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West Country Boat Repairs RS200 SW Ugly Tour at Exe Sailing Club

by John Teague 10 Sep 2023 22:19 PDT 9 September 2023

A forecast, that being completely honest, wasn't suggesting a champagne day's racing, certainly stunted the turnout at a very sunny Exmouth. However, eight boats did arrive to see whether the weather gods would arrive, and share Saturday's racing with the Contender National Championship.

After a postponement with the fleet held on shore, we were released, with the understanding we may well be getting towed out to the race area off of Dawlish Warren. With the wind building, the fleet made short work of the sail against the incoming tide and made it to the course area.

Race one started with a 4-5kt breeze, which held a remarkably steady direction all race. At the top of the first beat, John Teague/Naomi Pound from Bristol Corinthians came in close to the port lay to tack in front of James Williams/Catherine Sears from Chew Valley who themselves were just in front of Rose Robertson/Liz Mainwaring from Exe SC, and the rest of the fleet close behind on the starboard lay line. The second beat saw the wind build slightly, with both helm and crew on the side deck, not quite hiking, but a welcome feeling. The final run saw Teague/Pound hold a comfortable lead to the finish, with Robertson/Mainwaring closing the gap on second place but not quite enough to trouble Williams/Sears in second place.

This welcome breeze brought the Contenders out to play, and the fleet sat back to watch them start on the shared course. The breeze dropped slightly in their sequence, and with a 6kt lower wind limit and the beginnings of a right shift their start was cancelled and the 200s had a chance to show them some racing. Now with a big right bias as the wind shifted, the fleet got off the line and were fetching the mark, Williams/Sears leading the pack when ¼ of the way up the leg, the race was abandoned.

Ultimately this was the demise of racing, with the wind slowly disappearing and the Contenders being sent home, a sorry sight having yet to race on what was now the penultimate day of their championships. The 200 fleet hung around soaking up a few rays of sunshine or had a blast swimming around the RS200 diving platform, not a bad place to be on the hottest day of the year. A tow ashore followed, and whilst one completed race wasn't the best days racing you could wish for, or indeed enough for a proper series, it was a thoroughly enjoyable and worthwhile day on the water, ended by a well earned pint on the balcony overlooking a sunny Exe estuary.

Overall Results:

PosSail NoHelmCrewClubR1Pts
1st1365John TeagueNaomi PoundBristol Corinthian YC11
2nd1019James WilliamsCatherine SearsChew Valley Sailing Club22
3rd418Rosie RobertsonLiz MainwairingExe SC33
4th1586Anna CoxAngus BaileyExe SC44
5th1551Izzy CrampStuart JonesHooe Point SC55
6th1466Dave SweetAnna MasonChew Valley Lake SC66
7th461Charlotte CoxMegan GubbExe SCNSC9
7th1631Oscar GibbonsRosalia GibbonsExe SCNSC9

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