2016 Magic Marine RS Aero UK Nationals at Royal Torbay Yacht Club

by RS Aero UK Class Association on 7 Jun 2016 Royal Torbay Yacht Club played host to the 2016 RS Aero UK Nationals sponsored by Magic Marine with 70 entries set for a long weekend on the English Riviera. Competitors travelled from as far afield as France and Holland to compete on the Olympic racecourse of Torbay.

The Championship opened with a coaching with a comprehensive session ashore covering RS Aero specifics before moving onto technique and tuning for those looking for that final edge to take into their racing. Three short coached warm up races followed with about 40 boats revving up for the first formal race. The fleet finally peeled off to where the Race Officer was set to start the RS Aero Challenge Cup at 15:00.

The RS Aero Challenge Cup was an ‘All Aero’ PY race, outside the championship series. With just one race and only RS Aeros the Class was able to implement an exciting initiative of varying PYs for wind strengths, to reduce any disadvantage at the end of the wind bandings without tipping the balance from the favoured. Three sets of PY numbers were specified for light, medium and strong winds. The race officer recorded an average of 6kn on the committee boat in the run up to the start and the light wind set of PYs were selected, going some way assist the disadvantaged smaller sailed RS Aero 5s.

A fleet of nearly 50 boats jostled for position on the start line. During the race the RS Aero 9s had the pace in the light with Gareth Griffiths taking line honours but the seven rig of Peter Barton kept close enough to the lead bubble of nines to take the PY win followed by Gareth Griffithsand Nigel Rolfe in their nines. The PY varying was successful as a deliberate ‘part measure’ to make an improvement with the results suggesting the number changes could have been greater still.

The evening’s Opening Ceremony had speeches by the Vice Commodore and daily prize giving to award the Challenge Cup prizes and special awards. Class Social Coordinator, Ben Rolfe, instigated his master plan of venues in town to meet after dinner at the Yacht Club and was happy to lead by example on to the night clubsof Torquay for those with energy to spare…

Day one of the Champs proper had fantastic racing with a steady but light easterly breeze producing some waves. This punctuated by a little tide gain to the left and periodic clicks in direction to the right provided an interesting challenge making it difficult for any one sailor to dominate the day. Each fleet enjoyed four races over a triangle-sausage course with a range of leaders.

Kate Sargent of the Netherlands came away from day one with a small lead over Archie Hainsworth in the fives. David Ellis won three races but had only a small lead over Harvey Martin with three seconds in the sevens. Peter Barton led the nines with Paul Bartlett and Anthony York also winning races.

Day two had a postponement and whilst the fleet basked in the beautiful Devonshire sunshine Kate Sargent, technical designer for Magic Marine, gave her talk on the design benefits within the Magic Marine range. There followed an impromptu ‘Top Tips’ session from the lead sailors of day one giving away all their prized secrets of how they thought they had made it to the front of their races. At 14:30 racing was sensibly canned for the day leaving the fleet time to enjoy the local delights of the area or catch up on sleep.

Saturday night the fleet smartened up for the Class Dinner in the Royal Torbay YC for the Annual Awards Ceremony and daily prizes. To a big screen presentation the most coveted awards were eagerly anticipated. Top Photo went to DoveySC’s shot staring Chelmarsh’s ‘Three Amigos’ enjoying their nine rigs on the ocean in picturesque Dovey last month. Top Video went to Harriet Critchley’screation, depicting the apprehension and enjoyment of her first sail on a breezy day with the five rig sail at Bolton. Paul Robson was awarded for ‘Endeavours to Class’ for his commitment to coaching the five winter series weekends.

Day three brought more optimism with more heat and the fleet launched promptly. Once the wind stabilised racing got underway and with up to 10kn of wind kickers were taught and downhauls were even starting to come on. This time a trapezium course was set and the tight top reach even saw a little planning and surfing with small waves coming in with the easterly.

The wind slowly died with one race completed. Antony York’s win in the nines brought him up to second overall behind Peter Barton overall who had kept consistent with a second. Archie Hainsworth’s race win gave him the lead over Kate Sargent who was stuck in fourth in the fives. David Ellis did just enough with a fourth in the sevens to take the title, whilst Fergus Barnham moved up to second overall with his second race win of the series.

The coveted Club Champs title for the combined results of any club’s top three went to Lymington Town SC with a first, first and anchor man, Liam Willis, kicked the ball into the net with his sixth in the nines, Starcross YC’s emerging RS Aero fleet were second. Nine families qualified for the Family category requiring two family members. Team Gribbin, Claire and Luke of Paignton SC,pulled it off with a fourth and fifthfrom the Tardrews and Bartletts.

Magic Marine’s awesome support provided a fantastic array of great prizes. RS Sailing donated three beautiful half boat perpetual trophies for the three fleet’s annual Championships and were on hand, as ever, with their usual legendary event support. Also many thanks to the Freeland family of Downs SC, for donating a whopping great youth Trophy Cup after Tony Freeland was the first winner in 2015.

Thanks to the ever so friendly and professional team at Royal Torbay YC for a most memorable and enjoyable Champs with the comfort of their lovely club house. The Class looks forward to returning again soon.

The next biggie on the RS Aero World calendar is the USA Atlantic Coast Championship at Newport, Rhode Island 8-10th July followed soon after by the first RS Aero European Championships at TravemundeWoche, Germany, 25-29th July.

Harriet Critchley’s inspiring video, with blue skies and fluffy clouds over the Lancashire fells



Category Prize Winners

Junior - Under 15 (not 15 this year)
First - Anne-Marie Ratnage, Bough Beach (5)
Second - Lauren Paton, Royal Torbay (5)

Youth - Under 19 (not 19 this year)
First - Archie Hainsworth, Alton Water (first/fives)
Second - Harvey Martin, Ogston (third/sevens) - First Youth RS Aero 7
Third - George Tardrew, Hayling Island (third/fives)

Lady
First - Kate Sargent, HOLLAND (first/fives)
Second - Claire Gribbin, Paignton (fourth/fives)
Third - Jane Peckham, Gurnard (sixth/sevens) - First Lady RS Aero 7

Master - 55 or over this year, based on PY series
First - Paul Bartlett, Starcross (third/9s)
Second - Gareth Griffiths, Island Barn (fifth/nines)
Third - Debbie Degge, Bartley (ninth/sevens) - First Master RS Aero 7

Family Fortunes - Best two family members overall
First - Claire and Luke Gribbin, Paignton, Nine points
Second - George and Lucy Tardrew, Halyling Island, 12pts
Third - Paul and Greg Bartlett, Starcross, 14pts
Fourth - Fergus and Finlay Barnham, Snettisham Beach, 16pts
Fifth - Will and Mike Taylor, Brightlingsea, 18pts

Club Champs - Best three club results overall
First - Lymington Town SC, 8pts (First, first and sixth)
Second - Starcross YC, 26pts (Third, 11th, 12th)
Third - Hayling Island SC, 30pts (Third, ninth and 18th)

Furthest Travelled - BarendHillterman, HOLLAND (via Germany to collect boats!)

Outstanding Services to the RS Aero Class
Paul Robson - For coaching the Winter Training weekends

Outstanding Services to RS Aero Events
Richard Willows - stepped in as PRO at his home 'Roadford Rocket' event at Roadford SC, Devon, in February. This meant missing sailing, but he loaned his RS Aero.

Rank	Class	Rig	Sail No	Helm	Category	Elapsed	Handicap	Corrected	Finishing Place
1	RS Aero	7	1175	Peter Barton		0:55:31	1066	0:52:05	1
2	RS Aero	9	1023	Gareth Griffiths	M	0:54:03	1025	0:52:44	2
3	RS Aero	9	1551	Nigel Rolfe		0:54:20	1025	0:53:00	3
4	RS Aero	9	999	Ben Flower	Y	0:54:31	1025	0:53:11	4
5	RS Aero	9	1071	Peter Chaplin	M	0:54:43	1025	0:53:23	5
6	RS Aero	9	1888	Chris Larr		0:55:53	1025	0:54:31	6
7	RS Aero	7	1534	Fergus Barnham		0:59:50	1066	0:56:08	7
8	RS Aero	7	1232	Steve Norbury		0:59:55	1066	0:56:12	8
9	RS Aero	7	1	Greg Bartlett		1:00:23	1066	0:56:39	9
10	RS Aero	9	1207	Mark Tissiman	M	0:58:10	1025	0:56:45	10
11	RS Aero	7	1589	Chris Harrup		1:00:46	1066	0:57:00	11
12	RS Aero	7	1533	Finlay Barnham		1:00:58	1066	0:57:12	12
13	RS Aero	9	1669	Giovanni Belgrano	M	0:59:13	1025	0:57:46	13
14	RS Aero	9	7	Andrew Wilde		1:00:08	1025	0:58:40	14
15	RS Aero	7	1089	Harvey Martin	Y	1:04:52	1066	1:00:51	15
16	RS Aero	7	4	Liam Willis	Y	1:05:17	1066	1:01:14	16
17	RS Aero	7	1485	Edward Norbury	Y	1:05:26	1066	1:01:23	17
18	RS Aero	7	1676	Anthony York		1:05:28	1066	1:01:25	18
19	RS Aero	9	1298	Richard Watsham		1:03:08	1025	1:01:36	19
20	RS Aero	9	1489	Robert Freeland		1:03:26	1025	1:01:53	20
21	RS Aero	9	1581	Ben Rolfe		1:03:47	1025	1:02:14	21
22	RS Aero	5	125	Kate Sargent	L	1:10:20	1125	1:02:31	22
23	RS Aero	7	8637	Chris Jones	M	1:07:16	1066	1:03:06	23
24	RS Aero	7	1792	Andy Hill		1:07:21	1066	1:03:11	24
25	RS Aero	9	1930	Paul Bartlett	M	1:04:58	1025	1:03:23	25
26	RS Aero	5	1543	Debbie Degge	L M	1:11:36	1125	1:03:39	26
27	RS Aero	7	1568	Caitlin Atkin	L Y	1:07:56	1066	1:03:44	27
28	RS Aero	9	1135	Phil White		1:05:30	1025	1:03:54	28
29	RS Aero	7	1715	Jane Peckham	L	1:08:18	1066	1:04:04	29
30	RS Aero	7	1921	Charles Clapham		1:08:56	1066	1:04:40	30
31	RS Aero	7	1045	Richard Willows	M	1:08:59	1066	1:04:43	31
32	RS Aero	5	1849	Anne-Marie Ratnage	L J	1:13:36	1125	1:05:25	32
33	RS Aero	5	1173	Archie Hainsworth	Y	1:13:39	1125	1:05:28	33
34	RS Aero	5	1206	Claire Gribbin	L	1:13:56	1125	1:05:43	34
35	RS Aero	5	146	Luke Gribbin	Y	1:14:25	1125	1:06:09	35
36	RS Aero	7	1594	Julie Archer	L	1:10:37	1066	1:06:15	36
37	RS Aero	7	1098	Richard Perriss		1:11:11	1066	1:06:47	37
38	RS Aero	7	1091	Penelope Gillett	L	1:12:00	1066	1:07:33	38
39	RS Aero	7	1586	Nicholas Freeston	M	1:12:34	1066	1:08:04	39
40	RS Aero	7	1339	Cliff Webb	M	1:14:11	1066	1:09:35	40
41	RS Aero	7	1219	Arnaud Bouchez		1:15:26	1066	1:10:46	41
42	RS Aero	5	206	Henry Gillett	Y	1:19:46	1125	1:10:54	42
43	RS Aero	7	1141	Jonathan Rickels	M	1:16:26	1066	1:11:42	43
44	RS Aero	5	1402	Jane Homewood	L	1:21:22	1125	1:12:20	44
71	RS Aero	7	2	Barend Hiltermann			1066		OCS
71	RS Aero	5	1044	Lucy Tardrew	L		1125		DNF
71	RS Aero	9	9	Alex Newton-Southon			1025		DNC
71	RS Aero	9	1095	Tony Jukes	M		1025		DNC
71	RS Aero	9	1097	Chris Jones	M		1025		DNC
71	RS Aero	9	1689	Andrew Snell			1025		DNC
71	RS Aero	9	1164	Mike Taylor			1025		DNC
71	RS Aero	9	1654	Mark Lambdin			1025		DNC
71	RS Aero	9	1793	Jim Hood			1025		DNC
71	RS Aero	7	3	Charlie Inigo-Jones	M		1066		DNC
71	RS Aero	7	11	Will Taylor			1066		DNC
71	RS Aero	7	77	Samantha Foster	L		1066		DNC
71	RS Aero	7	1211	Nicholas Eales	M		1066		DNC
71	RS Aero	7	1258	Nick Craven			1066		DNC
71	RS Aero	7	1264	Jackie Craven	L		1066		DNC
71	RS Aero	7	1209	David Ellis			1066		DNC
71	RS Aero	7	1302	Karl Thorne			1066		DNC
71	RS Aero	7	1370	Nev Herbert			1066		DNC
71	RS Aero	7	1509	Peter Craggs			1066		DNC
71	RS Aero	7	1598	John Harvey			1066		DNC
71	RS Aero	7	1618	Dave Harris	M		1066		DNC
71	RS Aero	7	1745	John Hobson			1066		DNC
71	RS Aero	5	23	Fin Amstrong	Y		1125		DNC
71	RS Aero	5	9	Lauren Paton	L J		1125		DNC
71	RS Aero	5	1000	George Tardrew	Y		1125		DNC
71	RS Aero	5	1012	Marion Lowe	L M		1125		DNC