RS800 European Championship at Circolo Vela Torbole – Day 2

by Andy Jeffries on 27 Jul 2016 Day two of the RS800 Euro Cup served up a hot and humid day, which would test both nerves and patience. Race three started in an eight knots breeze, with the course laid down the middle of the lake, most of the fleet headed right using the knowledge gained yesterday, that right was breezier, however the wind gods had decided to switch sides and this time it was hard left which paid.

Daniel Goodman and Debbie Robshaw and Paul Blackburn and Phil Burchell found themselves in the driving seat, leading the fleet by a couple of hundred meters when they tacked on the Eastern cliff. First to react to the progress being made on the left were Tim Saxon and Fiona Hampshire and Andy and Allyson Jeffries, who tacked over and went middle left.

With breeze on both sides of the run the fleet split and the big winners were Luke and Emma McEwen who hit hard left down the run while the leaders headed right. At the bottom gate the fleet was compressed as the gate marks sat in two knots of breeze. From this point on the rich got richer as they sailed off to the left cliff in an increasing breeze. At the finish Saxton and Hampshire took the win three boat lengths in front of the Jeffries with Goodman and Robshaw taking third.

As the fleet sat around waiting for race four the sky had turned dark and stormy, which the odd clap of thunder, and as anyone who has sailed here will know, that’s not good news! The first beat proved that anything is possible as it paid to sail up the shifts in the middle of the lake.

Winners of this game were Martin Orton and Ian Brooks who rounded the top make first. The following run was all about staying right of the rum line, at the bottom mark the Jeffries were in control however the weather gods had one more trick to play, as the wind switched 90 degrees to the West and the race committee had no choice but to abandon for the day.

Overall results showed Tim Saxon and Fiona Hampshire had consolidated their lead with the McEwens second and the Jeffries moving up to third. Tomorrow will see the fleet sail three races, however, for now, it’s time to have a few glasses of beer in the sun as the fleet continue to get on with the other important part of the week…..socialising!