Results / RS Fat Face Racing Circuit Stokes Bay SC - 06/05/2006

29 RS700s turned out at Stokes Bay SC for the third Fat Face Circuit event of the year despite a forecast of light winds and rain. A football superstar style injury reduced the entry to 29 boats, but a mix of new and old faces had some incredibly tight racing with consistency seeming the requirement to get to the top. No wind and rain was what the race officer had to contend with but after a short postponement ashore Race 1 was got underway in enough wind to trapeze. Harvey Hillary in his first 700 event took an early lead but was confused by the 800 and 700 leeward marks allowing Matt Humphreys (Rooster Sailing) and Dave Smithwhite to catch up. Tom Offer gained from heading offshore on the run and was leading the final lap only to tangle with the leeward mark whilst dropping his kite allowing Jon Heissig through to take the win. Tom recovered in time to hold on to second with Humphreys following in third. Paul Hayden was first of the silver fleet finishers, with Hugh Watson close behind. Race 2 was sailed in much the same conditions with the tide changing inshore adding to the tactical element. The wind stayed up for the second race start, Heissig managed to get clear and looked like getting a second win. However, the wind started to die and the final run saw Alex Koukourakis pass to get the gun, with Nicky Griffin catching both up for third on a shortened course. Andy Peake was starting to find his form in light winds, and finished ahead of Humphreys. Hayden again led the silver fleet, challenged this time by Luke South. The breeze was dying for Race 3 and with the tide now in full flow there were some interesting raft ups, particularly around the leeward mark. Interestingly there were very few observed to be doing any turns! The notable exception being Steve Marshall who did his after attempting to skewer a fellow competitor (thanks Steve!). Paul Hayden sailed very well in the light conditions, extending out his lead to win by a considerable margin. Harvey Hillary followed finishing in second with Tom Offer in third. This left Heissig as overnight leader of the gold fleet, ahead of Offer and Hillary. Hayden was well clear in the silver fleet. Sunday dawned with a major difference, Sun! Alas still no wind. The race officer was keen to start however there was a reluctance for the fleet to leave the beach. Eventually the fleet launched and the start sequence began just in time for the wind to switch off completely, this heralded a return to the shore under postponement for an ice-cream break. When the breeze did fill in the racing began promptly in trapezing conditions. Harvey Hillary sailed away to win this one, followed by Andy Irons in second and Paul Hayden in third. The event would be decided on the last race, and Peake hit the front at the windward mark and never looked like being caught, despite passing through the multiple RS800 starts. Humphreys started a late charge to form moved up through the fleet to second as the breeze dropped on the final run. Marshall and Eddie Gatehouse had a close race all around the course; Marshalls final gybe inshore for less adverse tide proved the deciding move. Heissig hung on to fifth, having retired from the previous race to nip ashore and change a broken pole outhaul block, and this was enough to give him the event overall ahead of Peake and Hillary. Hayden had another good result to easily take the silver fleet prize, and second went to South just ahead of Watson, all receiving Fatface vouchers to spend. Thanks go to SBSC for a well run event. Next up is the Nationals at Eastbourne, with a line up of subsidised curry and a FREE BEER (thanks to kind sponsors) after sailing every night there should be a bumper turn out. Matt Humphreys & Jon Heissig