Results / Gul Sprint Championships Rutland SC - 15/06/2013

Rutland Sailing Club once again hosted the RS400 Sprint Championship, sponsored by Gul. Split into 2 flights, 15 RS400s completed 8 races in a punchy force 4-5 on Saturday. In flight A Howard Farbrother & Dan Martin showed their fleet some good form winning the first two races however Bill Kenyon & Ben Ditchburn and Keith Bedborough & Rich Brown got faster as the day progressed also counting race wins. In Flight B Paul Allen & Joe Hartigan and Ben Robertson & Tom Jeffcoat shared the majority of the race wins with Pete Vincent & Pete Cruickshank a close 3rd. Ben Robertson & Tom Jeffcoat were overnight leaders, with Paul Allen & Joe Hartigan and Howard Farbrother & Dan Martin a close 2nd and 3rd. After an evening sampling free beer kindly provided by one of the nationals sponsors Stewart Brewing, day two appeared (hazy for some) with lighter conditions and sunshine. The fleet was split into A and B and boats launched into a building south westerly breeze. The gold fleet enjoyed close racing with Keith Bedborough & Rich Brown, Paul Allen & Joe Hartigan and Howard Farbrother & Dan Martin all winning races. The round the ends general recall rule provided great entertainment for the silver fleet and in some cases a choice word or two was heard, how unusual for the 400 fleet! After 6 races Paul Allen & Joe Hartigan, counting 1,5,1,1,2,4, narrowly claimed victory on countback from the consistent Keith Bedborough & Rich Brown counting 6,2,2,2,1,1. Howard Farbrother & Dan Martin finished 3rd. In the silver fleet Andy Hatch & Daniel Hawkins dominated with a consistent scoreline of 1,2,1,2,1,2. Howard Eeles & James Griffiths finished 2nd ahead of fellow Bartley clubmates Caroline Whitehouse & Adam Whitehouse. At the prize giving competitors thanked Rutland Sailing Club for a brilliant event and especially the race officer and his team for running 98 starts with out a glitch! The RS400 fleet next visit the Royal North of Ireland YC for the Irish National Championship