Results / Open Penarth YC - 15/07/2012

GUL RS RACING CIRCUIT AT ROYAL TORBAY YC AND PAIGNTON SC- JUNE 16/17. The GUL RS Racing Circuit hit Torbay in a big way on June 16/17 with three courses spread across the bay. The RS200's and 600's launched from Paignton Beach with Paignton SC running their course. The RS300's, 400's and 800's launched off Torre Abbey Sands in Torquay and the Royal Torbay YC managed their two courses. With the sunshine and fresh breezes of Sunday the boats were a spectacular sight downwind from the shore with multi coloured spinnakers everywhere in the bay. The weather was some of the most varied imaginable. As the fleets rigged on Saturday morning there was a steady moderate breeze from the NW. As the fleets launched this wind started to drop and it soon became apparent that something big was brewing to the south of Brixham. As thunder started to rumble under very large, very nasty and very wet looking black clouds, the fleets prepared for a huge downpour. Luckily the clouds took one look at Paignton and rumbled off out to sea causing mayhem with the wind in the process. Poor Race Officers Ken Falcon, John Haslam and Peter Rumbelow then spent over an hour moving the windward marks round every compass point as the wind went NE, SE, then S quickly followed by SW before going back to W to NW. Eventually the wind settled down around a mean direction of NW around a force 3-4. There were though some big slants and patchs in the wind, which gave some snakes and ladders racing. The Race Officers though did very well to fit in three good races despite not being able to start until 15.00. The fleets, although not happy at sitting around, knew full well there was nothing the Race Officers could have done to start racing earlier. Sunday was a lot kinder, the wind stayed in the NW all day, built slowly so that full on racing took place in force 4-5 under generally blue skies and plenty of sunshine. It was a blistering good day and many very tired but happy bunnies left after prize giving's at 16.00. You knew it had been a good weekend; there was many a good word for the race management teams. RS300's Ten RS300's had a very challenging series of races at Torquay as some big lumps of wind gave some very demanding conditions downwind. Whilst the results show that Jerry Wales produced a perfect score of six race wins this does not reflect the true competitive nature of the event. Matt Sargent was a constant threat to the Master and frequently led but was unable to hold on; some of their downwind dogfights were very entertaining. Matt Critchley was also always in close contention and his fitness showed on Sunday when he scored three thirds. Matt also had the misfortune to lead a race but headed for the wrong mark allowing Wales to recover from a capsize. New face to 300 sailing this Spring, David Lapes, is making a quick impression with loads of boat speed scoring a second and a third on Saturday to claim fourth overall. Richard Kemp-Salt and Ben Ward both scored useful results whilst Graham Sanderson's third in race 1 must be his performance in 300's so far. Special mention must be made of Cliff Shaw who made repeated attempts to port tack the fleet on the start line. Also to Matt Sargent who won the brown pants award for getting round the start mark (also the 300's leeward mark) 10 seconds before the 400's started on A recalled start and then had to work extremely hard to cross the 400 fleet on port. Counting two out of three events Jerry Wales is leading the GUL RS Racing Circuit with 2 pts, Wil Gulliver is second with 3 pts whilst Critchley is winning the Matt fight with 5pts compared to Sargent's 6pts. Battle will resume for the 300's at Mumbles in mid July. Pete Vincent