Mounts Bay SC host the Noble Marine Marlow Ropes 2024 UK National Championships

With 20 knots forecast, the RS 200 fleet was braced for a big first day at the 2024 nationals hosted by Mounts Bay SC. But a more moderate 12-15 knots greeted the 129 strong fleet as we sailed out to the racecourse under the majestic St Michaels Mount. What a spot for a racecourse.

The race team probably thought they had deja vu when Edd Whitehead turned up at the first windward mark of the regatta in third place, and then pushed through to the lead on the first downhill. Their eyes were not deceiving them, the champion of the 2023 RS 400 nationals has indeed upgraded from the 400 to the 200, with nephew Thomas in the front this week.

The Whiteheads overhauled Henry Hallam and Ashley Hill from Restronguet on the first run. The Cornish duo didn’t let them get away. But they were undone by a tight reach to the finish, which meant they and the Whiteheads had to beat up to the finish. That gave Tom Goodey and Richard Thomas sitting in third the opportunity to move up to second.

The main challenge of the day was the 1.5m swell, which the Whiteheads have clearly mastered. While the fleet found planing straightforward on starboard gybe, it was much harder to find the groove on port. The crews had to concentrate particularly hard, trimming the kite to the big changes in apparent wind as we accelerated down the face of the waves, and then fell off the backs.

Race 2 was sponsored by Marlow Ropes with prosecco and chocolates up for grabs. Only a handful of boats started within the first two minutes of the gate start, leaving over 100 boats to duck the gate boat. The RO was generous, keeping the gate boat motoring for 4.40 minutes; but there was still a pile up of boats trying to get around the gate launch when it stopped and drifted. Somewhere in among the carnage Tom and Richard who were 2^nd in race two hit the gate boat meaning they were disqualified. Owen Bowerman and Anabelle Orme lead off the start until Anabelle fell out. But Owen made a strong case that men’s multitasking skills are better than we get credit for (when it matters), pulling Anabelle back in while continuing to sail upwind.

At the front the evidence was growing that RS400 sailors had a speed edge on day one from their week of practice a year earlier. Edd and Thomas Whitehead didn’t let anyone else have a go at the front this time leading from start to finish. Hallam and Hill were up there again too rounding the windward in second. Ben Whaley (who crewed Edd to victory a year ago on this racecourse) and Lorna Glen arrived at the windward in third following a disappointing 17^th in race one.

But it was Jamie Harris and Ellen Main that found some better pressure to pull through to 2^nd on the run. Ben and Lorna retained third, but Hamish Waker and Emma Hivey, from the Royal Naval Sailing Association were also on the charge working their way up to 4^th, which is also where they finished in race one. Hallam and Hill came in in fifth. And another 400 sailor capitalising on their bespoke preparation, Chris Eames sailing with Anna Prescott from Queen Mary SC, were 6^th.

So at the end of day one familiar names are decorating the front of the fleet.  Mounts Bay is a real treat for every one with little tide and onshore breeze today, it was a very even racecourse which made for first rate championship racing. And on top of all of that you get a doughnut when you come in.

Report by Andrew Wishart

Results here

Videos by Lee Whitehead, Photolounge here