Rooster RS Tera UK Inland Championships at Rutland Sailing Club

by Simon Lomas-Clarke 20 Sep 2022 04:49 PDT 10-11 September 2022

The UK RS Tera fleet gathered at Rutland Sailing Club for their Inland Championships 2022. It was great to be back at Rutland in its beautiful setting and a good to see an Inland sailing area not significantly affected by the drought conditions, even though it looked as if the tide was out!

On Saturday the forecast of a good 12-15 knots held true with gains and losses to be made across the course. The northerly direction limited Race Officer David Rowlands' options and with the windward mark laid close to the shore, sailor's tactical skills were going to be tested. Respects were paid to the late Queen Elizabeth II at the briefing and all sailors flew black ribbons from the masthead throughout the regatta.

The respect sailors showed to each other and to circumstances was very impressive.

On the racecourse and in the first race of the Pro fleet Olly Stratton-Brown started keen to retain his Inland Championship title but was closely chased by Frensham Pond club mate Tristan Harding and Jack Bew from Docklands Sailing. These three built a sizeable gap to the rest of the field. A windward capsize by Olly due to some over-zealous kiting let Tristan slip through to take the win in his first championship race in a Tera Pro. Olly recovered well to finish second.

For the rest of the day, Olly managed the race and his competitors and didn't give anyone else a look-in to take three wins. At the end of the day Tristan managed to stay in second by one point from Jack Bew who posted two seconds in races 2 and 3.

Rooster RS Tera UK Inland Championships at Rutland - photo © Emma Wison

In the Sport fleet Thomas Whitehead continued his 2022 form to take the first race followed by brother Daniel and Will Stratton-Brown (do you see a family theme going on here). The shifty conditions seemed to favour the left side up the beat but there were gains to be had all over the course if you were in the right place on the right tack and the right time.

Cass Day and Zoe Lomas-Clarke were all sailing well and scoring low points. By the end of the day, counting two wins and a third Thomas had built a good lead. 2 points separated 2nd and 6th so Sunday was heading for a top of the table showdown in the Sport fleet.

A great Saturday night hog-roast and a bit of volleyball finished the day off nicely.

Rooster RS Tera UK Inland Championships at Rutland - photo © Emma Wison

On Sunday morning a light mist and a flat calm lake greeted sailors while they tucked into their bacon rolls. The race officer trusted his light wind forecast and sent the fleets on their slow sail out to the race area on time. A shift to a southerly wind from the previous day gave sailors something new to think about as racing got under way in a reasonable 8 knots.

In the Pro fleet the light conditions suited the Frensham Pond pair of Olly Stratton-Brown and Tristan Heading as they traded firsts and seconds all day. However, with two races to spare, Olly had the Inland title. Tristan took victory in the last race to secure second. Excelling in the very light conditions Macsen Barber's late charge with a first and third weren't enough to beat Jack Bew who in his last regatta in a Tera retained third position overall.

The Sport fleet's charge to catch Thomas Whitehead commenced under black flag, a hangover from some over-eager starting tactics the day before. The light and fickle breeze took a bit of getting used to for Thomas and high scores in the first two races opened the door for the chasing peloton. Cass Day capitalised with a win in the first two races to move into first.

Rooster RS Tera UK Inland Championships at Rutland - photo © Ed Caldecott

Going into the final race it was all very close. Thomas's win in the third race (but still with a big score counting), left Cass in the lead Zoe Lomas-Clarke in second after two third places in the first races of the day (up from 6th at the end of the first day). The second discard counting after the 8th and final race meant that Cass had to beat Thomas by more than one place and finish in the top 8 to win.

With the wind dropping to around 5 knots, onlookers on the shore were eager to see if the fleet would re-appear from round the headland on the upwind leg of the final race. Or would they be heading for the short having been abandoned? While the RO waited for the wind to settle the time-limit for the start of the last race was approaching.

Rooster RS Tera UK Inland Championships at Rutland - photo © Artur Dembinski

As the fleet appeared up the beat in the eighth race, conditions were testing. Thomas Whitehead kept his nerve to finish the race in second with Cass in fifth earning Thomas the title.

Congratulations go to Olly Stratton-Brown for retaining the RS Tera Pro Inland Championship title and to Tristan Harding for second place in his first regatta in the Pro. A great result for Jack Bew in conditions that didn't suit his stature was a great way to conclude his career in the Tera.

Thomas Whitehead as the new RS Tera Sport Inland Champion continues to build on some good results in 2022 but needs to look out for the young Cass Day who is charging up the results table and is already knocking on the door. It won't be long before we see him at the top of the podium.

Rooster RS Tera UK Inland Championships at Rutland - photo © Richard Harding

With five boats posting top ten finishes across the Sport and Pro fleets, Frensham Pond Sailing Club took the club trophy in style.

With big smiles ever present, the Train and Race Regatta fleet spent a great weekend learning race techniques in ideal conditions with Class Coach Dylan and they all received a big cheer at prize-giving.

Next stop for the RS Tera Fleet is the End of Season Championships at Draycote SC on 15th/16th October. See you all there.

For all Tera related activity in the UK, check out www.rstera.org.uk

Rooster RS Tera UK Inland Championships at Rutland - photo © Richard Harding

PRO Rig Results:

Pos	Sail no	Helm	Club	R1	R2	R3	R4	R5	R6	R7	R8	Pts
1st	2392	Oliver Stratton‑Brown	FPSC	‑2	1	1	1	1	2	‑3	2	8
2nd	3580	Tristan Harding	FPSC	1	‑3	3	‑4	2	1	2	1	10
3rd	2372	Jack Bew	Docklands Sailing and WC	4	2	2	6	3	8	‑12	‑13	25
4th	3766	Macsen Barber	Dale Yacht Club	3	‑16	5	3	13	‑15	1	3	28
5th	3091	Theo Smith	Rutland SC	5	6	4	2	‑11	‑14	6	8	31
6th	4331	Olivia Dembinska	Ullswater YC	‑16	‑14	12	10	5	4	4	5	40
7th	2442	Nina Marsh	Neyland Yacht Club	‑14	7	‑14	7	12	7	5	4	42
8th	2837	Matthew Knowles	Bolton SC	7	4	9	11	7	‑16	7	‑12	45
9th	1874	Will Ahlheid	Frensham Pond SC	9	5	6	‑13	6	11	‑13	9	46
10th	1921	Lewis Gordon	Scaling Dam Sailing Club	‑17	11	‑18	9	4	5	14	7	50
11th	2842	Howard Finn	Great Moor Sailing Club	6	‑19	7	12	‑19	3	10	14	52
12th	3656	Annabelle Hacker	Rutland SC	11	9	8	8	‑20	10	‑17	6	52
13th	2456	Annabel Caldecott	Rutland	‑12	10	11	5	‑18	9	8	11	54
14th	2637	Henry Bullen	Bassenthwaite SC	8	8	10	‑15	8	13	‑19	15	62
15th	3421	Alice Edwards	Burton SC	10	13	13	‑17	10	6	11	‑16	63
16th	2170	Willow Osborn	HBSC	‑18	12	16	‑21	9	17	15	10	79
17th	3566	Gabriel Tierney	Thorpe Bay Yacht Club	13	‑17	17	14	14	12	16	‑18	86
18th	2302	Luke Markey	TBYC	15	18	15	‑19	15	‑20	9	17	89
19th	3037	Holly Cole	Thorpe Bay Yacht Club	‑20	15	19	‑20	17	19	18	19	107
20th	2160	John Gillies	Thorpe Bay Yacht Club	‑22	20	‑21	18	16	18	20	20	112
21st	3251	Ruby Allen	Thorpe Bay Yacht Club	21	‑22	‑22	16	21	21	21	21	121
22nd	2146	Katie Robinson	Rutland	19	21	20	22	(DNC)	(DNC)	DNC	DNC	128

Rooster RS Tera UK Inland Championships at Rutland - photo © Richard Harding

Sport Rig Results:

Pos	Sail no	Helm	Club	R1	R2	R3	R4	R5	R6	R7	R8	Pts
1st	4401	Thomas Whitehead	Filey Sailing Club	1	6	3	1	‑11	‑16	1	2	14
2nd	112	Cassius Day	Gurnard SC	4	1	4	‑9	1	1	4	‑5	15
3rd	3496	Zoe Lomas‑Clarke	Frensham Pond SC	5	4	2	‑10	3	3	5	‑14	22
4th	4402	Daniel Whitehead	Filey Sailing Club	2	2	‑7	6	2	7	‑11	6	25
5th	2348	William Stratton‑Brown	FPSC	3	5	1	7	‑10	‑18	2	8	26
6th	2259	Jude Beatty	Rutland sailing club	6	‑10	6	5	5	2	‑10	3	27
7th	3585	Luke Rowlands	Rutland SC	‑11	3	5	2	6	6	7	‑10	29
8th	3917	Matthew Boatman	Sunderland Yacht Club	8	‑13	8	4	4	‑11	3	7	34
9th	2459	Mark Soars	Frensham Pond Sailing Club	‑14	9	13	12	‑20	9	9	1	53
10th	1885	Ben Angell	Draycote Water SC	9	8	10	16	‑27	5	‑20	9	57
11th	3159	Laia Priestley	Ullswater YC	12	7	9	‑13	9	8	‑15	13	58
12th	4343	Molly Wilson	Filey Sailing Club	‑19	12	12	3	13	13	16	‑18	69
13th	3897	Fallon Day	Gurnard SC	‑18	17	14	‑24	8	10	18	4	71
14th	1807	Isla Mckeown	Gresford	7	11	18	11	12	‑26	23	‑24	82
15th	4185	Megan Gowers	Port Dinorwic Sailing Club	13	15	19	18	7	‑25	‑26	12	84
16th	1389	Aggie Priestley	Ullswater YC	17	‑25	15	‑19	17	15	6	16	86
17th	1038	Bailey Angus	FPSC	‑29	14	20	23	‑28	4	19	19	99
18th	4354	Zach Williamson	Ripon SC	‑24	‑21	21	8	21	17	13	21	101
19th	3606	George Garner	Frensham Pond SC	‑27	24	‑26	15	25	22	8	11	105
20th	3479	Monty Mawditt	Thorpe Bay Yacht Club	20	16	‑24	17	‑23	19	14	23	109
21st	3091	Gabriel Beatty	Rutland Sailing club	15	23	16	‑25	18	20	22	‑25	114
22nd	2851	Maisie Butler‑Smith	Frensham Pond Sailing Club	22	22	17	22	‑26	‑24	17	15	115
23rd	2067	Florence Osborne	Thorpe Bay	10	27	‑34	21	14	27	28	‑31	127
24th	4303	Thies Schuerch	Rutland SC / Hykeham SC	16	20	22	20	24	‑29	25	‑26	127
25th	676	Finlay Appleton	Brightlingsea	‑31	19	23	27	‑31	12	30	22	133
26th	1921	Archie Denley	Bolton	23	18	‑29	‑30	22	23	21	29	136
27th	2987	Charlotte Caldecott	Rutland	28	‑30	11	28	19	‑32	27	28	141
28th	3137	Jack Dell	Thorpe Bay	25	28	28	‑31	‑32	21	12	30	144
29th	1906	Esme Hastell	Middle Nene / Rutland SC	‑32	31	31	14	15	31	24	‑33	146
30th	2644	Dylan Curts	Rutland Sailing club	26	26	25	26	‑33	‑30	29	17	149
31st	1668	Nuala Angus	FPSC	‑34	‑32	32	32	30	14	31	20	159
32nd	3855	Harry Bew	Docklands Sailing and WC	30	29	27	‑34	16	28	‑34	32	162
33rd	1638	Amelia Caldecott	Rutland	21	‑33	30	29	29	‑34	32	27	168
34th	3654	Daisy Floyd	Thorpe Bay Yacht Club	33	‑34	33	33	‑34	33	33	34	199
35th	2511	Henry Reed	Starcross Yacht Club	(DNC)	(DNC)	DNC	DNC	DNC	DNC	DNC	DNC	216