Results / Gul Inland Championships Grafham Water SC - 27/09/2003

GUL RS200 INLANDS AT GRAFHAM WATER SC - hats off to the Race Officer. 82 RS200's made their annual trip to Grafham Water SC for the GUL RS200 Inlands on Sept 27/28. It was really was an event of 2 halves; Saturday's wind was a pile of rubbish with 15 minutes of a breeze from the north followed by flat calms followed by bursts of wind from the east/south east. Sunday was a vast improvement with a decent breeze from the north which built all day so boats were planning downwind for the final race. Race 1 got under way on Saturday in a very patchy force 2. Mike Burgoine/Jo Field from Draycote in their first 200 event in a brand new boat led and then got the second beat really spot on to take a big lead. Behind there were some huge snakes and ladders going on with Lee Sydenham/Anne Vaudrey pulling through to second. On the final beat Sydenham eroded Burgoine's advantage and moved into the lead on the final run. A navigation error from Burgoine then let Phil Sowden and 11 year old son, Daniel, into second at the final mark. The rest of the afternoon then showed the fleet why they were glad they were not race officer as PRO Steve Carson and his team chased the very fickle wind round most compass points. Two more races were started but Steve abandoned both with leaders approaching the windward mark as spinnakers started to be hoisted as the wind completely swung. Many called these decisions brave but they were spot on calls for which the fleet loudly applauded. Oh for more Race Officers that would take the same decisions in the same circumstances. With no wind late in the afternoon the fleet was taken ashore for much needed food. The decision to plan 4 races and an earlier start next morning did not dampen the party spirits as the Fat Face Racing Circuit prize giving, noted for a fine speech from Fiona Clark, that night was followed by the now traditional RS party. Sunday and it was soon obvious that this was going to be a much better day. Race 2 in a force 2-3 was led throughout by John Pink and John Gimson with David Giles/Fiona Clark second and John Greenland/Pippa Williams third. With crews now hiking race 3 saw Pete Vincent/Jenny Bennett lead for 2 laps. Amongst a close tussle with Tom/Jo Hewiston and Giles no one noticed Burgoine doing a major right hand corner and reach into the windward mark into second. With it looking like left was paying down the final run, with Mike Saul/ Sophie Hartley and John Blundell/Karen Baker making major gains, Burgoine looked in trouble in the right hand corner but then promptly planned through under everyone to win from the Hewitsons and Saul. The decision not to try running another race in the rubbish on Saturday was vindicated with the final 2 races held in a good force 3-4 on good courses. Race 4 and Lee Sydenham/Anne Vaudrey led literally from the start to the finish; well clear throughout the race was more about who was going to be second. The Hewitsons did themselves a power of good with a second place with Rachel/Mike Wigmore third. With the wind now well set race 5 was a fitting way to decide the event with seven potential winners; Sydenham led with 6 points but had a discard of 15th. Disaster struck Sydenham at the start when his mainsheet self destructed. Giles and the Hewitsons were in the top 5 at the first mark and moved into first and second on the second run. At this stage Giles was heading for victory but things changed rapidly on the last third of the final run. the Hewitsons powered over Giles in a gust to take the lead. Giles thinking he had to win to win overall, second in fact would have been good enough, went for the big manoeuvre at the final mark; Hewitson correctly shut the door and Giles capsized taking big avoiding action. Jon Lewis/Milly Parsons and Paul Dorer/Ian Robertson powered through before Giles recovered to finish fourth. The Hewitsons won their third Inlands in a row by a point; Giles and Clark had the compensation of being National Champion and dominating the Fat Face Racing Circuit.. Rachel Wigmore, in 8th overall was also first lady helm and youth; Paul Dorer was second youth in 15th and Trudie Doris Danbury second lady in 11th. Merit awards went to 11 year old crews Daniel Sowden (9th overall) and Jean Furniss (30th overall) possibly the smallest ever crew at a major 200 event. Grafham had done a top job yet again; now it�s on to Ireland for the Irish RS Nationals and major headaches.