Final outing

RS 400 Fat Face circuit at Oxford SC reports Matt Grimm

The 18/19 September saw the RS400 fleet descend on Farnmoor Reservoir for the final round of their Fat Face Circuit.

On arrival, the conditions looked awesome. White horses as far as the eye could see with clear blue skies above. However, by the time the fleet got afloat, they had to contend with a patchy and shifty force 1 to 3 under ominously dark skies.

Mark/Sam Littlejohn got a good start out of the port end, picking their way through the 40º wind shifts to arrive at the windward in the top group, then built a lead that lasted to the finish. Steve Venables/Richard Brown were chasing hard but couldn’t keep pace and had to settle for 2nd. John Cooper/Becci Wigley earned a credible third.

Venables/Brown led the fleet in race 2. However their sailing is better than their counting ability, leading the front four boats on a lap of honour. Bill/Lynda Handley knew what was going on though, and made no mistake sailing on from fifth straight to the finish line taking the bullet. Steve Josling and Sarah Richards also enjoyed the unexpected gift to finish second and third. Venables dominated again in race 3, counting correctly this time, with Littlejohn second and Paul Hilliar/Toby Ashton third.

In race 4 it was Sarah Richards who got the best start and sailed the perfect beat to arrive at the windward mark first and led the race until the last run when a huge wind lane opened up behind her to allow the boats in second and third to sail in a straight line all the way to the finish. Ian Pickard/Sarah Taylor sailed through to take the bullet.

In race 5 Venables/Brown were back in leading form prior to an unusual capsize on the gybe down wind. This left an incredibly close battle between Hilliar and Littlejohn, with Littlejohn’s decision to head to the finish line a lap early handed Hilliar an easy win. In the final race Hilliar lead from start to finish but even with Littlejohn down in 4th it wasn’t enough to snatch overall victory from him.

	Helm	Crew	R1	R2	R3	R4	R5	R6	PTS
1	Mark Littlejohn	Sam Littlejohn	1	18	2	2	2	4	11
2	Paul Hillier	Toby Ashton	4	9	3	5	1	1	14
3	Steve Venobles	Richard Brown	2	17	1	4	6	2	15
4	Ian Pickard	Sarah Taylor	11	6	4	1	4	3	18
5	Steve Josling		8	2	6	7	5	5	25
6	Bill Handley	Linda Handley	OCS	1	5	9	7	7	29
7	John Cooper	Becci Wiggly	3	4	8	6	DNF	9	30
8	Sarah Richards		5	3	9	3	DNF	DNS	40
9	Mark Reddington	Jane Sutor	9	7	14	10	9	6	41
10	Chris Bailey	Matt Bailey	14	5	10	13	3	DNF	45
11	Howard Fulbrother		6	10	12	11	8	DNF	47
12	Neil Peacock	Liz Peacock	12	11	13	8	11	8	50
13	Nigel Hammond		13	12	7	14	10	10	52
14	Martin Ward	Linda	7	14	15	12	13	DNF	61
15	Adam Oliver		10	8	11	DNS	DNS	DNS	69
16	Andy Harris		15	13	16	16	14	12	70
17	Smith		16	15	17	15	DNF	11	74
18	Jon Smith		DNS	16	DNF	17	12	DNS	85