Pascoe on a winning streak

RYA Olympic Classes Spring Series continues in breezy conditions

Megan Pascoe continued her successful start to 2013 with victory at the second leg of the RYA Olympic Classes Spring Series – held amid windy conditions this weekend at the Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy – handing her the overall 2013 Spring Series crown.

The Portland-based 2.4mR sailor adds her second Spring Series weekend victory of the year – having claimed honours at the 9-10 March event – to her ISAF Sailing World Cup gold at Miami in January, and silver at the Palma World Cup edition just over a week ago.

With two back to back Spring Series events won, and with no racing for the Paralympic classes at the third and final event at Hayling Island next month, Pascoe has secured overall honours for the 2013 edition of the early-season Spring Series.

At this weekend’s event, the 2.4mR and Sonar classes were the only two to see any racing action at all on Saturday’s opening day, which was hampered by strong winds across Portland Harbour.

Pascoe took the gun in the only race of the day in the 2.4mR, followed by Frensham Pond’s John Brooker in second, while the Paralympic trio of John Robertson, Hannah Stodel and Steve Thomas, who only took to the water for the opening day, claimed Saturday’s race win in the Sonar.

Sunday saw improved, but still breezy, 18-22 knot southerly conditions with all fleets managing to see some racing inside Portland Harbour.

Pascoe continued her winning streak, claiming three more race wins to seal 2.4mR victory, while the British Sailing Team’s 470 Junior European silver medallists Mike Wood and Hugh Brayshaw also saw an unblemished scorecard in the 470 class for the second Spring Series event in a row, picking up three race wins. Jess Lavery and Megan Brickwood were the top women’s pairing and third overall in the 470 fleet.

Tom Squires topped the billing in the RS:X 9.5 windsurfing event, notching up two race wins and a second, while Robert York was the top RS:X 8.5 sailor, and Imogen Sills the top female across the weekend’s racing.

Two race wins for Harry Briddon was enough for him to seal weekend victory in the heavyweight Finn class, while the Cowes Corinthian Yacht Club trio of Simon Barter, Alistair Barter and Ed Suckling took the win in the Sonar event ahead of the Blind Sailing Association team of Lucy Hodges, Adam McGovern, Martin Phillips and Gary Butler in second.

The Weymouth duo of Alex Tobutt and Stuart Appleby topped the leaderboard in the 49er class over British Sailing Team Development squad sailors Henry Lloyd Williams and Sam Batten.

“It was great to get some racing in on Sunday, especially with the strong wind forecast for the weekend and racing being blown off on Saturday,” said Spring Series Event Director Tim Hall.

“Although the race teams were faced with some challenging conditions, we saw some great competition both from familiar faces and new teams.

“It was especially pleasing to see the strong fleet of Sonars, including sailors from the Blind Sailing Association. We’re looking forward to an exciting finale of the 2013 Spring Series at Hayling Island next month.”

The final event in the 2013 RYA Olympic Classes Spring Series takes place at HISC from 18-19 May. Entries will be taken at registration.

The Spring Series Notice of Race can also be found in the RYA Olympic Classes Handbook, which is available in the Crew Room section of the British Sailing Team website. The Handbook also contains information regarding the applicable classes for each weekend, and the series of qualifying events for grant awards.

2013 RYA Olympic Classes Spring Series – WPNSA results:

Finn
1: Harry Briddon
2: Paul Childs
3: James Hadden

470
1: Mike Wood-Hugh Brayshaw
2: Robert Gullan-Dicken Maclean
3: Jess Lavery-Megan Brickwood

49er
1: Alex Tobutt-Stuart Appleby
2: Henry Lloyd Williams-Sam Batten
3: Tristan Hutt-Nick Murray

RS:X 8.5
1: Robert York
2: Imogen Sills
3: Matthew Barton

RS:X 9.5
1: Tom Squires
2: Sam Sills
3: Joe Bennett

2.4mR
1: Megan Pascoe
2: John Brooker
3: Carol Dugdale

Sonar
1: Simon Barter-Alistair Barter-Ed Suckling
2: Lucy Hodges-Adam McGovern-Martin Phillips-Gary Butler
3: Sharon Grennan-Martin Moody-Vicky Sheen-Ian Shirra