The Rooster RS 200 Youth Nationals and Sacred SEAS Open saw 53 boats sail in glamour, if tricky, conditions out of Itchenor Sailing Club. 

A strong flooding tide tore across the course accompanied by every yacht in the harbour for Saturday's racing. 

Rory Odell and Freddie Peters (1680) made best use of the course bias in the first race, with their numbers covered, they pushed the short start line and executed the early tack, leading to the first mark and continuing to sail away from there. 

The competing sea breeze dragged the wind further left and the tide continued to increase, such that the second race was a test of speed in the straight line to the mark. Louis Johnson and Lucy Hewitson (1633) dominated with a superior start and speed; bouncing back from the first race after, quite understandably, assuming a general and sailing back to the start line.  

The sea breeze had settled, making for a more tactical final race of the day. The port end boats shot into the shallows before tacking and crossing. Nick Robins and Izi Davies (1029) held off Charlie and I (1391) until the last leg, where they were swept upwind by a cruising flying fifteen…. a textbook downwind pass back.

A few legends of the fleet joined on Sunday for the Sacred SEAs open; hoping to show that youth can’t beat experience. That became apparent early in the first race as Mark Oakey and Emma Clarke (995) kept a cool head to make it round the worlds trickiest windward mark in first and disappear down tide. The youth struggled slightly more as the 4 knot tide caused carnage pushing the fleet down on to the mark. Elliott and Emma Wells (1348) couldn’t find a way between the starboard boats and the mark, dropping 30 places in the 12 minutes they spent at the top of the 1^st leg.

There was one way to go in race 5, hard left into the shallows. HISC boats cottoned on early and were the first 4 to cross the line; grateful for their Chichester Harbour knowledge. Cam Stewart, Charlie and I were both caught out by the short line and given OCS so the race win went to James and Annie Hammett (880). 

Race 6 also favoured the left hand side. The congested line meant the port start was high risk as well as high reward. Tom and Jo Hewitson (1625) were called over the line giving the win to Nick and Izi.

The wackiness of the racing continued on shore with countless results queries, seeing the top 4 still changing places after the prize-giving. Eventually, the dust settled and Morgan Peach and Amy Sparkes (1675) emerged victorious from the weekend and the Rooster Youth Nationals with a string of consistent results. Gus Dixon and Ben Todd (1458) won the Sunday and Sacred SEAS Open. Matt Taylor and Niamh Davies took second overall and were the highest placed U23 team. All winners looking rather chuffed with their respective prizes from the 200s great sponsors.

Huge thank you to Itchenor Sailing Club for hosting the racing and an excellent Covid friendly social. Thank you to the key members of the 200 committee for organising this event, as well as the tireless work that has been put in during such a difficult summer.

Great to see everyone again!

Stay Safe

Tommy