Results / Boll� RS300 Grand Prix Bough Beech SC - 27/04/2013

The RS300 fleet made a welcome return to Bough Beech SC on 28/28 April for the first of the 2013 Grand Prix Series sponsored by Bollé.

10 visitors from afar afield as Sheffield and the Isle of Wight, including a strong contingent from Aldenham SC and a few new faces bodes well for the class when the fair –weather regulars re-join the fleet later in the year.

Saturday - As the 300’s were joining in with the one day 200 open, it required an earlier start than usual to fit in 4 cracking races in a shifty Northerly hovering around the Force 3 mark. The PRO managed to fit in a trapezoid for the 300’s and wind/leeward for the 200’s on the same patch of water, resulting in a few interesting moments as we beat back through the 200’s leeward gate.

Racing was always close with many place changes as a result of the shifts and variable wind strength for the long run down the western shore, with Harry McVicar coming out of the traps quickest with 3 bullets on the bounce. Behind Harry, the quartet of Tim Keen, Pete Ellis, Mark Riddington and Martin Harrison regularly battled for the next 4 spots.

Saturday evening was spent at a very fine real ale pub on the recommendation of the BBSC locals, the forecast for Sunday was for a quieter day.

Sunday dawned with no wind, but with the prospect of an increasing SW’erly breeze by the afternoon, the fleet delayed the start of the planned 3 races to allow heads to clear and boats to be tinkered with.

The new wind direction brought different upwind tactics, with the left tending to benefit a shift off the dam wall. Again close racing, but the more consistent breeze that arrived in the afternoon enabled Martin Harrison to escape for a well deserved win in Race 6, and the same would have happened to Mark Riddington in Race 7 if he hadn’t threaded his extension between boom and clew outhaul during a gybe resulting in a capsize when clear ahead.