Results / GUL RS RACING CIRCUIT EAST LOTHIAN YC - 05/05/2001

GUL RS RACING CIRCUIT HEADS TO SCOTLAND AND HAS A STORMING EVENT. The GUL RS Racing Circuit event has seen some remarkable events but it is difficult to remember a better event then the one held at East Lothian YC, North Berwick on May 5/6. Glorious sunshine, not a cloud in the sky, great sailing water, spot on race management, good sea sailing, a really sociable clubs, good breezes, no gap at all between races, stacks of accommodation within staggering distance of the club, a prize giving held very quickly after racing, picturesque scenery, no silly licensing hours, Puffins and free ice cream as you pulled your boat up the ramp!!! Add in RS sailors enjoying themselves to the full and it was difficult to work out what could be improved on. On both courses the race officers laid excellent courses and managed the great feat of causing very mild discomfort for the competitors by turning races round so quickly that no one had enough time to get the Mars bars out!! Saturday saw good sunshine and light winds in the morning but Race Officer Jim Sinclair was spot on with his predicted sea breeze from Bass Rock, which slowly built all day so the majority of the racing was held in a force 3-4 from the east with some good waves. Sunday saw totally clear blue skies, again a sea breeze set in although staying down around a force 2-3. RS200's The event was totally dominated by Paul and Caroline Fisk who set the scene in the first race by powering through Steve Dunn/Lucy Davey and Ian Pickard/Laurie Dunn on the first reach. Although Dunn and Pickard pressed hard upwind they had no answer for the Fisks downwind speed. Dunn found the extra wind of race 2 to his liking and carefully covered the Fisks to win. The final race of the day was won by the Fisks to give them an overnight score of 1.2.1 to Dunn/Davey's score of 3.1.2 Sunday was to be the Fisk's day. They were powered up upwind almost at full efficiency and just sailed away from the fleet. They won all three races by big margins; having enough time on one run to gybe over and look at the Puffins!! Dunn and Pickard continued to have a close tussle but Dunn came out on top throughout Sunday to claim second overall with Pickard third overall. Sam Mettam and Geoff Phillips were always in touch but could not quite break the grip of the leading three boats whilst Ali Davies and Susan McGeoch gave a very solid performance to be fifth overall and first Scottish boat. The Fisk's must be praying for the same conditions at the Nationals at Mounts Bay. Next weekend the GUL RS Racing Circuit moves to the other end of the country with the 300/600/800's at Stokes Bay and the 200/400's at Lee on Solent. It should be a monster event.