Results / Codling Bank Wind Park Irish Nationals Greystones SC - 11/10/2002

The RS400 class is in its infancy in Ireland but this did not stop 17 English boats travelling over to Ireland to join 11 home boats for the second RS400 Irish Nationals, sponsored by Codling Bank Wind Farm, Purple Marine and LDC Racing Sailboats. Greystones is a small seaside town 15 miles south of Dublin with a sea front that consists of the sailing club, then the chip shop (great curry chips), then Dan�s bar and then Life Night-club within half a mile (nearly heaven for self respecting sailors). It always promised to be a very top event with a group of sociable RS sailors determined to enjoy themselves, good sailing venue, Guinness, 4 of the top 10 from the British Nationals, Guinness, a dead friendly host club, Greg O Brien on a mission to get us all there and Guinness. Add in some of the most varied weather possible, Smirnoff Ice on draught, a great night-club that did not want to shut, a highly entertaining race officer, packed lunches brought onto the water for you, Guinness, the Brothers Grimm/John Callaghan on top form and a hosts that fell over themselves to make the event a success. Then the recipe was complete for a great �crack�. A rather hazy fleet gathered on Friday morning after varied ferry trips and the first visit to Club Death. The weather was not in a good mood with very low clouds, very heavy constant rain and a good force 5 from the South East. Eventually the fleet left the dry of the clubhouse and drowned rigging boats. On the water the fleet found huge lumpy things, which made down wind very fast and wet. When the first race started the run became a graveyard on up turned 400�s and 200�s. When the wind increased on the second lap, the clouds got lower and the rain even heavier (not possible!!) the PRO took the very wise decision to abandon racing and get the fleet ashore. With capsized boats already anchored and the crews taken off, volunteers were found ashore to help recover the boats. This was successfully done only after the combined talents of Jubby and Matt had pitch poled a 200 with 30 stone in the boat!!!!! Race 1 Charlie and Robin Horder crossed the fleet to lead at the Windward mark after starting on the wrong start line, however Charlie�s lead was short lived when the tacked on the second beat only to his tiller extension stuck inside his boom and capsized! Greg O�Brien & Heather King then took the led at the windward mark and held the lead for two laps, Nick Craig and Toby Lewis and Mike Budd with Arlene couch gybed at the Windward mark on the final run and found more breeze passing O�Brien, Craig led to the finish followed by Budd and O�Brien 1st Nick Craig & Toby Lewis - Frensham Pond S.C. 2nd Mike Budd & Arlene Couch - Leigh & Lowton S.C. 3rd Greg O'Brien & Heather King - Sutton S.C. Race 2 Craig dominated by leading from start to finish leaving Budd and O�Brien in second and third. 1st Nick Craig & Toby Lewis - Frensham Pond S.C. 2nd Mike Budd & Arlene Couch - Leigh & Lowton S.C. 3rd Greg O'Brien & Heather King - Sutton S.C. Race 3 Again Craig took the lead and held to the finish, there was a tight battle for second and third, Budd held second until the final run when mixed up with the RS200�s ran out of breeze on the left, O�Brien had held on to the right gybed and just crossed Budd to take second place 1st Nick Craig & Toby Lewis - Frensham Pond S.C. 2nd Greg O'Brien & Heather King - Sutton S.C. 3rd Mike Budd & Arlene Couch - Leigh & Lowton S.C. Race 4 Mark Greaves and Alan Woosey led at the first mark followed by adopted local sailors Bill and Linda Handley. Budd, O�Brien and Craig all gybe set at the mark and blasted downwind to catch the leaders, Budd took the lead by the leeward mark followed by Greaves and Handley. Craig worked his way upto third on the beat. Greaves and Handley gybed early and ran out of breeze allowing O�Brien passed to take third with Greaves in fourth and Handley dropping to seventh allowing Alex Southern with Demo Dave and David Shiel with Gerard Baron passed . 1st Mike Budd & Arlene Couch - Leigh & Lowton S.C 2nd Nick Craig & Toby Lewis - Frensham Pond S.C. 3rd Greg O'Brien & Heather King - Sutton S.C. Race 5 Alex Southern with Demo Dave navigating banged the left and took the lead at first mark by some 50 boat lengths followed by O�Brien and Craig. Southern gybed early and looked buried with no wind and he had no realised that his mainsail was inverted. Craig got inside O�Brien and both crossed behind Southern who had found breeze again. On the final beat both Craig and O�Brien passed Southern. On the final run to the finish Craig sailed towards the wrong leeward mark allowing O�Brien to gybe inside, however Craig realised his mistake just in time to keep � boat length in front to take the gun. 1st Nick Craig & Toby Lewis - Frensham Pond S.C. 2nd Greg O'Brien & Heather King - Sutton S.C. 3rd Alex Newton Southern & Dave Merchant - Hayling Island Sailing Club Race 6 was postponed on Sunday until 12.30pm when a light breeze filled in from the North West. The fleet split with O'Brien, Budd and Craig heading left whilst the Racing Snake - John Callaghan and Mel Patterson battered the right hand corner to lead round the 1st mark to a great cheer from the rest of the fleet.2nd round was Mike Bartlett and Stuart Jagger from Bartley closely followed by O'Brien. Bartlett and Jagger gybed off early and ran out of Breeze, Budd and Craig rounded in slightly more pressure and were able to sail inside O'Brien and Callaghan. By the end of the long run Craig led from Budd and O'Brien. Positions were maintained until the end of the following Beat, Craig gybed off, Budd and O'Brien carried on, Budd then gybed away followed by O'Brien, Budd and O'Brien crossed Craig half way down the run only for Craig and his superior speed to cross both again to take the lead, these positions were then maintained to the finish. On the final run the wind died and Mark Reddington with Phil Scott who had been 4th all the way round dropped to 6th allowing David Shiel with Gerard Baron into 4th and JP McCaldin with Steven Leqsk into 5th 1st Nick Craig & Toby Lewis - Frensham Pond S.C. 2nd Mike Budd & Arlene Couch - Leigh & Lowton S.C. 3rd Greg O'Brien & Heather King - Sutton S.C.