Saturday sailing

The RS500 fleet only managed one day of racing at their lnland Championships

The RS500 fleet travelled to Rutland for the Gul Inland Championship over the weekend of 27-28 September.

A forecast of extremely light winds did not dissuade 16 boats from making the journey for the final event of the season.

Racing was delayed for nearly three hours as the race committee waited for the fickle wind to build. Eventually it did and the fleet lined up for their first start only to be stopped one minute before the gun as a huge shift made the line nearly impossible to cross.

After further course alterations the race finally got under way in variable five to eight knots of wind with sisters Jeni and Kate Tod showing the fleet the way with Andrew and Liz Palmer-Felgate second and Mike Saul crewed by Meg Fletcher third.

Further delay followed the loss of the committee boat anchor but with the wind holding and the sun still shining the fleet started race two. Palmer-Felgate and Saul battled it out for the top spot, only to both continue on to do a fourth lap when they should have headed for the finish. They quickly realised but left just enough time for the Tod’s to sneak through and claim first.

The Race Officer did not delay with the start of race three and the fleet got away with a few individual recalls. Saul had another good battle with the Palmer-Felgate’s coming out on top. The Highfields claimed third with the Tod’s dropping from third to sixth after being forced to capsize on the beat by a boat coming down on the run.

With the wind holding on and the forecast dire for Sunday the race officer held a fourth race. The Tods took an early lead but were over taken by Saul and Palmer-Felgates who went on to take first and second respectively.

Sunday racing was abandoned due to lack of wind so it was definitely a good call by the race officer to do four races on Saturday. Overall the Sauls just beat the Tods on discard with the Palmer-Felgates taking third overall with their consistent four seconds.

Thanks to Gul the headline sponsors and to Rutland for hosting the event. With winter approaching our focus moves to training and the first training weekend is on October 11-12 at Datchet Water SC.