Results / RS Fat Face Racing Circuit Brixham YC - 12/06/2004
On June 12/13 26 RS400�s descended upon Brixham YC for the 4th event in
the 2004 RS Racing Circuit event Sponsored by Fat Face. Forecasts during
the prior week hadn�t looked promising, however everyone was pleased to
see a moderate breeze blowing out in the bay.
The black flag came into operation after the first aborted start of the
weekend, and remained in place for the remaining races. This prompted
the common sight of boats returning from a general recall to check who�d
been disqualified. The first race saw Mark and Jeremy Littlejohn take a
left hand shift on the first beat to lead at the first mark. However,
with a shifty NW breeze, place changes downwind were always going to be a
factor. Chris Jennings and Ed Nicklin made the most of the first run to
move into the lead, a position they maintained to the finish despite
pressure from Craig Burlton and Richard Brown, who finished second. Owen
Modral and Dave Ellis made a good recovery after a poor first beat to
finish 3rd.
The second race saw six boats disqualified as a result of black flag
infringements. Once again variations in wind strength and direction made
for some interesting tactical racing. During the initial stages of the
race Burlton/Brown and the Littlejohns battled for the lead. However the
final run produced an extremely close finish with Jennings/Nicklin
recovering from a mid fleet position at the first mark to win by less
than a boat length from the Littlejohns, with Burlton/Brown a further
boat length behind.
The breeze increased slightly for the final race of the day. Once more
the black flag caught out several boats, with three boats appearing on
the sinners list this time. Once underway the fleet battled it�s way up
to the first mark with some good close racing. Chris and Matt Bailey
(the Grims) led at the first mark, but were overtaken by Jennings/Nicklin
100 yards down the run. However it was Burtlon/Brown that led at the
first leeward mark, a lead they maintain to the finish. Tom Halhead and
Ruth Johnson sailed well to finish 2nd in their new boat, with
Jennings/Nicklin completing the top three. The fleet sailed ashore
having had a great day�s racing, and looking forward to the combined
party with the RS600 and RS200 fleets.
Saturday evening provided perhaps the most unique form of entertainment
ever experienced at an RS event. Brixham YC had laid on a BBQ, which was
followed by �entertainment by Lesley Presley�. There had been much
speculation as to what �Lesley Presley� might be, some of it printable.
And yes, he was an Elvis impersonator! Strangely it wasn�t until the
fleet had consumed copious amounts of alcohol that they fully appreciated
Lesley, but it was a great party!
Sunday dawned sunny and a few hangovers were evident around the boat
park. With not much wind in the bay the fleet was held ashore for about
1 hour before launching. Once afloat, the first attempt to start the
fourth race was sensibly aborted due to the wind dropping to zero with
two minutes to the start. This prompted more waiting around and moving
of the course within the bay until sufficient wind filled in for a race.
Eventually the fourth race was started in a variable force 1-2 from the
south. Modral/Ellis made the most of the conditions to win the race
followed by Halhead/Johnson, with Paul Hilliar and Toby Ashton recording
their best result of the weekend with a well-deserved third.
The fifth race of the weekend was started in similarly variable winds.
The first beat produced one of those scenarios where the middle didn�t
pay, but being at one of the corners did! Stuart Hudson and Claire
Cummings produced the perfect first beat coming in from the right hand
side to take an easy lead at the first mark, a lead they held to the
finish. Colin Smith and Amanda Pierpoint showed great light wind speed
to take second place with Andrew Fox and Simon Birchill posting their
best result of the weekend in third place.
With time moving on and the wind faltering the decision was taken to
cancel the final race, so the series results would be based on best 4
results from 5.
The final placing were very close with Jennings/Nicklin holding on to
their overnight lead to win with 13 points, Halhead/Johnson came second
only a point behind on 14 points, Modral/Ellis came third with 16 points
and Burlton/Brown fourth with 19 points. Smith/Pierpoint completed the
top five with 20 points
Thanks Brixham Yacht Club for their hospitality and excellent
organisation.
1st 1238 C.Jennings E.Nicklin BurghfiedSC 13 13
1 1 1 3 8 10
2nd 1240 T.Halhead R.Johnson Bristol CYC 15 14
2 8 6 2 2 4
3rd 1221 O. Smith D. Ellis Leeon Solent 26 16
3 3 27 6 1 6
4th 1215 C. Burlton R. Brown RYA 17 19 4
2 3 1 27 13
5th 1009 C.Smith A.Pieppoint Chichester YC 10 20 5
7 4 27 7 2
6th 1211 S. Hudson C. Cummings Spinnaker SC 20 22
6 9 27 8 4 1
7th 1174 M. Littlejohn J. Littlejohn Langinle 22 24
7 5 2 13 10 7
8th 1182 P. Jackson G. Barron Parkstone 25 26
8 12 8 5 5 8
9th 1128 S. Middleton C. Rowland Burghfied 21 31
9 6 27 7 6 12
10th 1051 A. Fox S. Burchill Leigh & lowton SC 5 34
10 11 11 9 13 3
11th 1121 P.Hilliar T.Ashton Frenshaw 14 35
11 18 12 11 3 9
12th 1228 G.Obrien M.Greaves Leigh & lowton SC 7
36 12 4 5 15 12 27
13th 1216 H. Roberts R. Salty Parkstone 24 45
13 27 27 4 9 5
14th 1201 B. Handley L. Handley Swanage SC 2 48
14 14 7 27 11 16
15th 1205 C. Bailey M. Bailey Bartley 19 48 15
13 9 10 16 17
16th 429 I Maclean C.Hunt Royal Forth Yc 11 50 16
10 27 12 14 14
17th 589 J.Downer J. Olden Gurnard SC 16 56
17 17 10 14 18 15
18th 944 W. Lord V. Lord Portchester 18 67 18 20
16 18 15 18
19th 950 N.Peacock S.Peacock Bartley 12 70 19
19 14 16 21 21
20th 913 M.Bloor J. Badman Queen Mary 3 71 20
16 27 27 17 11
21st 1200 J.Callaghan L'Dunn none 8 72 21 15
13 17 27 27
22nd 602 A. Harris M. Harris Chew Valley Lake SC 4
73 22 22 15 20 19 19
23rd 1096 T.Child B. Woodcock Dabchjicks 1 78 23
21 17 27 20 20
24th 732 G. Phare N. Schroeder B C S C 23 89 24
25 18 19 27 27
25th 522 C.Hitchman S.Roberts Bartley 6 91 25
23 19 22 27 27
26th 1147 J.Elder A.Robins QMSC 9 92 26 24
20 21 27 27