420 Summer Teams Selector 1 at Rutland Sailing Club
by Hugo Valentine 18 Mar 2022 00:22 PDT
12-13 March 2022
This weekend Rutland Sailing Club hosted the first 8 races of the 420 Worlds/Euro Selector series, in cold and breezy conditions. 35 boats turned up on the start line ready for a weekend of intense racing with lots at stake.
On the first day of racing, the fleet lined up in a sunny 15 knot South-Westerly breeze. The fleet were surprisingly well behaved, and so following a clear start, Ollie Meadowcroft & Oscar Cawthorne led the fleet with Freya Sewell & Arlo Braund alongside. The constant shifts and large gusts proved tricky - Freya & Arlo got caught out in a big gust and capsized, letting Oli Hale & Tom Clayton through to take second place, with Alice Davis & Oliver Rayner holding firm for third place.
Race two was held in very similar conditions, again Ollie & Oscar showing the fleet how it's done in the heavy breeze, dominating the race from start to finish. This time though it was Joe Warwicker & Hugo Valentine who sailed well to finish second, with current National champions Ella Lance & Will Martin in third.
Race three saw Oli & Tom break the run of bullets and showed that they are a real force in the heavy weather! Ollie & Oscar and Ella & Will completed the top 3, but probably the standout performance was from Imogen Wade & Teddy Dunn who finished 5th and who were putting together a very consistent series.
The final race proved challenging with some big left shifts that caught out quite a few of the crews. However, Ella & Will navigated well through these shifts to take the race win and set themselves up well overnight. Throughout the fleet there were some fantastic performances, spectacular capsizes, and valuable learning after a very tough day. Once ashore, it was time for a scrutineering process where several boats were protested for technical infringements, with their fate to be decided the following morning. It was time for the sailors to recharge for day two, enjoy a delicious lasagne from the canteen, and watch the eventful Six Nations match.
On Sunday, sailors were greeted by a the slightly lighter south westerly breeze and a beautifully sunny morning. The protest hearing led to a slightly delayed start, with the sailors involved doing a great job of putting the emotional process behind them, and then concentrating on doing their talking on the water - and winning all 4 races between them! We were in for a great day of intense racing consisting of four races, in champagne sailing conditions.
Races five and six consisted of some very tight racing and place changes across whole fleet, but Ollie & Oscar showed their class to secure two more bullets. Megan Farrer & Ellie Rush were fully recharged and found some solid form to finish 3rd and 2nd respectively. Relative newcomers to the fleet, Arwen Fflur & Peter Cope, showed their potential and fast learning by mixing it up at the front of the fleet, and finishing 3rd in race 6.
Approaching the final two races, more big left shifts came in across the course, and with points tight across the fleet, there was a lot to play for. With trouble on the start line on race 7, the committee went to a black flag start, testing the fleet for those last two races. Joe & Hugo led from the beginning of race 7, stretching out their early advantage to take the win. They were followed by Ollie & Tom who sailed a very strong last beat, and Ollie & Oscar just behind in third.
In the crucial final race of the weekend, the wind had dropped significantly to around 10 knots. The change in conditions helped the U17 team of Harry George & Ralph Cawthorne to lead the fleet around the top mark. Joe & Hugo and Alice & Oliver both gybed for stronger breeze on the left of the run and stormed to the front by the leeward gate. It was then a matter of covering the fleet throughout the shifty and patchy final upwind leg, where Joe & Hugo stretched to a commanding lead for their second win in a row. There was a tight bunch fighting for second, with Alice & Oliver holding off Ollie & Oscar.
Well done to Ollie & Oscar for taking the event win by 11 points over Oli & Tom, who just pipped Joe & Hugo to second by one point. Megan & Ellie took first females and Arwen & Peter took first U17. Thank you from all the sailors to the Club, the Race Committee and all the other volunteers who made this fantastic event possible. We will now be digging out the rule book and checking over our boats for the next Selector to be held in Hayling Island in two weeks time!
Overall Results:
| Pos | Bow No | Sail No | Helm | Crew | Fleet | R1 | R2 | R3 | R4 | R5 | R6 | R7 | R8 | Pts |
|---|
| 1st | 19 | 57004 | Ollie Meadowcroft | Oscar Cawthorne | Open | PI1 | PI1 | (PI1) | PI1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 15 |
| 2nd | 40 | 54853 | Oli Hale | Tom Clayton | Open | 2 | 4 | 1 | 8 | 2 | ‑10 | 2 | 7 | 26 |
| 3rd | 17 | 44 | Joe Warwicker | Hugo Valentine | Open | PI1 | PI1 | PI1 | (PI1) | 4 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 27 |
| 4th | 42 | 56108 | Alice Davis | Oliver Rayner | Open | 3 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 5 | (DNS) | 6 | 2 | 29 |
| 5th | 9 | 54852 | Megan Farrer | Ellie Rush | Female | 5 | 6 | 7 | 6 | 3 | 2 | ‑15 | 15 | 44 |
| 6th | 44 | 56091 | Imogen Wade | Teddy Dunn | Open | 8 | 8 | 5 | ‑12 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 5 | 49 |
| 7th | 41 | 57273 | Arwen Fflur | Peter Cope | U17 Open | 11 | 7 | 8 | ‑18 | 9 | 3 | 8 | 6 | 52 |
| 8th | 38 | 55244 | Henry Heathcote | Hector Bennett | Open | 6 | 11 | ‑17 | 7 | 6 | 7 | 9 | 13 | 59 |
| 9th | 45 | 55242 | Harry George | Ralph Cawthorne | U17 Open | 10 | 12 | ‑13 | 11 | 7 | 12 | 4 | 4 | 60 |
| 10th | 32 | 54487 | Kt. Byne | Lia Horne | Female | 9 | ‑23 | 10 | 5 | 15 | 11 | 5 | 11 | 66 |
| 11th | 20 | 56007 | Freya Sewell | Arlo Braund | Open | 14 | 9 | 14 | 3 | ‑17 | 4 | 11 | 17 | 72 |
| 12th | 39 | 56342 | Mathias Potter | Ellie Thomas | Open | PI1 | PI1 | PI1 | PI1 | 12 | 9 | 13 | ‑16 | 73 |
| 13th | 12 | 56954 | Ella Lance | Will Martin | Open | (OCS) | 3 | 3 | 1 | 29 | 5 | 10 | DNC | 89 |
| 14th | 56 | 57286 | Ellie Creighton | Bea Greenfield | U17 Female | 12 | 16 | 12 | 13 | 13 | 14 | ‑17 | 12 | 92 |
| 15th | 24 | 56339 | Heather Quinn | Gwyneth Lanyon | Female | (PI1) | PI1 | PI1 | PI1 | 11 | 13 | 12 | 14 | 103 |
| 16th | 43 | 56467 | Sam Grayton | Raife Piggott | U17 Open | PI1 | (DNC) | PI1 | PI1 | 18 | 19 | 16 | 8 | 108 |
| 17th | 4 | 55517 | Emily Smith | Charlotte Beardsall | Female | 15 | 13 | ‑25 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 14 | 19 | 109 |
| 18th | 10 | 54483 | Millie Irish | Clara Jones | Female | 20 | 15 | 24 | 16 | 10 | 16 | (DSQ) | 10 | 111 |
| 19th | 64 | 51369 | William Bailey | Matthew Rayner | U17 Open | 16 | 18 | 15 | ‑22 | 19 | 15 | 18 | 18 | 119 |
| 20th | 50 | 57272 | Emma Breese | Arthur Bailey | Open | 19 | 14 | 19 | 14 | 20 | ‑22 | 19 | 22 | 127 |
| 21st | 21 | 54481 | Holly Wright | Olivia Nixon | U17 Female | 18 | 19 | 22 | 19 | 14 | 20 | ‑31 | 20 | 132 |
| 22nd | 29 | 2 | Patrick Bromilow | Olivia Creasy | U17 Open | 22 | 25 | 20 | 24 | 21 | (DNF) | 24 | 9 | 145 |
| 23rd | 35 | 4125 | Anna Miller | Tess Crooks | Female | 24 | 20 | 18 | ‑25 | 22 | 18 | 21 | 23 | 146 |
| 24th | 49 | 55398 | Amber Hale | Sophie Hankins | Female | 27 | 21 | 27 | 26 | 26 | 23 | 20 | ‑29 | 170 |
| 25th | 57 | 55633 | Noa Moskovitch | Gabs Burlton | U17 Female | 26 | 22 | 21 | 21 | 31 | 25 | ‑33 | 30 | 176 |
| 26th | 18 | 55371 | Tanya Weighill | Patrick Hill | Open | 23 | 28 | 29 | (DNC) | 25 | 21 | 26 | 28 | 180 |
| 27th | 63 | 485 | Sabine Potter | Merle Nieuwland | U17 Female | (OCS) | 26 | 28 | 27 | 24 | 26 | 23 | 26 | 180 |
| 28th | 66 | 53703 | Tilly Brayshay | Jibriel Bostan | Open | 29 | 24 | 23 | 30 | 27 | 24 | (RDG) | 24 | 181 |
| 29th | 23 | 54418 | Rosie Sheahan | Susie Sheahan | U17 Female | 25 | (DNF) | DNC | 23 | 23 | 29 | 27 | 27 | 192 |
| 30th | 68 | 56383 | Lauren Hetherington | Emily Hetherington | Female | 21 | (DNF) | DNC | 29 | 32 | 30 | 22 | 25 | 197 |
| 31st | 91 | 55102 | Max Sweetman | Ethan Sparkes | U17 Open | 28 | 27 | 26 | 28 | ‑33 | 31 | 29 | 31 | 200 |
| 32nd | 60 | 51740 | Martha Christensen | Hayden Moore | Open | (DNC) | DNC | DNC | DNC | 28 | 27 | 28 | 21 | 218 |
| 33rd | 86 | 53959 | India Lance | Madeleine Greaves | U17 Female | 30 | (DNF) | 30 | 31 | 34 | 32 | 32 | 33 | 222 |
| 34th | 26 | 51341 | Eddie Paling | Eddie Quinn | U17 Open | (DNC) | DNC | DNF | DNF | 30 | 28 | 30 | 32 | 234 |
| 35th | 7 | 55634 | Eva Miller | Rose Edmonds | Female | (OCS) | DNC | DNC | DNC | DNC | DNC | DNC | DNC | 266 |
| 35th | 62 | 54849 | George Creasy | David Bromilow | Open | (DNC) | DNC | DNC | DNC | DNC | DNC | DNC | DNC | 266 |
| 35th | 48 | 56943 | Rory Gifford | William O'Keefe | U17 Open | (DNC) | DNC | DNC | DNC | DNC | DNC | DNC | DNC | 266 |