RS200 Inland Championship 2024 and Rooster Championship Tour at Grafham Water Sailing Club

RS200 Inland Championship at Grafham © Hilary Talbot

Once again we made the trip to Grafham Water for our Inlands (part of the Rooster Championship Tour) with a promising forecast for the weekend.

With the fleet returning to the flat waters the question was who would come out on top; National Champions Ben Whaley and Lorna Glen, the experienced duo of Chris Catt and Emma Clarke, British Sailing Team member Sam Whaley with super crew Jess Hammett, Scotland's finest Brendan Clarke and Emilia Russel or would another in the fleet set up to challenge these contenders?

With a relaxed noon start the fleet caught up before heading on the water with many questions over how much breeze there would be. Forecasts suggested 12-18 kts from the South East.

Race 1 - RS200 Inland Championship at Grafham - photo © Hilary Talbot

Once on the water, the fleet got into the conditions and were ready for race 1. As with most first starts when we are doing line starts following our Nationals we had the customary general recall, with the start line re-laid we got away the second time under the U-flag that would remain for the weekend. Although there was one boat missing with Sam and Jess having snapped their tiller in the general recalled start now sailing in to find another rudder! Rumour has it Sam is getting good at this having done it two weeks previously in his Switch.

Race 1 saw the wind shift to the right leading to a boat speed race but passing lanes did present themselves when utilised especially downwind and the ability to get planning. Ben and Lorna continued their Nationals form to take the win from Brendan and Emilia with Jamie Harris and Ellen Main in third.

Race 2 saw the windward marks moved under the trees following the right-hand shift in the first race which enabled more ladders up the beat but equally many snakes. Ben and Lorna continued with another win this time beating Sam and Jess, having sourced the spare rudder from the club boat, with Paul Cullen and Verity Hopkins taking third.

RS200 Inland Championship at Grafham - photo © Hilary Talbot

The third race of the day saw the breeze build slightly more with more consistent downwind planning being achieved, this saw Will Taylor and Niamh Davies win the race from Fresh Abendstern and Ross Kemp (Southwell), followed by Ben and Lorna to secure the most consistent results of the day on an otherwise very difficult day. Overnight this left Ben and Lorna leading from Will and Niamh with Fresh and Ross tied on countback in third.

Most fleets go to Grafham for the racing but the RS200 fleet also has an additional competition that is possibly becoming more important, the Ben Whaley Fussbal Invitational. For those unaware, this occurs at any club with table football and Ben is attending. There were many challengers to Ben's crown but he fended off all to retain his status as champion on the Grafham table.

Day 2 - RS200 Inland Championship at Grafham - photo © Hilary Talbot

Returning to the club for Day 2 the wind appeared more down the lake from the dam so the question became would the breeze be more consistent? The forecast implied slightly more breeze with 12-21kts again from the SE. After a short blast out to the course it looked like conditions would remain the same as Day 1.

Fastest out the blocks were Ewan Wilson and Rory Gifford with Brendan and Emilia second, it seemed these were the conditions of Team Scotland taking the 1,2, with Sam and Jess in third. Although the sail out to the race course presented planning conditions it was clear these were less occurrent than on Day 1 with soaking skills also being tested.

Race 5 saw Chris and Emma take the win from Ollie Evans and Zoe Nieveen with Fresh and Ross in third.

Race 6 and the final race saw Sam and Jess take the win from Chris and Emma with Brendan and Emilia in third. Upon arriving ashore and washing boats down, the fleet knew the final results were going to be tight with no boat achieving all top fives throughout the racing.

RS200 Inland Championship at Grafham - photo © Hilary Talbot

Once calculated the winners were Chris and Emma from Sam and Jess with Will and Niamh rounding out the podium. This year the experience came through and with Sam and Jess getting their eye in could be challengers next weekend at the Endeavour. But downwind flyers Will and Niamh were proof that gains could be made on those final runs if confidence was there and breeze utilised.

The racing over the weekend proved how much you had to keep racing to the finish with gains still possible with a tightly packed fleet and gusts that would be 20m wide at points. At the prize-giving Emma spoke highly of the enjoyment that was had during the racing and thanked to the club and association for putting on the event, as well as the RS200 Championship Tour sponsors, Rooster.

Chris Catt and Emma Hivey win the RS200 Inland Championship at Grafham - photo © Hilary Talbot

Overall Results: