After an excellent morning ‘legends seminar’ on downwind sailing by Huw Powell. The fleet blasted off the beach, kites pulling and grins everywhere to the start line for day 2 of the RS100 nationals.
The fleet were eager to get off the line and pushed it hard. To much disbelief there was only one person over and the rest of the fleet stormed up the first beat pushing their bodies to the maximum in the 18 knots of breeze. Simon ‘I don’t do the first day’ Childs smashed the first beat, powering along to take first place over Paul Childs with Huw Powell closely taking third from local hero Chris Cunningham.
S Childs, worried about the blast to the leeward mark was smoked by P Childs in the battle of the pink kites down the first run. Cunningham powered into the pack of port boats at the leeward gate on starboard, causing carnage and a few swims.
Two more epic laps ensued with thrills, spills and a lot of swimming resulting due to the increasing wind. On the final lap 33knots was recorded on the committee boat, which may explain the most spectacular pitchpole by Alex Morrison. Throwing away a potential 2nd place that he had in the bag until the last run.
Neal Freeman came storming through the fleet after a poor start to take second place with S Childs 3rd. P Childs held his nerve to take the win.
After the fleet finished the wind really picked up and the PRO sent the boats ashore, to much relief of many competitors. The top of the fleet is not particularly close with Freeman on 6 points, Powell and Childs joint on 8 and Hywel Roberts lurking on 12.
Tonight brings the highly anticipated RS100 crazy golf championships, where Al Hall and Chris O’Neill are quietly confident that they are quietly confident. O’Neill has been quoted as saying ‘The pars will come!!’
