Results / RS200 Fat Face Racing Circuit Exe SC - 14/07/2007

RS200 Fat Face Racing Circuit and cake eating competition at Exe SC.

After a hugely successful GUL RS200 Nationals at Exe SC last year 51 RS200s travelled west for the sixth round of the Fat Face Racing Circuit with high expectations. Exe SC of course did us proud with a very friendly welcome, great organisation, top race management, sunshine (!!), wind, waves and tables full of cakes.

This was the last event before the Nationals in Tenby and all crews were keen for sea practice, for once the weather gods were smiling on us. After a dreadful summer it was a major relief to have a day without heavy rain, in fact the sun was out and the fleet launched into a nice 10 knot SW breeze. As the afternoon progressed the clouds completely disappeared and the breeze slowly increased so by race three 51 200’s were revelling in majestic conditions of 16-18 knots from the SW producing superb waves all under clear blue skies. It was difficult to imagine better conditions and everyone agreed it was the best racing of the year so far by some distance.

Race 1 in 10-12 knots saw Ellie Martin/Ian Sharp fly off the start line to lead. Lee and Anne Sydenham soon were through into first to win from Roger Gilbert/Jane Willan and Sarah Allan/Pete Rowley. Race 2 and the breeze was building. Stephen Janering/Chris O Neill led at mark 1 but you really had to stay on starboard after the windward mark and bash the right hand corner. Nick Charles/Juliette Kingsnorth led the charge in extra breeze and jumped from 6^th to first to win the race from Gilbert/Willan and Micky Wright/Katy Nichol. Race 3 and the Gilbert/Willan team loved the breeze/sea state to win to have an emphatic 2.2.1 score line over night. Charles/Kingsnorth were second to be only two points behind overall whilst Will Storey and Tobytastic rounded off a very consistent day with a third.

After such a glorious day afloat the fleet returned to the shore, their mood made even happier by free choc ices when you tallyed off, a huge spread of cakes, a good evening meal, followed by drinking beer/pimms on the balcony looking at a fabulous sunset; Exe SC at its best.

Of course the good weather could not last and Sunday dawned wet with uniform low slate grey clouds with an 8-9 knot gentle northerly blowing. This did not dampen the competitiveness of the fleet in what was to prove a close finish.

It looked as if Gilbert/Willan were going to continue where they had left off on Saturday and win race 4 as they moved into an early lead. Just as the dominant force in RS200 sailing this year, having won the previous 5 Fat Face Circuit events, looked as if they were going to win another event a chink appeared in their armour. Charles/Kingsnorth managed to get by on the second beat, a lead they held to the finish. The Sydenhams got through to second on the final beat and then new local heroine Rosie Sands/Andy Williams claimed third on the final run.

The breeze was lighter for race 5 and it really paid to come out of the gate early and go left. Trudie Fell/Karen Baker were fast out of the blocks to lead the whole race with fellow short noisy blonde Sarah Allan/Pete Rowley in close company in second with Charles/Kingsnorth third and Gilbert/Willan back in 19th.

What breeze there was virtually disappeared forcing PRO Phil Morrison to abandon one attempted gate start as the pathfinder was going backwards in the tide at the start gun. Just when it looked that was the end of the fun and the fleet would have to be towed in an easterly breeze quickly filled in allowing race 6 to start in 8-9 knots on a line start which caught quite a few boats out. The Sydenhams led throughout but the real issue was how far up the fleet Gilbert/Willan could get, they needed at least second. In the end their third behind Allan/Rowley was not quite good enough. Charles/Kingsnorth won overall by a point. So it was time to go ashore and attack the north face of the cake mountain.

Rob Janering/Emma Harniman won the Silver division by three points from Rosie Sands/Andy Williams and Ellie Martin/Ian Sharp. Tom Winskell/Alex Pickles won the bronze division with another local girl helm Jess Blick/Tom Kinver second just ahead of Nigel Harniman/Charlotte Cotter.

With the Sydenhams, 2004 Champions back on form after Lee’s shoulder injury last year, 2005 National Champions Craig Burlton/Fiona Clark on the entry list and Charles/Kingsnorth clearly on good form there are plenty of challengers for Gilberts title at Tenby in five weeks time. Bring it on but the important question is are the cakes going to be as good?

Pete Vincent