RS Classes Southern Championships - RS300

This is meant to relaxing, right, this sailing? Meant to help us get away from the stresses of everyday life. But the journey! I was stuck behind tractors (evidently not all farmers get up early), caravans (don’t get me started), lorry drivers trying to overtake other lorry drivers while going ½ mph quicker (muppets), motorway middle-lane hoggers (first against the wall when the revolution comes) and old drivers in cloth caps out for a nice drive (next against the wall). Bet they were wearing driving gloves too.

Eventually arrived at the spectacular Hayling Island SC (never sailed there before – what a setting) for some pre-event training with other 300ers on Friday afternoon. Greeted by sunshine and a perfect 10-12 knots of seabreeze. Caught up over a relaxing pre-sail pint that ensured no liberties were taken during the many practice starts and no port/startboard incidents in the figure of eight exercises! It went downhill a bit thereafter, especially the rudderless sailing (quite hard, especially tacking) and the sailing blindfolded bit (very hard, especially tacking). Thanks to Dave Acres for organising. Then back in for more pints and a curry. A great start to the weekend.

And so to the racing. No wind was forecast for Saturday but temperatures in the mid 20s and an early afternoon start meant a perfect 10+ knot sea breeze had us drooling like lions in a butcher’s shop. And it was much the same on Sunday, wall-to-wall sunshine and a sea breeze once again. Perfect conditions – it’s not often you can sail three days in a row without a wetsuit. Suffice to say the conditions were glorious - fully powered-up on both days (many thanks to the 200s for having just enough general recalls on Sunday morning to allow the wind to fill in properly), waves and great competition.

With the World Cup still on it seemed only right and proper that we should each represent one of the competing nations and try not to reinforce any type of national stereotype (no, really we tried).

Steve Bolland (Bristol Corinthian) who, let’s face it is to boat maintenance what Italian divers are to the highway code, was quickest out of the blocks, a bit like Italy in England’s opening match. In fact, he had one of those weekends when everything just seemed to go right. Also going well was Dave Acres (Emsworth), who as a local had the right to represent Brazil as host nation. The sight of him samba-dancing his way along the Copacabana del Hayling in nothing more than hiking shorts and rash vest was a sight to behold. And very difficult to erase from the memory banks too.

If you think of a people who live in a place attached to a larger land mass but see themselves as separate and talk a language no-one else can understand we’d probably all think of the Greeks. Also falling into this category is Tim Keen (Sheffield Viking) down from Yorkshire for t’weekend for sailing. And going like a greased whippet at times too, and rounding out t’podium. Tim is normally the furthest travelled for most events but this time that honour went to Tom Moore who had come from Zambia, via Wales. Technically proficient, improving as the weekend progressed but a little inconsistent (not surprising given the lack of 300 sailing available in Africa) and far-travelled, he is the sailing equivalent of South Korea. Known as Lee Bow Tak, tourists on the beach picked up their dogs when he approached. Lee Bow finished one place ahead of Too Pihnt Peet (Pete Ellis, from Aldenham/Japan).

A little higher up the overall standings and going very quickly in the last two races was Mark Riddington. Now I don’t think there’s a country with the three letter identifier of OCD, not in the World Cup at least, but given that his boat is perfect in every regard and works like clockwork, he had to be representing Switzerland. Representing Australia for the weekend was Martin Harrison (Royal Victoria – Isle of Wight), for no other reason than he hails from an island to the south of a much larger landmass. And it has a prison on it.

With a name like Richard LeMare, there was only one country in it for ‘Reechard’. La Belle France. In retrospect it should have come as no surprise to see Matt Sargent, an officer of the British army, trying to invade in the final race of day 1. However, in a break from tradition, the garlic-eating surrender monkeys fought back. A protest was lodged – the first in living memory for the 300 fleet. Britain was convinced it was in the right, but France won the protest. FIFA had to be involved in some way surely? That or Matt missed the hearing.

It is rumoured that Mark Newton can repair any leak with no more than a pack of epoxy and a heat gun. Just as well really as it beats putting fingers in dykes. Holland.

Two of the newest members of the fleet, and already well-travelled, are Dan Treloar and Dan Skinner. They share the same name, they come from the same club and they are always seen together. They would probably vote for each other in Eurovison too. Croatia and Bosnia.

And finally we come to Duncan Jenkins. Entered the competition but failed to turn up. England.

Many thanks to all those involved at HISC for putting on such a well-managed event (7 classes on 2 courses), RS Admin for lots of behind-the-scenes effort, Dave Acres for the accommodation, Dan Skinner for the splicing and all the competitors for turning up, having a laugh and making the event what it was.

Next events are the Northern Championship at the Lord Birkett on 5/6 July and the much-anticipated return to Prestwick for the Nationals from 14-17 August.  Remember – discounted entry for the Nationals ends on July 7 - http://www.rs300sailing.org/championships/cindex.asp?eid=763

RS Classes Southern Championships - RS300

Saturday 21st & Sunday 22nd June

Overall

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