Results / East Lothian East Lothian - 05/05/2001

GUL RS RACING CIRCUIT HEADS TO SCOTLAND AND HAS A STORMING EVENT. The GUL RS Racing Circuit event has seen some remarkable events but it is difficult to remember a better event then the one held at East Lothian YC, North Berwick on May 5/6. Glorious sunshine, not a cloud in the sky, great sailing water, spot on race management, good sea sailing, a really sociable clubs, good breezes, no gap at all between races, stacks of accommodation within staggering distance of the club, a prize giving held very quickly after racing, picturesque scenery, no silly licensing hours, Puffins and free ice cream as you pulled your boat up the ramp!!! Add in RS sailors enjoying themselves to the full and it was difficult to work out what could be improved on. On both courses the race officers laid excellent courses and managed the great feat of causing very mild discomfort for the competitors by turning races round so quickly that no one had enough time to get the Mars bars out!! Saturday saw good sunshine and light winds in the morning but Race Officer Jim Sinclair was spot on with his predicted sea breeze from Bass Rock, which slowly built all day so the majority of the racing was held in a force 3-4 from the east with some good waves. Sunday saw totally clear blue skies, again a sea breeze set in although staying down around a force 2-3. RS400's The 400's produced the largest fleet and most competitive fleet with action packed racing to a high standard. A relatively short course gave some spectacular leeward marks!! Nick Craig and Keith Bedborough gave an absolute master class in boat handling, up wind speed and tactics to convincingly win five races. Always in the first five at every first windward mark, even when Keith was calling the tactics, the pair showed good speed on the run in the lighter airs; not always their greatest strength. The only boat to beat them was Tony Woods and Amanda Pierpoint who led the first race on Sunday at the first mark and sailed with great determination to hold off Craig in the later stages of the race. Several other boats sailed well to push Craig and Bedborough but the pair always had the answer. Former Enterprise World Champion Stewart Robertson, with his 14 year old son Ben crewing, was very consistent with results of 3.2.5 on both days. Ian Ellis and Clare Buchan, from four hours north of North Berwick, showed true boat speed all weekend, almost catching Craig on the final run of the first race, to claim third overall. They also kept the fleet entertained with some very interesting mark rounding manoeuvres!! The power boat of Charlie Duchesne/Dan Sanders scored 5.3.3 on Saturday but were having a poor Sunday until a final race third rescued fourth overall. Bill and Lynda Handley were a touch erratic but two fine second places gave them sixth overall and unusually a prize for the couple who are almost always finish one place out of the prizes. Next weekend the GUL RS Racing Circuit moves to the other end of the country with the 300/600/800's at Stokes Bay and the 200/400's at Lee on Solent. It should be a monster event.