RS Feva Open Meeting at Northampton SC

by Debbie Darling on 12 Sep 2011 RS Feva Open Meeting and RYA North Zone Squad Selector was hosted by Northampton Sailing Club over the weekend of 10th and 11th September 2011.

Gusty shifty conditions made it tough going. Tom sailing with his sister Charlie Darling stormed away to win race one from Chay and Stirling Taylor. The wind picked up for race two with gusts nearing 20 knots leading to a number of capsizes. Tom and Charlie were too eager and ended up being over and had to come back. Alex Joesbury and Emlyn Williams lead at the windward mark but soon Chay and Stirling took on the battle with Tom and Charlie for the lead. The race was tight right until the final run when Chay and Stirling surfed ahead on a huge gust gaining them the inside track at the final mark to the finish.

Race three got under way in brighter conditions but the wind had continued to increase. A big gust with 30 seconds to the gun swung the wind left making it essential to cross the line on port. Tom and Charlie again jumped the gun and had to return back to the line but they managed to come back and round the windward mark third behind James H-P and Thomas Jayaskerara with Chay and Stirling well in front with what seemed an unassailable lead. Tom and Charlie ground them down whilst the rest of the fleet faltered. On the final mark the leaders miscounted the laps and hardened up for another beat. Tom and Charlie took their chance by holding their kite to fly through the finish leaving Chay and Stirling to tack back and hoist to the finish to retrieve second.

By race four the wind was gusting 22 knots and more were swimming. Tom and Charlie took a conservative approach to the start and this paid dividends as they rounded first with Chay and Stirling second. As the rest of the fleet swum these two boats battled it out but clever tactics on the third windward leg saw Tom and Charlie extend their lead which they held to the finish.

Day two of the open meeting at NSC proved a lively affair with gusts of 25 knots and average wind speeds of 20 knots. Again it was the Darlings and Taylors fighting it out for event honours. Tom and Charlie needed a win and headed off the line in a great position allowing them to tack onto port when the shift came from the left. They lead comfortably for the first lap but a huge gust down the second run blew Chay and Stirling into the lead. The third beat saw the boys cover the opposition but again big gusts on the run allowed Charlie and Tom to catch up and a tactical gybe gave them the inside track at the final mark giving them the race win. With first overall in the bag the brother and sister team headed home whilst the rest of the fleet hung on for the final race.

Luckily the wind moderated slightly for the start but soon the white horses returned. Graeme Bristow headed back out after a crew swop between races and powered into the lead after James and Thomas took a swim then Chay and Stirling lost their jib when the tack came undone. Immi Slinn and Ruby Griffin sailed a great race to hold onto third after numerous swims.

Only 10 boats entered the event but the racing was tight both at the front and at the back of the fleet. All boats improved immensely by the end of the six races and the two club boats from NSC look like they are hooked on Feva's now.

Full results:

UK RS Association website

Rank	Sail No	Club	Helm Name	Crew Name	R1	R2	R3	R4	R5	R6	Nett
1st	3105	HISC	Tom Darling	Charlie Darling	1	2	1	1	1	(DNC)	6.00
2nd	4344	Burnham Sailing Club	Chay Taylor	Stirling Taylor	2	1	2	2	2	(DNF)	9.00
3rd	2050	Corinthian Otters	James Hutton-Penhan	Thomas Jayaskerara	3	3	3	3	(6)	2	14.00
4th	3626	Port Dinorwig	Alex Joesbury	Emlyn Williams	5	4	(6)	5	4	4	22.00
5th	2153	Draycote Water SC	Immi Slinn	Ruby Griffin	4	5	(DNC)	DNC	5	3	29.00
6th	3999	Bowmoor SC	Matt Walker Moorcoft	Dom Cotterill	(8)	7	5	7	7	5	31.00
7th	3590	Northampton SC	Lewis Bowen	Matt Goble	(9)	6	7	6	8	6	33.00
8th	3362	Draycote Water SC	Ellie Walton	Abi Riley	(10)	9	8	4	9	7	37.00
9th	4610 (2)	Leigh and Lowton SC	Graham Bristow	Hannah Bristow	(DNC)	DNC	DNC	DNC	3	1	40.00
10th	4610	Leigh and Lowton SC	Hannah Bristow	Izzi Bristow	6	(DNF)	4	DNF	DNC	DNC	46.00
11th	No Sail No (Boat No 3585)	Northampton SC	Emma Le Pla	Alex Gibbons	7	8	9	(DNF)	DNF	DNC	48.00