Results / Fat Face Racing Circuit Chew Valley Lake SC - 23/03/2002

Fat Face Racing Circuit � RS300 - Chew Valley Lake SC � 23/24 March 2002 On the weekend of 23rd/24th March, the RS300s teamed up with the 600s, 700s & 800s for the Fat Face Racing Circuit event. Despite light winds forecast, a decent 2-3 was blowing across the lake, giving the Race Officer the opportunity to take the non-asymmetric fleets away from the windward/leeward course of the faster boats. In all there were 10 RS300s, all with a shout at victory without Will Gulliver being around. In race one, it was Nick Bolland (Draycote) who stormed into the lead on the first beat, closely followed by Jamie Mawson (Ulley). The beats were very shifty, and it was a lottery as to whether left or right paid. Nick and Jamie tussled all the way around the course to the finish although the rest of the fleet were pushing these two all the way to the end, Matt Thursfield (Chelmarsh) taking 3rd from Barry Steel (Aldenham) in 4th. In the second race, with a definite Port bias line, Jamie Mawson and Steve Cook (Stokes Bay) flew off the line on a port tack across the fleet. This, however, took them too far right, allowing Thursfield & Jeremy Climas (Oxford) to get the lift on the left side of the course. Thurfield went on to win the race, from Steve Cook who came through to second on the long runs ahead of Mawson in third, Steel again coming in 4th. Race 3 was held in a lighter, dying breeze. Bolland came back in this one, and stormed ahead of the fleet, to win by minutes. Mawson led the chasing pack into the finish as the fleet compacted on the final run. Ben Lulham (Cotswold) took 3rd from Steve Cook in 4th. At the end of Saturday, Jamie had a consistent set of results to be level on points with Nick, Matt & Steve not far behind. Sunday saw a fresher breeze with more stability in the 3-4 that blew from the SE. The Black Flag was brought into affect by the Race Officer to prevent any over ambitious starts. Thursfield and Climas were the front runners after the first lap in race 4, both picking the first beat well. However, the fleet again closed up on the first run, creating a raft at the first leeward mark. Thursfield, however, led the race to the end, ahead of Bolland, who clawed his way through the fleet. In 3rd was Mawson, 4th, Cook. Race 5 was a close one for the leaders. Again it was port bias start, Thursfield & Cook got away best and pulled away from the fleet. These two were caught by Mawson and Bolland, who threatened to pass both of them. The clean air, however, allowed the front two to pull away on the final lap, Thursfield taking the gun from Cook, Bolland passing Mawson on the final run to take third. Before the last race, any of the front runners were in with a shout of the Open. In the last race, all the leaders got a clean start, only for Bolland to slip on a vital tack forcing him to go right up the beat. This didn't pay, meaning he had to fight through the fleet to stand a chance of victory. Meanwhile Thursfield, Cook and Mawson pulled away from the pack. By the end of the final run, Cook had passed Thursfield. and took the last gun of the day, Mawson coming in third, Bolland in 4th.