Please select your home edition
Edition

Noble Marine RS400 National Championship 2024 at Royal Torbay Yacht Club - Day 2

by Charlie Exley, Dave Exley and Hamish Gledhill 20 Aug 12:21 PDT 19-23 August 2024

OMG! Broken! So we though yesterday was big, well today was undoubtedly bigger, and three races. The fleet started early to get three races in and everyone had great slipway etiquette to get launched with German efficiency.

Race 2: Two general recalls brought the black flag out of the locker and then everyone was well behaved. The fleet pounded their way up the first beat into a solid offshore westerly F5 gusting 6, with a sharp chop. The majority of the fleet headed right, Oli and Esther came in from hard left, all congregated at the windward mark together. The shifts were coming in hard and fast downwind, with big gains to be made for those hooking into the 30 degree shifting gusts. In the end Ian and Chris Martin (Burghfield) made the best of the tactical choices and won from Edd Whitehead and Ben Whaley (Parkstone) and Oli and Esther (Bever SC) in third.

Race 3: Up the first beat pretty much the whole fleet headed out to the left hand side of the course. If you managed to hold your lane then you could get out to the front as the fleet rounded the first windward mark. With a few leaders to follow, once again the fleet grouped together to steam down the course on starboard. As the racing continued, the wind picked up something different and the shifts kept coming in fast. Waves picked up and masts went down as the race came to an end with a second win from Ian and Chris Martin (Burghfield SC). A great race from Niall Houston and George Zavos (HISC) after a rough start to the week through no fault of their own (snapped boom). Third place once again to the ever-consistent Ollie and Ester.

Race 4: The last race got away on the second attempt under a U flag. By now the wind was blowing consistent F6 with larger gusts, and the sailors were relieved to see only a 2-lap race, although the windward mark was set a bit further up wind closer to the shore resulting in shifty gusty conditions approaching the windward mark. The downhill ride was quick with pressure down the left-hand side of the course, benefiting those that gybed early. There were casualties throughout the fleet from front to back for those that didn't nail their gybes. By the top of the last beat there was that feeling of just one more leg to survive, but again more were caught out. Oli and Esther showed consistency taking the bullet followed by Sam Knight and Chris Bownes from Lyme Regis SC in second, with Sam Watson and Darren Roach (Nantwich SC) taking third.

Overall, after the second day the scores are tight with only four points separating the top 3.

All to play for tomorrow, with another 3 races scheduled!

Results after Day 2:

PosSail NoDivisionHelmCrewClubR1R2R3R4Pts
1st1526GoldOllie GrovesEsther ParkhurstBeaver SC2‑3316
2nd1538GoldIan MartinChris MartinBurghfield SC811(DNC)10
3rd1541GoldEdd WhiteheadBen WhaleyParkstone YC12‑10710
4th1504GoldSam KnightChris BownesLyme Regis SC7‑114213
5th1555GoldJon GorringeToby LewisParkstone YC448‑916
6th1550GoldJack HoldenRob HendersonChichester YC‑1377418
7th1528GoldChristopher EamesRachel TilleyQMSC3‑1451119
8th1414GoldSam WatsonDarren RoachNantwich SC‑1289320
9th1553GoldHoward FarbrotherJack MunnellyLymington Town SC106‑15521
10th1535GoldTom HalheadPaul HilliarLlandegfedd SC9(DNC)6621
11th1460GoldDave ExleyAlistair CoatesLeigh & Lowton SC5‑1514827
12th1511GoldHamish GledhillRoss SouthwellWest Riding SC11512‑1728
13th1463GoldStewart RobertsonSarah RobertsonRoyal Forth YC61013(DNC)29
14th1500GoldNick CraigAdam CraigBurghfield SC/Frensham1412‑201238
15th1502GoldJon HeissigNicky GriffinLlangorse SC19‑26111040
16th1210SilverNiall HoustonGeorge ZavosHISC(DNC)2721544
17th1479GoldChris WebberNicki WebberPevensey Bay SC1516‑281344
18th1480SilverAndy JeffriesAllyson JeffriesEastbourne Sovereign SC161718(DNC)51
19th1455SilverGarry KnottJohn TailbyNotts County SC(DNC)9291452
20th1239SilverPaul CullenMatt SargentWeirwood SC‑2019171652
21st1461SilverCharlie ExleyCaroline ExleyLeigh & Lowton SC‑2318161953
22nd1557GoldPaul SmalleyAnna KerslakeChew Valley Lake SC221321(DNC)56
23rd1SilverRoss RyanAmy Hinsliff‑SmithNotts County SC212122(DNC)64
24th506SilverAlex ZamariaAlice HarperSaltash SC26‑29192065
25th690SilverJeremy StephensThomas KliskeyPenzance SC‑2524241866
26th695SilverJake WillarsNicola WillarsNotts County SC‑2723232167
27th1324SilverRichard WatneyGrant ShoebridgeHISC2425‑272271
28th1377SilverNeil BevingtonAlan SkeensLee on Solent SC1720(DNF)DNC74
29th1469GoldMartin PowellArun PowellParkstone YC183026(DNF)74
30th517SilverMax BurrowsAmy BurrowsRutland SC28(DNC)252376
31st1376SilverTim Le CouilliardJames Le CouilliardKing George SC(DNC)22DNFDNC96
32nd1287SilverJames BowmanAndrew GladstoneStarcross YC(DNF)2831DNC96
33rd1220SilverJohn CooperMatthew WrightBurghfield SC/Thorney Island SC(DNF)3130DNC98
34th411GoldFigs CainBarney DearslyStarcross YC(DNC)DNCDNCDNC111
34th1328SilverSteve PeatJonathan CarrStarcross YC(DNF)DNCDNFDNC111
34th1487SilverAndrew BraySarah BevingtonLee on Solent SC(DNS)DNFDNCDNC111

Related Articles

RS400 Inland Championship at Grafham
The race team did an outstanding job of cranking out the races at an amazing pace Grafham laid on a fantastic forecast of 12 knots and glorious sunshine for day 1 of the RS400 Inland Championships, sponsored by Rooster Sailing. The RS400s shared the lake with the RS200s and RS500s, who also contested their inland championships. Posted on 7 Oct
RS400 Trident UK Northern Tour at Bass
During the Great Northern Asymmetric Challenge 20 RS400s gathered for the last leg of the 2024 Trident UK Northern Tour at Bassenthwaite Sailing Club over the weekend of 21/22 May. Posted on 24 Sep
13th Great North Asymmetric Challenge
Sixty-nine boats from as far afield as Scotland, Wales and the South Coast Sixty-nine boats from as far afield as Scotland, Wales and the South Coast landed on Bassenthwaite's sunny shores for the 13th Great North Asymmetric Challenge, sponsored once again by Trident UK. Posted on 23 Sep
Irish RS Southerns at Killaloe
200 and 400 fleets let down by Saturday's weather Over 7th & 8th September Killaloe Sailing Club hosted the RS400 & RS200 Southerns. 21 boats entered the competition with boats travelling from Galway, Cullaun, Antrim, Cultra, Whitehead, Strangford Lough and a great big contingent from Blessington. Posted on 11 Sep
RS400 Northern Tour at Notts County
Fifteen boats are frustrated by a lack of reliable wind A gentle force 2 north/north westerly greeted seven travelling and eight home boats to Notts County Sailing Club for the 2024 iteration of the annual open meeting as part of the RS400 Northern Tour. Posted on 10 Sep
RS400 Nationals at Torquay overall
Edd Whitehead and Ben Whaley were crowned champions After a magnificent week at Royal Torbay Yacht Club, Edd Whitehead and Ben Whaley were crowned Noble Marine RS400 National Champions 2024. Posted on 25 Aug
RS400 Nationals at Torquay Day 3
Torbay flattered to deceive After Tuesday's shenanigans, Wednesday dawned relatively sedate, with a moderate 12 to 15 knots and sunshine welcoming the weary competitors down to the pier. Posted on 22 Aug
RS400 Nationals at Torquay Day 1
The calm before the storm seems the best way to describe the weekend The calm before the storm seems the best way to describe the weekend; with Royal Torbay Yacht Club proving excellent hosts as competitors arrived in various states of preparedness. Posted on 19 Aug
RS400 Nationals buddy groups and fleet allocations
Sailors arriving in Torbay will get a designated boat parking space, next to their buddy Most RS400 sailors will know that at the Nationals, we put every boat into a Buddy Group, to help newer RS400 sailors feel welcome, as well as make it easier to ask questions and share knowledge. Posted on 14 Aug
RS400 Nationals runners and riders
Less than a week until event begins It's been an incredible sporting summer so far, and it looks set to continue with two of the UK's biggest sporting events kicking off over the weekend: the 30th RS400 national championships and the return of the Premier League! Posted on 13 Aug