It was a major day on Tuesday at the Noble Marine RS200 Nationals at Exe SC for three important reasons. The weather played ball allowing three races to be run putting the championship back on schedule in excellent conditions - Ben Saxton and Toby Lewis sailed the most impressive day you could imagine winning all three races by a margin - The 2ndhanddinghies.com sponsored social and fancy dress party was a messy affair with the club running out of gin and rum – WOT!!!
The Wind went round to the South west but some black clouds gave PRO Phil Morrison a hard time with a couple of aborted gate starts but racing started in 8-10 knots. By the start of the last race it was up in the 14/16 knot area and by the last round downwind was truly lush. The winning margin Saxton/Lewis had in the final race was something to behold.
Behind it was a mixed day for the early contenders; Hamish Walker/Emma Hivey had a shocking first race but recovered with a 2nd and 5th to remain in second overall. Jonny McGovern/Sarah Williams scored 2.7.3 to move up to third overall. Matt Mee/Emma Norris slipped with 6th and 9th and then the disaster of a broken gooseneck.
Jayne Johnson/Jamie Baker had a star day to win the silver division on the day but is behind Exe SC Ben Cornish/Charlotte Coleman overall in the silver division. Chris Bowers/Ian Mairs were the star turn in the Bronze but a little way behind John-Paul Marks/Emma Anderson overall.
Mention must be made of silver division Paul Lewis/Rosie Brearley who the first boat out of the gate in the final race and led round the first mark. Meanwhile Exe SC mark layers were having a fine day wrapping ropes round props and destroying engines to be popular winners of Duckhams at the 2ndhanddinghies fancy dress party fuelled by the boom of doom. It is a slow day this morning!
Report Pete Vincent
G New
23 August 2012 9:48