Results / Noble Marine UK National Championship Exe Sailing Club - 19/08/2012

Thursdays report:

It was very much as before at the Noble Marine RS200 National Championships at Exe SC on the final day.

-          The weather continued to play ball; the forecast 7/8 knots turned into a lovely 12/14 southerly.

-          PRO Phil Morrison and his excellent race team continued their fine work with two good smartly turned around races. Having no claims for redress against the race team and no need to shorten a course over the 10 race championship says it all.

-          Ben Saxton and Toby Lewis continued in true imperious style winning both races to win overall by a country mile. Hamish Walker/Emma Hivey remained in 2^nd overall and Matt Mee/Emma Norris in 3^rd overall.

-          There were ice creams for everyone again when we tallied off and the cake mountain was as impressive as ever; what more could a happy sailor want!

Ben Cornish/Charlotte Coleman from Exe SC just held off the challenge of river neighbours Jayne Johnson/Jamie Barker from Starcross to win the Silver division with Sam Tozer/Lucy Preston only a point behind in third. Parkstone’s finest Chris Bowers/Ian Mairs really sorted the Bronze Division with a fine display on the final day to win from John-Paul Marks/Emma Anderton and James Penty/Jon Evans.

Many thanks to our terrific sponsors Noble Marine. It has been an amazing week; Lee Sydenham won duckhams and is now walking around in a dress and as everyone finished the last race PRO and boat designer Phil gave them a tune on his trombone instead the usual horn!! What more could we want ; oh yes the black tie ball and prize giving to come – bring it on

Wednesdays report:

Wednesday was a beautiful sunny day at the Noble Marine RS200 Nationals at Exmouth and Ben Saxton/Toby Lewis took full advantage to win the Championship with a day to spare.

On the way out to the course area there was plainly a good breeze as most crews popped kites and went for a good burn. The wind though had clocked westerly and was coming from Dawlish and it soon became very apparent there were major holes and lulls in between bursts of real planning .

Pathfinder Rob Gullen/Jack Holden kept going and headed for an ice cream on Dawlish Warren and were the original blue dot as they rounded the first mark miles in the lead. Saxton/Lewis had somehow extracted themselves out of an early start and headed over to the right and so were  leading the following pack. When on the second beat the leaders headed for the right corner again Saxton/Lewis sailed round them and rudely disappeared into a massive lead. Behind Ed Whitehead/ Alice Kingsnorth won the fight for 2^nd with Matt Mee/Emma Norris 3^rd and pathfinders 4^th.

The breeze was much firmer around a constant 16/18 knots for the start of the second race and the right was again paying. Roger/Jane Gilbert did the master class on sailing an opening beat and held a very good lead at the first mark and was never seriously challenged. Mark Heather/Ed Cowell pulled through to 2^nd with Ian Sharps/Ellie Martin 3^rd. Ben/Toby were 10^th around the first mark and slowly chipped away to finish 4^th. This was more than good enough to make them Noble Marine RS200 National Champions with a day to spare.

Jayne Johnson/Jamie Barker capsized on the first beat in the first race yet somehow recovered finish 9^th in the race and to be first silver division boat. There is now a battle royal between them, Ben Cornish and Sam Tozer for first silver overall.  James Penty/Jon Evans were first  bronze boat on the day but John-Paul Marks and Chris Bowers are now locked together in 39^th and 40^th overall in the fight for overall bronze win.

Tuesdays Report:

It was a major day on Tuesday at the Noble Marine RS200 Nationals at Exe SC for three important reasons.

-          The weather played ball allowing three races to be run putting the championship back on schedule in excellent conditions.

-          Ben Saxton/Toby Lewis sailed the most impressive day you could imagine winning all three races by a margin.

-          The 2ndhanddinghies.com sponsored social and fancy dress party was a messy affair with the club running out of gin and rum – WOT!!!

The Wind went round to the South west but some black clouds gave PRO Phil Morrison a hard time with a couple of aborted gate starts but racing started in 8-10 knots. By the start of the last race it was up in the 14/16 knot area and by the last round downwind was truly lush. The winning margin Saxton/Lewis had in the final race was something to behold.

Behind it was a mixed day for the early contenders; Hamish Walker/Emma Hivey had a shocking first race but recovered with a 2^nd and 5^th to remain in second overall. Jonny McGovern/Sarah Williams scored 2 – 7 - 3 to move up to third overall. Matt Mee/Emma Norris had a  6^th and 9^th and then the disaster of a broken gooseneck.

Jayne Johnson/Jamie Baker had a star day to win the silver fleet  but is behind Exe SC Ben Cornish/Charlotte Coleman overall in the silver division. Chris Bowers/Ian Mairs won Bronze fleet  but are  a little way behind John-Paul Marks/Emma Anderson overall.

Mention must be made of Silver division’s Paul Lewis/Rosie Brearley who were the first boat out of the gate in the final race and led round the first mark. Meanwhile Exe SC mark layers were having a fine day wrapping ropes round props and destroying engines to be popular winners of Duckhams at the 2ndhanddinghies fancy dress party fuelled by the boom of doom. It is a slow day this morning!!!

Mondays Report:

After the flat calm of Sunday and no sailing the Noble Marine RS200 National Championships at Exmouth got under way today in that rarest of things for the British summer – glorious sunshine, wall to wall blue skies and a gentle breeze that slowly built to near champagne conditions for the end of the third race.

With an earlier start to help to try and catch up race 1 was opened by Chris Catt/Ally Martin in 6/7 knots but it was early start heaven as those out early were soon able to tack over. Hamish Walker/Emma Hivey were on fire and pulled out a very handsome lead even as the wind became soft to win from an equally comfortable Matt Mee/Emma Norris in second with Pippa Wilson/John Gimson grabbing third.

Race 2 was more of the same with Walker/Hivey leading but this time they had to hold off a very determined challenge from Ben Saxton and Toby Lewis who closed right up to their transom on the final lap. Lee Sydenham/Severine Rees-Jones pulled through to third.

Now in strong sunshine and a due south breeze that had built up to 14 knots Race 3 saw late on the gate much more favoured although many over stood on the strong tide. Johnny McGovern/Sarah Williams looked to have built a race winning lead but Saxton/Lewis was on a mission and reeled them in to win. Local Exe SC boys Arthur Henderson/Alex Horlock finished third.

The strength of the fleet is shown by the fact that only the top three overall have recorded 3 top 10 finishes.  Walker/Hivey are on equal points with Saxton/Lewis with Mee/Norris close behind. Past National Champions the Gilberts and the Hivey’ s are languishing in 9^th and 10th overall with only one top ten finish each. What is very clear this is going to be a fairly high scoring champs and much will yet happen.