Volvo Noble Marine RS400 National Championships – Runners and riders

by RS Class Association on 9 Aug 2017 Paul and Mark Oakey – Defending champions. They go unexpectedly well in the breeze despite weighting about 18 stone!

Jon Gorringe / Oli Wells - Never won it, could it be his year? Second in 2015 and European champ 2014. Veteran of the class with a super crew drafted in for the week.

Jon Heissig / Nikki Griffin – Fresh back from victory at the Europeans and winners at Lymington. Second at the 2016 nats, will they go one better?

Dave Exley / Mark Lunn - Third last year - new boat and great form this year. Winners of Sprints, South Shields and Abersoch Dinghy Week

Stewart and Sarah Robertson – 2013 National Champs and second at the 2017 Euros. If the bionic man can pull his boat up the beach they are sure to be near the front.

Russ and Emma Clark – Relative newcomer to the fleet but learning fast! Emma won it crewing in 2009

Francisco and Teresa Lobato – Victory at Hayling Summers they are getting faster and faster. Plus have recently upgraded ready for an assault on the title. The mini Transat winner from 2009 will certainly be used to big waves !

Mike Simms / Keith Bedborough – 2015 winning helm teamed up with the 2004 winning crew in a last minute campaign. They claim they are low on practice time, but rumours of secret weekends away training have been heard.

Paul Hilliar / Matt Bailey - 2007 winner – Can he keep little Grimm out of the pub? Surely an outside chance?

Sam and John Knight – Leaders of the Bartley massive on the water and in the bar. Always go well, especially when the breeze is on.

Steve Restall/ Chris Stubbs – Third at the Euros and quick in the light. Time will tell if they are just fair weather sailors?

Josh Metcalfe/ Jack Holden – Team Protein Shake will be hoping for big breeze and some sun for the guns. If their boat holds together they are a team to be reckoned with.

Is Howie Farbrother coming? – He was second in 2013 and is always there or thereabouts.

Some say Ian Walker MBE is considering a last minute entry. Or was it Roger Gilbert, the 4 X champ, planning a return for Mounts Bay only? Maybe it was Ben McGrane in the Harken ship?

So far there are 71 boats entered and ready to go. Batches of cake are being made ready for the boat park. There is pre-champs coaching available for those after a final tune-up. Most importantly the bar is stocked and the beer is cold.