Results / Fat Face Racing Circuit Hayling Island SC - 23/09/2006

Final RS200 Fat Face Racing Circuit event of the season at Hayling Island SC. Hayling Island SC laid on some glorious un-seasonal late September weather for the final RS200 Fat Face Racing Circuit of the season on Sept 24/25. Clear blue skies and warm sunshine were the order of the day, Saturday saw a fine force 3-4 and almost champagne conditions; Sunday and the wind was a couple of knots lighter fading for the final race. A bumper fleet of 58 RS200�s turned up, a record entry for a circuit event after the Nationals, often a period that attracts low turnouts. The final Fat Face also attracted a very high calibre fleet with seven of the top ten from the Nationals competing. The nine event Fat Face circuit has been hotly contested all season and all the overall positions were going down to the wire to be decided at Hayling. Paul Goodwin and Helen Williamson sailed a careful series keeping a very close eye on their archrivals for the Bronze division, Charlie and Jane Muir-Sands. The Muir-Sands had to score a top result at Hayling to win the bronze division, the rumoured luff of his opponent over the line into OCS black flag trouble by Goodwin in the final race of the day was the talk of the bar on Saturday night and gave him a good overnight cushion. Meanwhile of less importance the front of the fleet was also having some close racing. Tom and Jo Hewitson were on fire with a 1.1.4 score but even this only gave them a point lead after day one over Geoff Carveth/Fiona Clark carrying on their fine consistent form from the Nationals. Ian Pickard/Loopy Lucy Matthews were the star turn of the day with a fine 2.6.2 score in a foggy haze. Sunday saw the Hewitsons and Goodwin/Williamson keep up their fine ruthless form. Tom and Jo won the event with a race to spare with 1.2 in the first two races. With this they also confirmed overall victory in the Fat Face Circuit from David Giles and Kita Carpenter. Carveth/Clark were second overall, Pickard/Matthews conclusively proved they sail poorly after a sober evening and plenty of sleep but just did enough to finish third overall from Jon Lewis/bouncy Emma Clark; funny enough this also just gave them third in the circuit from Lewis and KT Nichol. Back at the main event of the weekend, the fight for bronze. The Muir- Sands beat Goodwin/Williamson in two of the races but by only small margins and Goodwin won the bronze division at Hayling in 32nd with Neil Chadborn/Lucy Hall in 35th and the Muir-Sands in 36th. To his relief this gave Goodwin the bronze division on the circuit. Martin Penty/Jeremy Collins from Beaver had already won the Fat Face circuit silver division. At Hayling Sam Littlejohn/James Stewart sailed a stormer scoring two fourth places to claim 9th overall and top silver division boat. Will Storey/Pete Franklin�s second place in the silver division at Hayling also gave them second in the silver division on the circuit. It�s onto the GUL Inlands at Draycote on Oct 6/7 for the RS200 fleet. With a 100 boat fleet expected everyone must pre enter, entry forms can be printed off the Association website www.rs-association.com and a completed form along with cheque must be posted by Saturday.