A mixture of varied conditions greeted the RS400 teams sailing at Island Barn Reservoir Sailing Club on Saturday 21st October 2023. There was sun and rain, zephyr sailing, light breezes and even a little bit of hiking. The fleet mix encompassed 20-somethings to octogenarians, Olympic medallists, and beginners to performance dinghy racers. Breakfast, lunch and Island Barns’ famous cream tea were welcomed.
Sailors were eager to get racing. On Race 1, a general recall was called and – as billed – the I flag was flown for all subsequent races. Top spots were taken by Fairbrother, Halhead and Pickering.
For Race 2, the wind became zephyr on the final run – where skill, nerve and a modicum of luck were required. The Whitmore’s had a good race with Fairbrother, Whitmore and Pickering taking top spots. Afterward, there was a pause between racing for a civilised break ashore for lunch.
Race 3 was defined by a significant shift early on, that turned beats into fetches and runs into reaches. This left some smelling of roses and others not having their usual race positions. However the top spots played out as you might expect with Halhead, Fairbrother and Pickering in 1st, 2nd and 3rd.
In the final race, Race 4, top spots were taken by Walker, Halhead and Ryder. The local boat had a good one here – I can attest it was somewhat stressful on board on the last lap, with the crew being asked many more complex questions than usual.
You can see the final results here. Plans are already afoot for next year’s RS400 Southern Tour. Overall results for this season’s tour and plans for next year to follow very shortly!
Event report by Chris Eames
Photography by Peter Halliday
