Results / GUL RS RACING CIRCUIT WEYMOUTH AND PORTLAND SAILING ACADEMY - 30/06/2001
GUL RS RACING CIRCUIT AT WEYMOUTH AND PORTLAND SAILING ACADEMY � JUNE
30/JULY 1.
A total of 196 boats in five classes set a new record for numbers
competing at a GUL RS Racing Circuit event at Weymouth and Portland
Sailing Academy on June 30/July 1. This was the first event that the
RS700�s competed in and what a performance, 16 boats with some major hot
competition, the return of some old RS friends and spectacular action
downwind on Saturday. Without doubt a very successful launch of a new
class by any criteria.
The 196 boats were split over three courses. The fact that Race Officers
David Campbell-James, Frank Newton and Richard Stevens ran three good
quality races each day in a relatively short space of time speaks volumes
for their race management skills and the co-ordination work of the WPSA
staff.
Of course no event can be a success without the help of the weather gods
and were they smiling on Weymouth at the weekend!! 16-22 knots of breeze
all day on Saturday from the South West with sunshine all afternoon. Full
on Monty sailing, crews going yahoo downwind and a yacht dismasting for
good measure; what else could a self respecting dinghy sailor want. Ah
yes, beer, Saturday night featured a very large party in one of the old
hangers and the video of the Lions stuffing the Wallabies!!!
After all this excitement there were many relieved people when Sunday
started grey but with a very gentle 5-6 knots from the west. The breeze
very slowly built to 10 knots during the day and by the end there was
glorious sunshine. Whilst the results showed some people had a weekend of
two halves the overall winners showed their true mettle by producing
consistent results across some varied conditions.
With the Nationals only one month away this weekend again proved that
each class has many front-runners with many crews hitting form at the
right time; I for one would not like to predict who the winners will be.
The GUL RS Racing Circuit is now building very nicely to a really tight
finish in all classes; the last two Circuit events of the season will see
some major tussles.
RS700�s
What a way for a new class to start. For those not in the know the RS700
is a singlehander with asymmetric kite and the helm trapezing off racks.
Weymouth and Portland Sailing Academy was the first event the RS700�s
have had and what an impact they made. The first boats were only
delivered in April this year so it was doubly impressive to see 16 boats
having really competitive racing and to see the boat handling skills
being demonstrated to the full on Saturday.
Race 1, Gareth Morgan, current RS600 National Champion and Alex Newton
Southon were off to flying starts and led at the first mark. As soon as
the kites were up though Alex was away showing fine speed downwind and
great boat handling to win with Neil Robinson second and Carl Vining
third.
Race 2 looked like a Welsh benefit with the South Wales posse of Morgan,
Steve Stubbs, Paul Lewis and Dan Jackson 1.2.3.4 early on. Luckily for
all our ears the rest of the fleet were having none of this with Robinson
pulling trough to win from Vining, Russell Belben and Stubbs.
Race 3 saw the Vining/Robinson battle resume with Vining just taking the
gun with Paul Bartlett third.
Sunday brought different conditions and a whole new set of boat speed
issues to worry about. Ben Oakley clearly has worked out the 700 in light
to medium airs scoring three bullets, he though had too many points from
Sunday to seriously challenge the leading pair and finished third
overall. Vining and Robinson were in the leading group all day and
Vining�s score of 4.2.2 was just enough to give him overall victory by a
point from Neil Robinson who scored 3.6.3 on Sunday.
Stubbs, Belben and Bartlett had very consistent sets of results and were
well clear on points of the rest of the fleet. They clearly are going to
be able to challenge the leading duo over the rest of the season.
Jackson, Gerard Hughes and Gareth Morgan all found the go button for a
race.
The 700�s have arrived in a big way, the fleet is extremely keen and boy
are they going to have a lot of fun learning to sail these flying
machines.
Pete Vincent
R S 700 30 June 2001
Sail No Helm Tally Series Points Series Place Race 1
Race 2 Race 3 Race 4 Race 5 Race 6
716 Carl Vining 191 10 1 3 2 1 4
2 2
744 Neil Robinson 188 11 2 2 1 2 3
6 3
714 Ben Oakley 184 16 3 8 7 6 1
1 1
708 Steve Stubbs 198 21 4 5 4 7 5
3 4
724 Russell Belben 189 23 5 4 3 5 7
5 6
727 Paul Bartlett 192 25 6 6 6 3 6
4 7
710 Dan Jackson 197 43 7 9 5 17
17 7 5
707 Paul Lewis 185 43 8 7 10 8 9
10 9
706 Gerard Hughes 195 46 9 17 13 12 2
11 8
731 Paul Weeden 193 49 10 17 9 9
12 9 10
Sail No Helm Tally Series Points Series Place Race 1 Race 2 Race
3 Race 4 Race 5 Race 6
716 Carl Vining 191 10 1 3 2 1 4 2 2
744 Neil Robinson 188 11 2 2 1 2 3 6 3
714 Ben Oakley 184 16 3 8 7 6 1 1 1
708 Steve Stubbs 198 21 4 5 4 7 5 3 4
724 Russell Belben 189 23 5 4 3 5 7 5 6
727 Paul Bartlett 192 25 6 6 6 3 6 4 7
710 Dan Jackson 197 43 7 9 5 17 17 7 5
707 Paul Lewis 185 43 8 7 10 8 9 10 9
706 Gerard Hughes 195 46 9 17 13 12 2 11 8
731 Paul Weeden 193 49 10 17 9 9 12 9 10
712 Gareth Morgan 199 51 11 17 11 4 11 8 17
721 Neil Sanders 186 56 12 12 8 11 13 15 12
725 Chris Kirk 194 58 13 11 12 10 14 12 13
718 Tim Garvin 196 60 14 10 17 17 8 14 11
704 Ala Newton-Southon 190 69 15 1 17 17 17 17 17
709 Anthony Rees 187 74 16 17 17 17 10 13 17
Sun 01 Jul 01 17:02:47