RS Sprints come of age

Perfect conditions, F3-4 and bright sunshine greeted a record turnout of twenty RS400s, continuing this year’s upward trend in RS400 numbers. Two days of short, sharp, sprints around 7 buoys, progressively sneaking left across the lake to finish few hundred metres from the start: two upwinds, two spreader legs, two downwinds, 15mins from start to finish, no discards and lots of fun. Twenty rs400s were split into three matched flights, three minutes apart, top half in each flight to qualify for the Gold finals on Sunday, the less robust to go into the Silver finals.

A seemingly simple formula – what could possibly go wrong? The great organisation skills of the PRO and his team made it appear deceptively simple, with confusion limited to the minds of some contestants, with a few buoy errors and big shifts contributing to lots of place changing and some extremely competitive racing on the biggest Sprints course yet. Four back to back races in the morning were enough to iron out the principles, and hammer home the (loud) application of rule 18 on starboard leeward mark roundings.

On coming ashore to sample the traditionally glorious Rutland flapjacks, it emerged that one boat had been sailing in the wrong flight all morning, which managed to get them a string of bullets, due to them “starting” with an unassailable 3minute advantage! There is no truth in the rumour that it was the crew of a rival boat that detected the late arrival of a certain Sam Parker, and then proceeded on a campaign of rather successful misinformation. The clerical error was swiftly remedied, with Michael Simms and Elaine Marsh (Carsington/Port Dinorwic) restored to the top of their flight.

Four more intense races followed, with the wind building to a steady Force 4, and the sun beating down on a packed race course. Races completed, the slightly weary boats headed ashore to partake of Rutland hospitality, and await the morning. 

Day two - six races back to back, ten boats, a solid F4, sun, and an even more competitive gold fleet, and - worrying - no discards.

Race One, and it was the home combo of Fiona and Steve Tylecote (Rutland SC) who showed early pace in the distinctive red hull of 861, from Chris and Dan “the Lever” Martin (Burghfield SC) in 1236, and Mike Hart & Sally Kilpatrick (Port Dinorwic SC) in 1082, coming down the final run it was looking like a glory run for the Tylecotes, right until Howard Farbrother and Nathan Pinch (Queen Mary SC) in 1251 came sneakily through using their own private patch of wind off to the right while no-one was looking.        

Race Two and it was the recently crowned Irish Champion Alex Fleming and Joe Hartigan (Leigh & Lowton SC) in 1172 who managed to break clear, followed by Hart/Kilpatrick, and the Tylecotes with the pack snapping at their heels. The wind was providing some interesting curve-balls with 20 degree shifts, and bends that favoured first one side, then the other. Taking advantage of this Farbrother/Pinch managed to work through and take Race 2, from Fleming/Hartigan and Hart/Kilpatrick.

Race Three, and the Martins shot up the beat rounded ahead and vanished into the distance leaving the rest to chase. An interesting bend made the port layline a simultaneously popular, yet queasily unpleasant place to be and ensured much lively discussion. Much place changing later, it was Nick Simmons and Louise Hosken (Weston SC) in 1134 that followed the Martins home, taking 2^nd place, with a three way battle for 3^rd resolved on the last buoy with the untried but high pedigree combination of Simms/Marsh in 1328 taking the line, leaving the event wide-open again.

Race Four, and yet another leader. James George / Simon Kinsey (Queen Mary SC) in 1139 finally did what they’d been threatening (quite loudly) to do all day, rounded ahead and got clear with another port layline conference opportunity ensuring that they were never caught. Farbrother/Pinch took second and Hart/Kilpatrick 3^rd, despite the quite frankly desperate attempts of Fleming/Hartigan who took the unprecedented manoeuvre of seeing if the boat went faster without the crew. Experiment concluded. Clearly it didn’t. Credit due to Simmons/Hosken in 1134 who spoiled the experiment by picking up the struggling Joe before crossing the line.

Race Five, and fatigue was starting to show despite the champagne conditions on offer, apart from the Martins that is, and the legend that is the Tylecotes, and the rapidly improving Fleming/Hartigan combo, who came in 1^st, 2^nd and 3^rd respectively.

Race Six, the last race of the day. Any one of three boats were in the running. The Martins made their intentions clear and once again shot off, with Fleming/Hartigan in hot pursuit. Farbrother/Pinch gradually cleared the pursuing pack led by Simms/Marsh, and started to close the gap on Fleming/Hartigan. On the last leg Fleming/Hartigan crossed 1251 ahead and looked like they’d hold it, but for a timely gust that let Farbrother/Pinch dial down and snaffle 2^nd place by the thickness of a gnats unmentionables. The Gul Sprints were over. Howard Farbrother and Nathan Pinch of Queen Mary were 2009 Gul Sprint Champions. Chris and Dan Martin of Burghfield took 2^nd overall, and Alex Fleming/Joe Hartigan of Leigh & Lowton in third place.

Sundays silver fleet was also closely fought... despite a couple of 'ringers' (i.e. former RS400 national champion crews).  With a bigger course than saturday and shifts all over the place and a building breeze it was a fantastic few hours of racing.  Awesome practice on starts/tacks/gybes/tactics/swimming/shouting/trawling/planing etc etc - basically it was an awesome session on the water.  Race wins were shared between Parker/Jagger and Brown/Bedborough - with Eeles/Staite closely snapping away in third position. The whole fleet was close during the races, with each boat taking some glory along the way, and also wondering why the course and the positions turned inside out with the shifts so often.  The race officer did a top job to get 6 races away so efficiently and the big grins (and weary sailors) after the blast home to shore made all the upwind slogs worthwhile!

 A great event and great way to hone those one-on-one skills. The RS Sprints have come of age. See you next year!