RS300 Fat Face/GUL Travellers Circuit

by RS media on 15 Jul 2006 The penultimate round of the RS300 travellers circuit, sponsored by Fat Face and Gul, took place at the Filey Regatta on July 8 & 9. Six boats turned out, with Barry Steel and Cliff Shaw both making great efforts to attend, making the journey up north from Aldenham and Stokes Bay respectively.

Saturday's races start in bright sunshine and a steady force 2 Southerly breeze. Sadly the start was marred by the Scorpion fleet getting sufficiently confused to try and start at the same time as the 300's which resulted in Steel and Greg Barton (Glossop) both being pushed the wrong side of the committee boat.

Tim Keen (Sheffield Viking SC) managed to make a clean start, hotly pursued by Ian Smith (Craven SC), Shaw and Mark Henman (Sunderland) who were also disadvantaged by the arrival of 20 scorpions on the start line. Keen led at the windward mark, followed by Smith and Shaw. Barton, Steel and Henman made good progress up the first beat and the fleet closed up on the first reach as the leaders hit a hole in the wind. Keen sailed high on the reach and was the first to find breeze and led away from Smith.

A botched attempt to cut round the inside of Shaw at the wing mark saw Barton despatch himself to the back of the fleet for a 720. Keen and Smith broke free of the fleet with Smith eventually sneaking past Keen to take the win. Shaw followed in third, with Barton, Steel and Henman enjoying a close race amongst themselves.

Race 2 saw a slight build in the wind strength and Shaw shot up the first beat taking a lead from Keen that was never in doubt. Smith gave hot pursuit with Barton close behind him at the windward mark only for contact with the mark to once again put Barton at the back of the fleet. Shaw sailed well clear of the fleet and was never headed on his way to victory. Barton tacked off early on the second lap and used what tide there was to break clear of his battle with Steel and passed Smith on the reach out to the wing mark to take third. Smith tailed Barton down the second reach and was about to pass Barton on the run into the leeward mark before a rogue wave put him in the drink. Shaw won from Keen, Barton, Smith, Shaw and Henman.

Race 3 and Shaw continued to show great height upwind, pointing better than the rest of the fleet. Barton pursued and rounded the windward mark in second from Smith, Keen, Steel and Henman. Shaw continued to lead downwind with Barton struggling to hold off the lightwights Smith and Keen on the downwind legs. The race looked to be set for Shaw to win until the wind died completely as the final beat began. Shaw was unable to hold of the battling pair of Barton and Smith, with Barton taking line honours by a matter of seconds from Smith who had sailed very low and fast in the drifting conditions. Keen got stuck in the windless conditions and dropped behind Steel to finish 5th.

On Sunday the forecast wind arrived much to the delight of Shaw and Barton!
The fleet launched in a Southerly F6 with beautiful rolling waves. Nothing quite so wild as the Nationals last year but plenty to surf on! Going into Race 4, Smith led the fleet by a single point from Barton, Shaw and Keen, all on equal points. It was still anyone's event to win.

Barton powered away up the first beat with Shaw not quite managing to get the boat in the groove. The lighter guys still demonstrated good speed upwind but couldn't sail as deep and fast as Barton and Shaw who rounded the windward mark in that order. After a frankly terrifying blast downwind, Barton and Shaw had a big lead from Keen, Smith (who had reefed his B rig) and Steel, with Henman having elected to stay ashore.

Barton capsized twice at the windward mark allowing Shaw into the lead. However, Shaw promptly wiped out on the reach allowing Barton to pull clear into a lead that was never in doubt. Keen endured a collosal nosedive and unfortunately pulled a couple of muscles in his legs as he was still locked into the tow straps, leading to his retirement. This left Steel and Smith to enjoy a close scrap for third, with Smith repeatedly passing Steel downwind only to watch Steel gybe past him whilst righting his boat! Shaw's cunningham broke after his swim which slowed him considerably upwind, allowing Barton to capitalise upwind and take the race and event win.

Final positions:
1st RS 300 410 Greg Barton Glossop & District -4 3 1 1 9 5 pts
2nd RS 300 509 Cliff Shaw Stokes Bay -3 1 3 2 9 6 pts
3rd RS 300 368 Ian Smith Craven 1 -4 2 3 10 6 pts
4th RS 300 328 Tim Keen Sheffield Viking 2 2 5 (DNC) 16 9 pts
5th RS 300 366 Barry Steel Aldenham -5 5 4 4 18 13 pts
6th RS 300 450 Mark Henman Sunderland 6 6 6 (DNC) 25 18 pts