RS Elites join the RS 30th Anniversary Spectacle
by Debbie Jarvis 21 May 01:04 PDT
18-19 May 2024
RS Elites at the RS 30th Anniversary Regatta © Phil Jackson / Digital Sailing
Tricky is a fair description for the racing over the weekend of the RS 30th Anniversary Regatta. Ten 'elites' joined the 21s, 800s & 700s on Echo course. The forecast was light but after an hour's postponement we sailed out of Chichester Harbour towards the wreck & turned left, past West Wittering to the course area just off East Wittering beach.
We raced in 4 to 6 knots but with a tiny course & very little tide, Race Officer Charlie Bradshaw, managed to squeeze in two races before we drifted back home. Tom, Jo & Colin were the only team to show any consistency scoring a 1st & 2nd. Eddie, Pete & Rob won race two. By the time the fleet got to shore the HISC balcony was buzzing & the RS party was getting into gear.
The entry fee included a BBQ & music provided by Brando (infamous at Cowes Week). The sun & stars aligned to supply the perfect sunset, HISC caterers served up an incredible 800 plates of food, & the band played until midnight.
Sunday saw Mediterranean conditions with a north easterly dropping & moving easterly. The fleet headed out & 'ghosted' to the committee boat as the wind disappeared before returning from the south. Three races were sailed in constantly shifting 6 to 8 knots. There may have been 10 knots at some stage but not everyone saw it. Scores were all over the place as there seemed to be no 'rhyme or reason' to when & where the shifts were appearing.
The high number of UFD's also meant no one had any idea who was where on the scoreboard. Jonny, Adam & Anna scored a win in race one; it was Ossie, Ian & Tom taking the win in race two. The final race would decide the winners. Ossie crossed the line first but the fleet had no idea who had pulled off the win until the results were published.
Incredibly close, tactical races but Ossie Stewart & team won by one point over Tom Hewitson's team. Andy Partington, Gareth & Chris completed the podium.
Next up are the RS Elite Southerns at HISC just before the Nationals at Royal Southern Yacht Club on July 4-7.
Overall Results:
| Pos | Sail no | Helm Name | Crew Name | Helm Club | Sat R1 | Sat R2 | Sun R1 | Sun R2 | Sun R3 | Pts |
|---|
| 1 | 67 | Ossie Stewart | Ian Budgen, Tom Stewart | HISC | ‑7 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 9 |
| 2 | 100 | Tom Hewitson | Jo Hewitson, Colin Smith | HISC | 1 | 2 | (UFD) | 3 | 4 | 10 |
| 3 | 66 | Andrew Partington | Gareth Edwards, Chris Witty | HISC | 3 | ‑6 | 4 | 2 | 5 | 14 |
| 4 | 92 | Jonny C | Adam | HISC | 5 | ‑8 | 1 | 6 | 3 | 15 |
| 5 | 15 | Nick Peters | Debbie Jarvis, Simon Childs | HISC | 4 | ‑7 | 5 | 5 | 2 | 16 |
| 6 | 46 | Eddie Warden Owen | Peter Copsey, Rob Ashworth | HISC | 8 | 1 | (UFD) | 4 | 6 | 19 |
| 7 | 6 | Adrian Ward | Nigel, Sarah Ward | HISC | 9 | 3 | 2 | (UFD) | 7 | 21 |
| 8 | 76 | Tim Peters | Jerry Vigus, adrian williams | HISC | 6 | 5 | (UFD) | 7 | UFD | 29 |
| 9 | 20 | Russell Peters | Zeb Elliott, James Fawcett | RYS | 2 | 9 | (UFD) | UFD | UFD | 33 |
| 10 | 84 | David Hitchcock | Fraser Elms, Georgia Smith | HISC | 10 | 10 | (UFD) | UFD | 8 | 39 |