RS Eurocup - RS200 win for Dunn and Baker

by Pete Vincent on 31 May 2011 Zhik RS Eurocup 2011 this year took place at YC Carnac. The RS200 fleet took to the waters for three days of competition in pleasant sailing conditions with the victory going to the team of Steve Dunn and Karen Baker.

There was a total of 23 RS200's that arrived for the first day of the RS Eurocup in what can be called as close to paradise as sailors could get at the YC Carnac. There were blue skies and sun coupled with a lovely westerly sea breeze that eventually built to 14 knots which made for great racing.

Even everyone arrived in loads of time with no stories of lost in France, trailers breaking or lost passports (is this an RS Eurocup??) - this was left to the Dutch sailors who arrived with a triple trailer of RS500's with 50 minutes to the start time; clearly they understand RS traditions!

On the race course the 200's had their standard general recall practice before going into a black flag. Steve Dunn/Karen Baker were well clear on the first beat and sailed off into a big lead. Only snag was he had started a little to windward of the start line.

As Steve explained afterwards 'when Karen said four seconds the start buoy was behind us'. So the fight behind for second was important which Harry and Prue Roome won with gusto. Afterwards it emerged it was their 34th wedding anniversary and this was the first race at a major event they had won together. As Prue said later 'it was worth the wait'

Race two and Dunn/Baker adopted the standard starting procedure and again led at the windward mark; this time they could not break clear with the Rusden's, Caroline/Nick Martin and Old Warrior Ian Sharps/Ellie Martin pressing hard. Dunn/Baker clung onto win with the Martins second and the Roome's pulling through to third. The Rusden's although finishing third later retired for a first mark incident.

This leaves the Roomes well clear overall with the consistent Sharp/Martin second and Martins third. The Roomes then celebrated their anniversary with a romantic meal .......with 24 other RS200/800 sailors; proper behaviour Harry!

Days Two and Three - All to play for with one day to go.

After two days of varied results it is all to play for at the Zhik RS200 Eurocup at the YC Carnac when sailing resumes tomorrow morning for the final two races.

Day two on Sunday saw light winds but three decent races in six to eight knots. With the standard so even across the whole fleet getting any form of consistent results was the name of the game and very hard. Steve Dunn/Karen Baker carried on their superb form from day one to win race three by a mile but then had a real stinker of a result and something very average. James/Will Rusden won race four and two other solid results to bring them right back into contention.

Dave Steed/Katherine Lovering won race five to complete a very good day at the office. But it was left to Ian Sharp/Ellie Martin to lead overall, the only boat with five top five results much to the fleets surprise, a boat not always associated with consistent results! As the fleet settled down for some proper beers in lovely evening sunshine the most often heard expression was my brain is fried trying to work out all the patches today.

Day three was grey but brought the welcome sight of 12-14 knots due west. The Rusdens obviously preferred the conditions with a good win in race six. Dunn/Baker were in majestic form in race seven to lead the whole race. Battle was properly joined in race eight and as the final run started Sharp/Martin were just ahead of Dunn/Baker and Steed/Lovering who gybe/set into a lovely gust to gain the lead and record their second win of the event.

Overnight Dunn/Baker are now one point ahead of the Rusdens with Sharp/Martin only four points back but all three have a black flag and another poor discard so have to count both races tomorrow so anything could yet happen.

Early pace setters from day one Harry/Prue Roome who celebrated their 34th wedding anniversary by winning their first major 200 race win have slipped back not helped by Harry falling over on the last gybe of the day capsizing them. Prue was heard to comment 'he may have to wait another 34 years for certain rights now!'

RS200 Results After eight Courses

 

RS Association website

Rgs	Ident	Concurrents	PRet	P tot	c.1	c.2	c.3	c.4	c.5	c.6	c.7	c.8	Club / Pays
1	1313	Dunn Steve Baker Karen	17.00	56.00	BFD 24.00	1 1.00	1 1.00	15 15.00	8 8.00	3 3.00	1 1.00	3 3.00	Grande-Bretagne
2	1393	Rusden James  Rusden Will	19.00	50.00	3 3.00	DNF 24.00	6 6.00	1 1.00	7 7.00	1 1.00	3 3.00	5 5.00	Grande-Bretagne
3	617	Sharps Ian Martin Ellie	23.00	54.00	5 5.00	5 5.00	3 3.00	3 3.00	5 5.00	BFD 24.00	7 7.00	2 2.00	Grande-Bretagne
4	1170	Ainsworth Ben Williamson Rachael	25.00	44.00	4 4.00	10 10.00	9 9.00	4 4.00	4 4.00	7 7.00	2 2.00	4 4.00	Grande-Bretagne
5	1460	Steed David Lovering Katherine	30.00	53.00	10 10.00	13 13.00	4 4.00	5 5.00	1 1.00	9 9.00	10 10.00	1 1.00	Grande-Bretagne
6	766	Roome Harry Roome Prue	31.00	63.00	1 1.00	3 3.00	5 5.00	9 9.00	14 14.00	4 4.00	9 9.00	18 18.00	Grande-Bretagne
7	1422	Martin Caroline Martin Nick	39.00	67.00	11 11.00	2 2.00	12 12.00	6 6.00	13 13.00	2 2.00	15 15.00	6 6.00	Grande-Bretagne
8	1018	Cory Simon Styles Sarah	39.00	65.00	12 12.00	14 14.00	8 8.00	2 2.00	2 2.00	6 6.00	11 11.00	10 10.00	Grande-Bretagne
9	1103	Goss James Robertson Ian	43.00	76.00	2 2.00	17 17.00	16 16.00	8 8.00	9 9.00	10 10.00	5 5.00	9 9.00	Grande-Bretagne
10	1165	Pickard Ian Nichol Katy	46.00	87.00	8 8.00	9 9.00	7 7.00	17 17.00	3 3.00	BFD 24.00	12 12.00	7 7.00	Grande-Bretagne