Gut-buster

The RS Feva Inland Championships took place in big wind conditions

The RS Feva Inland Championship and final Fat Face Grand Prix Circuit event took place over the weekend of 25-26 October.

On Saturday the Race Officer, Andrew Weeden and his team managed to get the entire fleet afloat just in time for a steady 25 knots with gusts of 37 to settle in over Draycote Water. Inevitably there were the experienced thrill seekers launching themselves off waves and proving that Fevas can indeed fly even if only for short periods of time. Racing though was temporarily postponed until later in the afternoon.

Race one proved to be the only race of the day. Eilidh McIntyre and Vikki Payne carried on where they left off last weekend breaking kit! A gut busting five lap windward/leeward saw them break their pole on the second lap. They still held on for second though behind the awesomely quick Hugo Jones-Warner and James Poyner combo. Again as per last weekend the third boat reveling in the conditions was Tim Norris sailing for the last time with brother James in a Feva – roll on Mollie! As predicted Alice Kent and Lucy Childs were still sweeping the cobwebs out of the boat back in 14th (so that was their first discard then.)

Day two was going to be even more exhausting as the race team were determined to get the full series in – five races to go then! The drizzle cleared leaving a great 12-15 knot average wind, plenty to let the stomach muscles groan. three races were held back to back followed by a short break for refueling and then a last push for the season with another two to finish off. Only the last race was shortened at all to some 30 minutes so you can guess at the sleep enjoyed in cars on the way home.

A battle royale was to be played out with Alice Kent and Lucy Childs and Hugo Jones-Warner as the main protagonists. Alice and Lucy came back well from the previous day with a fourth, first and second whilst Hugo and James set about their task with a seveth a fourth and a first. Alex and Steffi Orton weren’t going to keep quiet though and chipped in with their own pair of seconds and a fifth. Peter and James Curtis were the experienced team on the block and even they suffered if the start wasn’t spot on and notched up a score in the teens in the second race.

Elsewhere Cathy Lear and Francine Counsell were also having a great time and local heroes Robert and Emma Loveridge were keeping everyone honest. Sadly Eilidh and Vikki were having a bit of a mare. Ruth and Tess Allan weren’t about to be bossed about and Libby Watkins and Abbie Heathcote rediscovered their training form with a new, more relaxed attitude.

So it came down to the final two races. Alice and Lucy kept the coolest head (just) to take the overall win by a single point from Hugo and James. Alex and Steffi were only one point further back! The top three were covered by just two points. Peter and James Curtis were kept a cosy six points further back whilst Cathy and Francine capped a fantastic day for Oakham School and Rutland Water by claiming fifth. Robert and Emma Loveridge finished a fantastic year for Draycote Water in being first home boat in sixth. They took the main Fat Face prizes whilst further ‘traveller’ awards went to Hawkins and Thomas, ‘Most improved over the weekend’ went to Watkins and Heathcote, ‘Best endurance and determination on windy Saturday’ went to Summers and Peel.

The closeness of the racing is epitomized by the seventh to 12th finishes with all six boats covered by five points With two boats from Restronguet, two from deepest Yorkshire, two from Kent, a dash from West Mersea and the usual from the Chichester Harbour areas (apologies to Queen Mary, Hill Head, Shropshire, Felixstowe, etc) this event is truly national. Thus many thanks to the hosts for their huge effort to make it all so fun and efficient for all.

The RS Feva and Tera fleet - who also held their Inland Champs at the weekend - contributed to a Sail4cancer raffle. Over £250 was raised on behalf of former Feva sailor Holly Tucker who is bravely battling leukemia. Many thanks to all who contributed and well done to Rebecca Anthony who won a days coaching from Jonathan Lewis (National Squad Coach no less!).Thank you all.

Results:

Pos	Helm	Crew	Club	R1	R2	R3	R4	R5	R6	Tot
1st	Alice kent	Lucy Childs	Oakham/Rutland SC	11	4	1	2	2	5	9
2nd	Hugo Jones-Warner	James Poyner	Emsworth	1	7	4	1	4	16	10
3rd	Alexandra Orton	Stephanie Orton	Chichester YC	7	2	2	5	20	2	11
4th	Peter Curtis	James Curtis	Island Barn Reservoir SC	6	1	13	7	7	3	17
5th	Cathy Lear	Francine Counsell	Oakham/Rutland SC	12	5	15	4	13	7	28
6th	Robert Loveridge	Emma Loveridge	DWSC	19	3	12	14	1	13	29
7th	Eilidh McIntyre	Vikki Payne	Hayling Island SC	2	23	11	18	14	4	31
8th	Tim Norris	James Norris	Warsash SC	3	12	14	11	12	6	32
9th	Ruth Allan	Tess Allan	Emsworth SC	DNC	9	3	12	16	9	33
10th	Libby Watkins	Abbie Heathcote	W M YC	21	16	5	3	11	18	35
11th	Jack Hawkins	Chris Thomas	Restronguet	8	17	20	17	10	1	36
12th	Amber Brown	James Brown	Burghfield SC	10	18	6	8	17	12	36
13th	Laurence Gibbons	Henry Forward	Chipstead SC	13	10	18	10	6	DNC	39
14th	Will Lewes	Hugo Tucker	Whitstable YC	DNC	11	22	16	5	8	40
15th	Sammy Bonella	Alexis Streeter	Papercourt SC	23	15	16	20	3	11	45
16th	Owen Bowerman	Charlie Darling	Hayling Island SC	RAF	8	9	9	23	21	47
17th	Suzy Peters	Emily Peters	Hayling Island SC	28	6	7	23	25	15	51
18th	Alex Curtis	Andrew Clarke	Queen Mary SC	5	20	21	24	18	10	53
19th	Samuel Rowell	James Hudson	Felixstowe	4	OCS	17	19	15	22	55
20th	Toby Hodge	Matt Ponsford	Chichester YC	15	13	29	13	22	14	55
21st	Megan Backshouse	James Penty	Beaver SC	14	19	26	22	8	20	61
22nd	Steph Harding	Katherine Colvin	CYC	DNC	OCS	10	6	29	17	62
23rd	Harry Bowerman	Charlie Williams	Hayling Island SC	DNC	14	19	29	9	24	66
24th	Alice Masterman	Iona Williams	Hayling Island SC	16	25	8	28	32	23	72
25th	Robert Morris	Rebecca Morris	Shropshire SC	18	24	24	21	DNF	19	82
26th	Cameron Stewart	Oliver Cutbill	Hayling Island SC	17	21	23	33	27	28	88
27th	Lydia Mapstone	Camilla Mapstone		DNF	32	30	27	19	25	101
28th	Meghan Fletcher	Hannah Eskritt	Scaling Dam	26	27	25	25	28	31	103
29th	Rebecca Anthony	Finbar Preston	Emsworth SC	22	26	34	31	35	29	108
30th	George Shelley	Ed Shelley	Shropshire SC	DNC	29	28	30	26	26	109
31st	Adam Kay	Lisa Kay	Warsash SC	DNC	28	37	26	21	42	112
32nd	Tom Paddock	Richard Randall	Oakham/Rutland SC	20	30	33	36	31	34	114
33rd	Phoebe Warren	Tabitha Peel	Emsworth SC	DNC	34	32	34	24	27	117
34th	Robert McPherson	Herbee Harford		DNF	22	31	32	33	DNC	118
35th	Joe Winbush	Oliver jack	DWSC	25	31	35	39	34	32	122
36th	Jenny Boyd	Isabel Scruby	Oakham/Rutland SC	DNC	35	27	35	36	29	126
37th	Steph Webber	Meadhbh Hogg	Hill head SC	24	36	47	40	38	33	131
38th	Hester Brisbourne	Tom Endacott	Shropshire SC	27	38	36	38	39	35	136
39th	Hannah Maycock	Ester Sidebotham	DWSC	DNC	39	39	37	30	39	145
40th	Morgan Peach	Jovian Short	Royal Torbay YC	DNC	45	44	15	DNF	44	148
41st	Alistaire Thorley	Daniel Griffin	DWSC	DNF	37	38	42	37	37	149
42nd	Lily Summers	Molly Peel	Emsworth SC	29	41	41	44	DNC	43	154
43rd	Delanie Rutter	Islay Grant	Emsworth Slipper SC	DNC	33	40	46	41	41	155
44th	Ollie Cooper	Callum Ellis	Wraysbury Lake	9	DNC	DNC	DNC	DNC	DNC	159
45th	Tom Johnson	Janaice Armour	Oakham/Rutland SC	DNC	40	43	41	DNC	36	160
46th	Joe Burgin	Angus Inman	Oakham/Rutland SC	DNC	43	45	45	40	38	166
47th	Sophie Griffin	Sarah Griffin		DNF	42	46	47	DNC	40	175
48th	Molly Griffin	Ruby Griffin	DWSC	DNC	44	42	43	DNF	DNC	179
49th	Emily Hime	George Houston	Hayling Island SC	DNC	DNC	DNC	DNC	DNC	DNC	200