RS Games – Runners and Riders – RS800 fleet

With 54 entries to date, competition in the RS800s looks wide open this year, with the return of past National Champions in the class, Olympic medallists, potential future Olympic sailors, and a raft of current RS800 sailors on top form. Calling a clear favourite is impossible!

Past winners returning for another stab at the title include 2006 RS800 National Champion, Ian Martin, crewed by top skiff sailor Johnny Clegg. Also back and in contention is 2007 RS800 National Champion and 2008 Garda RS Eurocup winner, Peter Barton, now crewed by Paul Davis. Although Pete has claimed he is not taking it seriously, this is hard to believe for anyone who knows Pete! RS800 National Champions from 2009, Laurie Fitzjohn Sykes/Daniel Allin, will also be wanting to add a second National Champion title to their first.

However, standing in their way will be plenty of other RS800 sailors who have already shown great form so far this year. Justin Deal/Ollie Page have won three of this year’s GUL Grand Prix Events, and showed podium potential finishing third at the 3009 Nationals. Nick Charles/Chris Martin have won two of this year’s GUL Grand Prix events and will be looking to improve on their 5^th at the 2010 National Championships.

Already proving their potential by winning this year’s Zhik Eurocup, Andy Jeffries/Alison Oddy will undoubtedly be a force to be reckoned with. Meanwhile, the teams of Tom Halhead/Stu Jagger, James Date/Toby Wincher and Rob Watson/John Clifton also have plenty of pace and good results to back up a claim for the title.

Wild cards in the pack could be double Olympic medallist from the 49er class, Simon Hiscocks, who will be crewed by Development Squad sailor Mary Rook. Current RS200 National Champion David Hivey crewed by top RS200 helm James Stewart have elected to try out their trapezing skills and could well stand a chance.

With the boat for the women’s twin wire skiff for 2016 Olympic Games still to be selected, a number of all lady teams have thrown their hat in the ring early and are now campaigning RS800s to get in as much practise as possible. This means some of the UK’s top female sailors will be fighting the boys for the top places: Frances Peters, 470 RYA Transitional squad member and 2008 ISAF Youth World Champion, has teamed up with top RS sailor Nicola Groves; Ally Martin and Claire Cumming, both with plenty of 470 experience and success in various RS classes, are sailing together; Katie Nurton has Amy Cartwright onboard; whilst Sarah Hickman has linked up with 2009 RS200/RS400 Endeavour Champion and 2011 SB3 World Champion, Emma Clarke. There’s no doubting the competition in this fleet will be fierce, with plenty of place changing anticipated throughout the week.