Results / Inland Champs QMSC - 08/10/2011

The RS700 2011 Inland Championships took place at Queen Mary Sailing Club over the weekend of 8/9^th October and, for just about the only time on this year’s circuit, the weather was kind enough to allow all six races to be completed. PRO Mike Adams, more than ably assisted by his wife Josie and International Judge Chris Simon, ensured very efficient race organisation and, on Sunday, interesting course setting if that can be imagined within the constraints of the windward/leeward format! Fourteen boats entered although, it must be said, if it hadn’t been for the nine-strong local team it would have been a rather thin regatta. We were joined by our friends in the K6 fleet, also enjoying their Inlands.

This is the first full year of GPS tracking of the RS700 travelling fleet since the rule change allowing it and real-time video of the tracks of all the weekend competitors is available, as usual, at www.hamishgriffiths.com.

Saturday’s racing was on the larger, western portion of the reservoir in a F3/4 WNW breeze which lived up to the QM reputation for quirky winds. Mike set the course pretty true at 277^o and at 650m between the marks, a perfectly decent length for an inland venue. There was if anything a slight port bias on the start-line but those with a keen eye for the shifts seemed to be able to make good progress on either side of the course as the day wore on.

Rob Jones and James Bayliss had the best of the start at opposite ends of the line for race 1 and hung on, on starboard, with the larger group and this paid off. Richard Allen led four boats in an early tack but paid the price as they all trailed round the first WM. His colleague from Carsington, Pete Shaw (what a great guy by the way), had an almost faultless race but couldn’t quite beat off the challenge of local boy Steve Powell who crossed the finish line a bare 100m ahead.

I urge you to look at the GPS tracks of race 2. Steve Powell pulled off an outrageous crash-tack at the pin for the perfect port flyer, crossing the whole fleet by the skin of his teeth. He was only fourth round the first WM as that right hand side was still not paying off. Richard Allen began to show as the race progressed and he stormed across the finish line after the fourth leeward mark. Sadly it was a five lap race; he did amazingly well to recover for 2^nd! He later confessed that he’s not good with numbers.

Junis Rindermann tacked up the middle of the course to lead race 3 all the way to an unfortunate capsize on the last beat which allowed Powell and a suddenly in-form Howard Edwards through. Howard had his club mate in his sights but inexplicably passed the wrong side of the LM on his way to the finish. By the time he had “unwound his string” (RRS 28.1!) Junis and Richard had got past leaving Steve Powell in a commanding overnight lead.

The breeze had picked up, as forecast, on Sunday and beautiful F4/5 Autumn sailing was the order of the day. Racing was on the smaller eastern portion of the water and the PRO offered both fleets a longer, but shared, w/l course. This proved a popular solution and with a bit more south in the wind the generous 1.2km spread between the marks at 245^o afforded fun, if tricky racing. The notorious QM bund provided a surprising amount of shelter for the first part of the course but each time the fleet cleared the southern end it was met with some unexpectedly fierce gusts which caught more than a few people out.

This was to be Richard Allen’s day and he really showed us how to deal with the tricky conditions. He led from the start of the first 3 lapper and squeezed across the line ahead of the always in form Steve Powell. (What would Powell be like if he got some practice in)?

Junis was sailing fast and rounded the WM first in race 5 but the odd error prevented him from scoring better. Some slick gybing had Howard Edwards breathing down Junis and Steve’s necks at the end of the first lap and some excellent upwind work allowed him to steal the win. Powells 4^th was to prove expensive against the in-form Allen.

There was all to play for in the last race which Powell and Rindermann dominated from the start. Richard Allen played a smart covering game though, never letting them out of sight and, sure enough, both of them fell over on the last lap - Steve excruciatingly close to the finish line. This gave the championship to Richard Allen by that one point. Richard has been “there or there abouts” all year and everyone (especially himself!) was delighted that he’d pulled one out of the bag at last.

A couple of season records were broken in the GPS speed analysis. Best 1sec average was 19.7kt set by our Inland Champion, Richard Allen. Judging by the figures we’ve seen during the season, this will be hard to beat.  Best 500m average of the year was set by Matt Conner at an impressive 16.3kt. Matt also holds the year’s 10sec record, an average of 18.4kt at Weston a couple of weeks ago.

Many thanks to all who helped at the weekend but particularly to the Race Officials for giving us such great sport.