Results / Volvo RS300 UK National Championships Stokes Bay SC - 26/09/2013

ROLLING BACK THE YEARS

Steve Cockerill hasn’t been in a 300 since 2007 but it was like he’d never been away after day 1 of the Volvo RS300 Nationals at Stokes Bay SC.

Race 1 was run in a 10 knot easterly with a flooding tide. The trick was to start at the committee boat end of the line, tack on to port early to get the benefit of the tide and then try to judge the layline. Steve (Hayling Island) read the conditions to perfection to round first. Anyone would have thought he’d sailed here before. Second round was Mark Riddington (Emsworth), a relative newcomer to the class who has nonetheless put a lot of thought and effort into his sailing this year.

These two pulled ahead as the race progressed over the first 2 laps of a trapezoid course. However, as Steve sailed serenely on over the final lap, Mark was put under pressure first by Steve Bolland (Bristol Corinthian) and later by Dave Acres (Emsworth) who pipped him for second place. Fourth was Matt Jenkins (Sheffield Viking), but Bolland crossed to silence – OCS, leaving Martin Harrison (Royal Victoria) in fifth spot.

Race 2 was run in similar conditions but with the tide having less of an influence. Acres and Bolland benefited most from a significant left-hand shift up the first beat and rounded in that order with Harry McVicar (Aldenham), Jenkins and Cockerill all in close pursuit.

Starting the second lap Acres was still ahead but Bolland had edged into the lead by the windward mark. Over the last lap Bolland pulled ahead but Acres was put under significant pressure by Cockerill. However, despite a series of attacks on the final downwind Acres kept his cool to finish in second place, Cockerill in third, Riddington fourth and Jenkins fifth.

Windier tomorrow hopefully.



DAY 2

CLASH OF THE TITANS

Day 2 of the RS300 Nationals at Stokes Bay SC, sponsored by Volvo, was meant to be the Clash of the Titans between Steve Cockerill, six-times National Champion 1999-2007 and Steve Bolland, five-times National Champion 2008-2012. In the end it was Dave Acres, twice runner-up (2009 & 2012), who stole the day.

Race 3 of the week started in a 15 knot easterly, a breeze that increased as the day progressed. Steve Bolland (Bristol Corinthian) had eked out a useful lead by the first windward mark with a whole gaggle of boats rounding together behind. By the bottom mark the situation was a little clearer. Bolland still led but Steve Cockerill (Hayling Island) had put on the afterburners downwind to pull clear from the pack.

Over the following two laps things stayed very much the same except that Matt Jenkins (Sheffield Viking) came through Cockerill on the second run. At the finish it was Bolland, Jenkins and Cockerill with Dave Acres (Emsworth) putting in a useful fourth place.

Race 4 was run in more breeze but staying rock steady from the east. Over the first two-and-a-half laps Bolland had pulled out what he hoped would be an unassailable lead. However, things do not always work out quite as planned. Initially he binned it on the final run. However, a quick(ish) recovery saw him hounding down Acres who had ghosted into the lead. A bit of boat-on-boat action at the bottom mark saw Bolland hit the tide (again) and Acres taking the bullet. After Acres the positions were Jenkins, Matt Sargent (Thorney Island), Martin Harrison (Royal Victoria)  and Tim Keen (Sheffield Viking).

After a brief respite ashore the final race of the day took place in similar conditions. Bolland led at the first mark but Acres came past on the run. Showing as much place-changing as the America’s Cup, Bolland took the lead once more on the second beat. It was nip-and-tuck downwind with some proper match racing taking place between the leading pair. The result was the same as the previous race, however, with Acres taking the lead and Bolland taking a swim.

Acres stayed ahead on the final lap ahead of Jenkins and Sargent. Bolland recovered to fourth ahead of Duncan Jenkins (Aldenham).

At the halfway stage Acres leads Jenkins by 4 points with Bolland a further 6 points behind, narrowly ahead of Sargent. Top club is currently Thorney Island

Less wind  tomorrow hopefully.

Just like last year the fight for the title came down to the last day. In 2012 five boats were involved, this year it was three. Going into the final day Dave Acres from Thorney Island was leading, just as he had in 2012. Could he hold his nerve this time and take his first National title? Ahead of races 9 and 10 Dave was 4 points ahead of Steve Bolland (Bristol Corinthian), who had fought back from a worse position last year, and who was a further 2 points ahead of Matt Jenkins (Sheffield Viking).

To make matters more fraught, race 9 was run in a shifty offshore breeze of around 8 knots in the main but with plenty of gusts and holes. Dave and Steve got well and truly involved up the first beat. This allowed Matt to escape to round first with Bolland in fourth and Acres a few places further back. Game on.

At the bottom mark Bolland had to tack off to clear his wind. Jenkins carried on to the right side followed by Acres. While Jenkins carried on in the top two places, Acres moved up to fourth. Bolland, meanwhile, fell into a hole and dropped to eighth. Game over.  At the end of the race, Harry McVicar (Aldenham) took the gun from Jenkins, Acres, Matt Sargent (Thorney Island) and Martin Harrison (Royal Victoria).

In the final race Acres had only to keep out of trouble and score a sixth or better. He was taking no chances, however, and did a good job of hiding several hundred yards upwind of the start-line in the countdown to prevent any shenanigans from Bolland or Jenkins.

As it was all the leading contenders had good starts and first beats with the order being Acres, Bolland and Jenkins at the first mark. During the race all three led at some point but, rather appropriately, the positions at the end of the race mirrored the positions overall – Acres, Bolland, Jenkins. Also finishing the championship off on a high were Alistair Norris (Red Wharf Bay – where?) and Mark Riddington (Emsworth).

Well done to Dave Acres for winning the championship after having been runner-up twice previously and bringing an end to Bolland’s recent domination of five successive wins.

Next year we’re in Prestwick for the championships, a return to the venue of possibly the most enjoyable event in recent years.

Many thanks to Volvo, title sponsors of RS Racing, and all at Stokes Bay SC.

Volvo Car UK has been a long-term backer of sailing in the UK, and for the next 2 years are sponsoring the RS Class Association.
www.volvocars.co.uk/sailing
Facebook - www.facebook.com/volvocarssailing
Twitter -@volvosailing


First probationer (first time RS300 Nationals) – Duncan Jenkins
First Silver Fleet – Duncan Jenkins
First Youth – Harry McVicar
First Master – Terry Brooks
First A Rig – Mark Newton
Top Club – Aldenham
Wooden Spoon – Sam Sutton-Reid (Fleet Rep, for not turning up)