RS Fevas at Papercourt

Nathan and Anna Ackroyd take win

The conditions for the last Fat Face Circuit event of the season could not have been better! Racing started in a southerly F2, with a forecast of significant increase in wind strength later in the day. Race one was always going to favour the light crews, and local team Oliver White & Aaron Smithhad a good start and extended a comfortable lead after the first beat to lead the procession home.

The wind was now building to F3 and the parent and child teams were looking to move up the field, led by Paul & Miles Handly who came in 4th behind 1st Natham & Anna Ackroyd, 2nd Fiona Hampshire 7 Naomi Fenton-Jones and 3rd Oliver White & Aaron Smith. Unfortunately the lighter crews were able to plane downwind on a run, while the heavier crews had to gybe between broad reaches to go down the narrow part of the water. Going into lunch there was lots of competition left in the event.

The Fat Face merit award had already been decided, Ed & Will Bates went to the aid of a Mary Fenton Jones who had become separated from her capsized boat, only rejoining the race once help arrived. The afternoon racing in winds of F4+ saw some of the less experienced crews opting to stay ashore. The racing had now set into a pattern with the Ackroyds and Hanleys battling out at the front, the Bates boys and Nik & Oscar Williams in hot pursuit. With three straight wins discarding a second there is no dispute over who deserved to win.

Papercourt Sailing Club managed to attract a good turnout from far and wide at the end of a long season, on a wet and windy day! The reasons including Papercourt’s generous hospitality, a day’s sailing including lunch and tea for £5.00 a person, generous prizes for half the fleet: all amounting to true value.

	Helm		Crew
1	Nathan	Ackroyd	Anna	Ackroyd
2	Oliver	White	Aaron	Smith
3	Paul	Hanley	Miles	Hanley
4	Fiona	Hampshire	Naomi	Fenton-Jones
5	William	Bates	Ed	Bates
6	Mary	Fenton-Jones	Holly	Watson
7	Graeme	Hampshire	D	Hampshire
8	Oscar	Williams	Nik	Williams
9	David	Howell	J	Howell
10	David	Watson	Jordan	Watson
11	Harriet	Marsden	Katharine	Marsden
12	Tom	Creedy	Sam	Tucker
13	Tom	Adams	Ben	Harden
14	Charlotte	Bonella	Ellie	Birnie
15	William	Barnes	Mike	Friedlos
16	Clare	Michelmore	Lucy	Preston