watkins	361	Bassenthwaite			28	30	28	26	(37.0 DNF)	37.0 DNS	186	149
31st	Ian M Ross	452	Prestwick SC	4	Foostie Pies	31	27	29	29	(37.0 DNF)	37.0 DNS	190	153
32nd	Malcolm Downie	437	Prestwick SC	4	Foostie Pies	32	31	26	28	(37.0 DNF)	37.0 DNS	191	154
33rd	Alan Henderson	527	Prestwick SC	2	Slender	21	(37.0 DNF)	37.0 DNS	37.0 DNS	37.0 DNS	37.0 DNS	206	169
34th	Jonathan Osgood	440	Aldenham SC	6	Taut Trim Terific	33	32	(37.0 DNF)	30	37.0 DNS	37.0 DNS	206	169
35th	Eamonn Rankin	521	Prestwick SC	4	Foostie Pies	34	(37.0 DNF)	37.0 DNF	37.0 DNS	37.0 DNS	37.0 DNS	219	182
36th	Richard Cumming	536				(37.0 DNS)	37.0 DNS	37.0 DNS	37.0 DNS	37.0 DNS	37.0 DNS	222	185