The forecast of 12 knots building to 16 knots with gusts over 20 knots was spot on for the Staunton Harold RS Aero Open Meeting. The sudden shifts that came with the gusts made it particularly tricky and led to several capsizes. The entries divided into two fleets for fleet racing in the RS Aero 7s and RS Aero 5s with a single start.

 

Race 1 was a windward/leeward course which provided very close racing in both fleets. Joe Scurrah (Notts County) led from start to finish in the 7 fleet followed by Craig Williamson (Staunton Harold) and Nigel Davies (Draycote). Kevin Payne (Bartley) led the 5 fleet from start to finish only to find that he was disqualified for missing the upwind gate out. Paul Williamson (Staunton Harold) narrowly beat Annabel Lindley (Draycote) by passing her on the short beat to the finish line.

 

Alan Beaton (Notts County) got on the right side of a significant starboard lift to lead around the windward mark in race 2.  However, he failed to consolidate this with Craig and Joe coming through to finish 1st and 2nd with Alan third. Paul also managed to pick up the lift on the 1st beat, a lead he maintained to the end of the race, with Kevin second and Annabel third in the 5s.

 

The final two races in the increasing breeze were competed following the lunch break.

Joe got off to a good start in race 3 and was gradually pulling away from the fleet when he sailed into 2 consecutive holes in the wind to let Craig through to win from Joe in second and Rach Gray (Staunton Harold), sailing for the first time in an RS Aero, finished in third place.  Paul managed to win the third race by managing to stay upright with Annabel second and Kevin third in the 5s.

 

Craig quickly took the lead in the final race with Joe hanging on to his tail for the first two laps, unfortunately Joe had to finish early to get home for another engagement leaving Nigel second and Alan third.  This meant Craig won with Joe second, Nigel third, Alan 4th, Rach 5th and Paul Hemingway (Carsington) 6th in the 7 rigs.

 

In the RS Aero 5s Paul made a bad start in the final race and quickly dropped behind in the dirty wind of the 7 rigs and retired. Kevin held off Annabel to win the final race. This gave overall victory to Paul with Kevin second and Annabel third.

Next up the Midlands region for RS Aeros is the Notts County Open on 28/29 Sept. Save the date!