Gilbert and Willan dominate

It was another bumper turnout for the RS200 class as 127 boats took part in the UK National Championship

After big Wednesday, when the fleet completed the second half of race eight in 28 knots, it was a very relieved 127 boat fleet that launched into a much lighter northerly for the final day of the GUL RS200 Nationals at Tenby.

Roger Gilbert and Jane Willan were in the box seat with six first places but they also had a 12th and a 23rd as discards. Second to eighth place overall was closely packed and all could still win if they had a star bar day and Gilbert and Willan a poor one. In the course area everyone soon realised that the force three to four northerly was not stable. There were large holes resulting in the fleet hiking hard with plenty of kicker on the majority of the time suddenly hitting an area of no wind, crew shooting to leeward frantically letting kicker off. So anything could happen as Luke Patience and Chris Grube opened race nine.

Dave Derby and Emma Derby opened a huge lead at one point but behind there was rapid place changing going on. The Derby’s suffered a nervous light run but hung on to win. Gilbert and Willan had always been in the leading group and sailed a consistent race to claim second ahead ahead of Lee Sydenham and Emma Clarke and Eddie Whitehead and Noelle Vidal. On what potentially could have been a nervous day this was more than enough to give Gilbert and Willan the GUL RS200 title with a race to spare.

There was much still to race for in race ten as second to eighth was still wide open. It was a race to be pathfinder as the wind increased along their run and pathfinders Nick Charles and Juliet Kingsnorth just led at mark one from fellow BCYC sailors Sarah Taylor and Lucy Matthews and Pete Vincent and Tessa Nicholls. Craig Burlton and Fiona Clark took the lead on lap two but the leading six boats were closely packed at the start of the final run. Gilbert and Willan turned the after burner on and cruised round the outside to move from fourth to claim a final race win from Ian Martin and Ally Martin, Burlton and Clark and Charles and Kingsnorth. Gilbert had come first out of the gate and one tacked the first beat in the left hand corner. The Martins had been forced to tack straight out of the gate by Gilbert, ducked everyone, went as far right as possible. They finished first and second, such are the joys of gate starts.

Roger Gilbert and Jane Willan had been in astounding form all season so it was not a huge surprise they scored seven race wins in a pretty breezy championship. Behind David and Jane Hivey scored eight top seven results to claim second overall to jump forward from 13th last year. As David gleefully put it on crossing the finishing line in the first race ”yes I can sail these downwind now”. Nick Charles and Juliet Kingsnorth are very close to making the big break through. Richard and Paru Edwards had a fantastic consistent series with eight top ten finish’s. 2004 National Champion Lee Sydenham had a welcome return to form after an injury wrecked 2006 season with Emma Clarke in fifth. Robbie Burns and Vicki Simpson also made great strides up the fleet to claim sixth in the second production boat ever built, number 202. James Stewart and Toby tastic Lewis won Duckhams in style for the final two days. First they got the theme for the fancy dress night mixed up, thinking it was come as your boat name they came as two dogs when the theme was what did you want to be when you grew up! Then on the final day they wrecked their chances by leaving the bung out and missed the first start whilst draining the boat ashore.

Stephen Janering and Chris O Neil just won the titanic battle with David Steed and Suzie Proctor and Rob Janering and Marinthe Evangeldalis for the silver division. Rob Struckett and Eloise Hansen won the bronze division from Tom Winskell and Alex Pickles and Simon and Richard Benson. Dicken Maclean just pipped Sam Littlejohn for 17th place overall and first youth helm. Dave Derby was first master ahead of Colin Smith and Pete Vincent. The Derbys were first family ahead of the Smiths with Emma Derby just beating Aaron Smith for first Junior. Sarah Allan was first lady helm ahead of Sue Antonelli and Trudie Fell. Sue Antonelli and Jo Lloyd were the first all lady team. Bristol CYC were the top club and also had the most number of boats, 11, at the event.

Huge vote of thanks to Gul for their continued sponsorship but above all else to every member of Tenby SC; superb friendly hosts, top race management and rescue crews. The bar was still open at 04.15 on Friday after a famous last night; can we do it again next week?

Results:

Pos	Helm	Crew	Home Club	R1	R2	R3	R4	R5	R6	R7	R8	R9	R10	Tot
1	Roger Gilbert	Jane Willan	Frensham Pond SC	1	23	1	1	1	1	12	1	2	1	9
2	David Hivey	Jane Hivey	RYA	3	51	2	5	6	7	1	7	5	32	36
3	Nicholas Charles	Juliet Kingsnorth	Bristol Corinthian YC	8	36	5	2	7	9	4	2	10	4	41
4	Richard Edwards	Paru Edwards	Parkstone YC	4	4	15	17	3	4	5	9	8	6	43
5	Lee Sydenham	Emma Clarke	RYA	6	11	10	4	5	6	6	6	3	11	46
6	Robbie Burns	Vicki Simpson	Largs SC	7	1	8	8	10	3	9	58	11	128	57
7	James Stewart	Toby Lewis	Stokes Bay SC	11	20	6	10	2	5	3	5	33	15	57
8	Ian Martin	Ally Martin	Burghfield SC	5	7	21	23	8	16	16	8	15	2	77
9	Ian Pickard	Loopie Lucy	Bristol Corinthian YC	2	25	12	3	11	33	2	4	30	25	84
10	Dave Derby	Emma Derby	Bough Beech SC	12	5	128	9	73	11	8	31	1	8	85
11	Craig Burlton	Fiona Clark	RYA	14	24	32	12	19	2	128	3	12	3	89
12	Luke Patience	Chris Grube	Bala SC	18	28	36	7	4	12	7	10	9	28	95
13	Andrew Peters	Jeraldine Peters	King & Queen YC	22	3	27	15	16	13	27	12	16	12	109
14	Colin Smith	Aaron Smith	Papercourt SC	10	13	9	36	128	29	17	15	6	18	117
15	Peter Vincent	Tessa Nicholls	Bristol Corinthian YC	20	45	7	13	9	24	20	36	22	5	120
16	Michael Saul	Sophie Hartley	Yorkshire Dales SC	43	40	11	21	24	8	13	13	20	10	120
17	Dicken MacLean	Nicola Groves	Hayling Island SC	13	26	13	11	36	15	14	21	31	64	144
18	Sam Littlejohn	Matt Giles	Lancing SC	28	2	45	18	26	25	10	16	29	36	154
19	Matthew Jenkins	Emma Jenkins	Sheffield Viking SC	33	6	22	14	33	20	15	24	25	29	155
20	Ian Dobson	Christian Birrell	Burwain SC	16	68	16	28	128	14	11	11	42	27	165
21	Chris Martin	Rach Harrison	Burghfield SC	36	22	46	6	15	23	18	20	54	31	171
22	Sarah Allan	Peter Rowley	Littleton SC	9	32	14	30	27	10	32	56	37	17	171
23	Stephen Janering	Chris O'Neill	Wembly SC	34	73	3	20	23	44	128	18	19	21	182
24	Eddie Whitehead	Noelle Vidal	Filey SC	17	31	35	27	30	40	51	29	4	9	182
25	David Steed	Suzie Procter	SRSC	47	15	51	16	20	17	30	23	27	75	195
26	Micky Wright	Katy Nichol	Maylandsea Bay SC	27	16	38	32	29	22	31	34	14	34	205
27	Hamish Walker	Clare Stubbs	Weston SC	42	29	48	29	41	39	28	14	13	19	212
28	Chris Catt	Nikki Catt	Downs SC	26	18	28	24	60	36	39	128	17	24	212
29	Keith Escritt	Anne Saul	Yorkshire Dales SC	46	21	25	40	40	28	23	44	21	16	214
30	Rob Janering	Marianthe Evangeledis	Wembly SC	32	38	26	46	18	26	128	41	35	7	223
31	Sue Antonelli	Jo Lloyd	Littleton SC	15	10	24	62	128	37	45	47	40	13	231
32	Trudie Fell	Karen Baker	Bristol Corinthian YC	39	14	39	34	31	34	47	38	23	78	252
33	George Yeoman	Georgie Akin-Smith	Itchenor SC	41	42	17	25	22	53	128	128	38	30	268
34	Jeremy Stephens	Rebecca Knee	Penzance SC	54	37	49	31	21	41	24	74	18	47	268
35	Andy Robertson	Chris Witty	Bowmoor SC	128	48	50	26	14	49	29	28	26	51	270
36	Sarah Taylor	Lucy Matthews	Locks SC	23	67	53	42	13	60	35	39	52	14	271
37	Paul Rigg	Vicky Fairhurst	North Berwick SC	62	56	42	37	38	30	25	26	36	37	271
38	Russell Collister	June Collister	Isle of Man Yacht Club	19	77	29	22	128	27	19	83	66	33	292
39	Rob Martin	Jan Martin	Burghfield SC	38	82	4	45	25	77	62	27	39	57	297
40	Rob Struckett	Eloise Hansen	Itchenor SC	66	8	37	68	53	46	36	128	48	23	317
41	Gareth Robinson	Willow Holland	Littleton SC	52	19	54	58	46	31	46	46	34	43	317
42	Martin English	Charlotte Cotter	Restronguet SC	37	75	20	66	42	56	22	17	62	90	322
43	Roger Tait	Georgie Hill	Scaling Dam SC	25	54	41	74	84	43	56	37	51	20	327
44	Katrina Gilbert	Jenny Rust	Frensham Pond SC	24	70	40	35	55	42	43	45	76	45	329
45	Ian MacLean	Helen Rollinson	Chew Valley Lake SC	49	9	67	51	28	128	70	128	24	39	337
46	Jack Norton	Elene Bremer	Oxford SC	30	76	59	19	39	57	66	50	128	22	342
47	Mike Chapman	Lynne Ratcliffe	Bough Beech SC & Bexhill SC	91	17	33	50	63	48	74	42	41	56	350
48	Simon Gillow	Emma Harniman	Wembly SC	21	52	18	33	69	35	69	70	53	74	350
49	Thomas Winskell	Alex Pickles	Royal Navy Sailing Association	35	47	68	38	37	51	41	33	128	128	350
50	Nikki Russell	David Royse	Oxford SC	57	72	47	65	17	45	128	19	49	53	352
51	Steve Wilson	Ash Davison	Hayling Island SC	74	33	19	63	65	128	26	22	73	52	353
52	Stephen Graham	Danielle Graham	Burwain SC	31	35	23	57	34	59	128	128	77	42	358
53	Richard Neall	Sara Terry	Itchenor SC	29	58	34	43	64	19	41.2	71	82	70	358.2
54	Roy McCubbin	Kirsty McSeveney	Strathclyde Loch SC	51	34	58	52	54	61	34	55	84	26	364
55	Nick Cheetham	Joe Cheetham	Budworth SC	40	50	94	48	43	47	55	25	59	93	367
56	Caroline Martin	Guy Brierley	Burghfield SC	64	59	30	80	32	52	81	128	7	44	368
57	Graham Cook	J Cook	Papercourt SC	65	44	95	39	44	21	86	57	50	55	375
58	John McCaldin	Jessica Copland	Dalgety Bay SC	48	65	85	47	49	55	42	30	47	61	379
59	Rosie Sands	Andy Williams	Exe SC	50	39	52	79	86	32	44	75	28	71	391
60	Ben Ainsworth	Hannah Mills	Wessex SC	56	64	128	64	35	49.5	21	53	60	63	401.5
61	Ellie Martin	Ian Sharps	Burghfield SC	44	12	57	49	128	70	128	49	58	69	408
62	Simon Benson	Richard Benson	Derwent SC	80	61	62	95	47	18	40	43	95	72	423
63	Fiona Hall	Helen Wightman	Littleton SC	67	43	55	54	58	63	57	51	71	46	427
64	Russell Page	Vicky Page	Budworth SC	58	49	66	82	50	67	50	66	55	40	434
65	Charles Muir-Sands	Jane Muir-Sands	Littleton SC	73	46	93	76	52	69	48	32	70	97	466
66	Bruce Moyes	Katy Moyes	Parkstone YC	45	97	128	53	51	58	33	128	56	79	472
67	Paul Lewis	Felicity Pearson	Burghfield SC	87	101	31	60	45	62	73	128	44	76	478
68	Robert Hardwick	Lucy Preston	Papercourt SC	84	27	64	89	48	75	90	52	89	49	488
69	Adam Page	Ian Sledge	Bewl Valley SC	61	74	44	61	74	68	68	89	67	60	503
70	Robin Parsons	Robert Poole	Deben YC	59	53	74	99	75	65	71	128	43	66	506
71	Sam Thompson	Nikki Stewart	Royal Marines SC	82	85	63	128	128	86	38	40	68	48	510
72	Mark Reddington	Liz Teague	Bartley SC	92	63	86	67	67	88	52	35	80	65	515
73	Gordon Young	Clare Marriage	Itchenor/Loch Venachar	63	55	76	78	71	74	49	79	78	59	525
74	Martin Vinson	Heidi Vinson	Littleton SC	93	60	89	84	66	84	60	48	104	50	541
75	Patch Fillery	Sarah Skerten	Littleton SC	55	89	81	92	94	71	79	67	64	38	544
76	Edward Knight	Rosemary Brearley	Oxford University YC	76	57	72	70	96	79	58	82	63	95	557
77	Nigel Harniman	Ian Gill	Wembly SC	78	62	43	71	83	80	128	128	57	88	562
78	Jess Blick	Lauren Spring	Exe SC	71	41	82	84	128	93	59	90	45	100	565
79	John Gill	Judy Faulds	Wembly SC	128	100	80	73	89	90	67	69	65	35	568
80	Peter Loretto	Isobel Loretto	Parkstone YC	53	66	73	88	85	128	76	60	69	96	570
81	Carolyn Priestley	Tor Mucklow	Dalgety Bay SC	69	95	71	55	68	78	72	88	72	86	571
82	David Leach	Caroline Marriage	Itchenor SC	68	84	91	44	91	38	93	77	83	89	574
83	John Teague	Simon Woodward	Bristol Corinthian YC	103	71	128	56	79	99	80	65	32	94	576
84	Liz Jamie	Liz Copland	Dalgety Bay SC	90	91	83	77	62	83	63	54	128	68	580
85	Toby Ashton	Rachel Ashton	Oxford SC	105	90	65	128	78	82	37	59	88	84	583
86	Peter Craggs	Phil Nelson	York Railway Institute SC	60	108	84	84	84	84	54	61	109	73	584
87	Karen Littlejohn	John McGrath	Lancing SC	100	79	128	41	57	87	77	72	98	87	598
88	Phil Waind	Sonya Waind	Wembly SC	128	107	77	72	72	54	78	73	81	92	599
89	Andrew Gill	Liam Watson	Wembly SC	75	104	75	87	70	66	82	64	99	85	604
90	Andy Ramus	Julie Wilkinson	HISC	108	30	60	69	103	89	128	68	91	128	618
91	Andrew Boyce	Clare Michelmore	Papercourt SC	104	102	79	90	80	64	53	84	74	101	625
92	Andrew Hartley	Eve Hartley	Ripon SC	128	128	128	86	56	50	91	80	75	62	628
93	Andrew Bailey	Hannah Bailey	Winsford Flash SC	89	81	90	75	76	73	128	128	87	58	629
94	Ryan Spring	Leanne Bland	Exe SC	70	94	107	85	82	91	88.2	63	61	91	631.2
95	Joseph Hothersall	Harry Cheetham	Budworth SC	86	92	69	105	59	72	65	92	128	128	640
96	Paul Teague	Patricia Teague	Bristol Corinthian YC	72	80	106	93	87	97	88	128	86	41	644
97	Mike Riley	Dave Martin	Chew Valley Lake SC	77	119	98	91	61	94	89	62	100	83	655
98	Craig Johnson	Dan Collett	Bury Lake Young Mariners	81	113	70	83	93	95	61	128	94	81	658
99	Paul Whitbread	Corinne Whitbread	Burghfield SC	128	87	56	104	77	81	128	128	46	99	678
100	Stephen Woodward	Emma Yates	Bristol Corinthian YC	98	96	61	106	100	104	84	76	92	77	684
101	Christopher Moore	Ted Moore	HISC	79	99	88	97	92	85	64	85	128	128	689
102	Katharine Lovering	J Crooks	Burghfield SC	97	83	112	108	81	92	75	78	85	98	689
103	Ben Biglin	Rob Lisle	RNSA	128	109	97	96	95	76	87	128	106	108	774
104	Paul Goodwin	Serena DeNahlik	Draycote Water SC/L.T.S.C	85	69	96	128	88	128	128	128	79	107	780
105	Wes Kangurs	Jo Munro	Bristol Corinthian YC	99	112	99	94	105	96	128	128	105	80	790
106	Max Jones	Charlie Jones	Tenby/Bosham SC	128	98	102	98	102	105	97	128	111	82	795
107	Kevin Druce	Lydia Frew	HLSTC	95	110	92	103	97	100	128	128	96	102	795
108	Jon Paton	Martha Paton	Papercourt SC	88	78	104	128	128	128	128	128	90	54	798
109	Jane Bailey	Katarina Matthews-Lundin	Bartley SC	101	114	101	100	128	128	83	81	118	106	804
110	Jeremy Littlejohn	Bradley Phillips	Lancing SC	94	120	105	128	98	101	85	128	103	111	817
111	Emma Johnson	Caroline Wiltshire	South Cerney SC	102	86	87	128	128	128	128	86	102	103	822
112	Tony Cook	Caroline Scutt	Littleton SC	109	111	108	101	99	107	92	91	115	110	824
113	Trevor Rawlins	Debbie Rawlins	Littleton SC	83	106	84	128	128	128	128	128	101	67	825
114	Paul Howell	Andrew Howell	Wembly SC	128	88	128	107	104	128	94	87	114	118	840
115	Mo Allen	Christina Allen	KGSC/FGSC	111	115	111	110	101	108	95	128	97	112	845
116	Hannah Marsden	Vicky Marsden	Blackpool & Fleetwood YC	128	105	100	102	90	98	128	128	113	128	864
117	Sue Spring	Dominic Langham	Exe SC	112	117	128	109	107	103	100	128	119	116	883
118	Stephen Ivory	Ruth Ivory	Stewartby Water SC	128	103	103	128	128	102	96	128	117	114	891
119	David Bruce	David Blakesley	Bury Lake Young Mariners	128	123	114	111	108	109	99	128	117	117	898
120	Anthony Witham	Mandie Neal	Bexhill on Sea SC	128	93	78	128	128	128	128	128	107	109	899
121	Sally Denchfield	Nigel Denchfield	Stewartby Water SC	128	118	109	128	128	106	98	128	108	105	900
122	Stuart Allen	Richard Allen	Bristol Corinthian YC	128	121	128	128	106	128	128	128	93	104	936
123	David Appleton	Nathan Thomas	Fishers Green SC	96	128	128	81	128	128	128	128	128	128	945
124	Matt Bromley	Andrea Morgan		110	116	113	128	128	128	128	128	112	113	948
125	Julian Sawyer	Lynn Sawyer	Bristol Corinthian YC	106	128	128	128	128	128	128	128	110	115	971
126	Mike Scanlon	Jenny Scanlon	Royal Marines SC	107	122	110	128	128	128	128	128	128	128	979
127	Bill Chard	Amy Chard	Chew Valley Lake SC	128	128	128	128	128	128	128	128	128	128	1024