Results / Volvo Noble Marine UK RS100 National Championships Hayling Island SC - 31/08/2013

Hayling Island SC play hosts to the Volvo Noble Marine RS100 UK Nationals & day one turned out to be a stunner. Bright blue sky, solid northerly gradient but then the Hayling Island land mass & sea breeze tried to cause funny business all over the course.

Race one started in a shifty, variable, 12 - 14 knots. David Smart mistook the gate mark as the pin end transit & encouraged the fleet over the line ! At the 2nd attempt & under a black flag it was Huw Powell who got caught out & lost his huge win in his 10.2 rig. Neal Freemen took the gun in his 8.4 after a tussle with Alastair Dixon with Colin Smith gaining the win for the big rig.

The wind dropped slightly for race two, but was just as shifty & equally patchy. The first attempt was postponed as the wind went left only to go hard right for the actual gun. The leaders came out from the right. Smith stormed away to lead to the finish. The 8.4 fleet had more place changing but when the wind died to near nothing on the last leg it was Neal Freeman again who found the wind first to come up smiling.

Race 3 saw the wind drop to 5 - 6 knots. David Smart started at the pin & crossed the fleet before taking the next right shift to tack back & play the shifts to lead the 8.4 rigs at the windward mark. Mark Nethercleft kept left & caught the gusts first only to lose the lead to Mike MacIntyre at the first mark in his 10.2 rig. As the 2nd beat was shortened by a third it was Nethercleft to benefit & take the gun, whilst Freeman overtook Smart on the last run to win the 8.4's.

The sun stayed out for day two. A constant westerly stayed all day but the wind strength was anything but constant.

Race one  started all clear in 10 knots despite the pin end  proving very crowded. The right side of the course paid out as boats found less tide. As the wind increased to 16 knots on the run  it was Neal Freeman in the 8.4 rig who took line honours.  Mike McIntyre crossed the line 2^nd to win the 10.2 rig.

Colin Smith stormed away to win race two after nailing the ‘pin’ & crossing the fleet on port. As the wind dropped away to 6 knots it was the big rigs battling in front with Dave Hitchcock crossing ahead of Mike McIntyre. First 8.4 was Neal Freeman crossing in 4^th.

The wind increased slightly for race 3 & with Freeman caught black flag it was David Smart in front after striking out left from the pin end. The 10.2’s fought a 3 way battle with McIntyre securing the win from Huw Powell whilst Jack Holden grabbed 2^nd 8.4.

The weather Gods continued to smile on the fleet on the final day. The fleet launched in a light 8 knot north-westerly, but it didn’t stay in that direction for long.

The fleet got away all clear with the right being favoured allowing Mark Nethercleft to lead in the 10.2 rig, whilst Chris Cunningham was out in front for the 8.4’s. Both succumbed on the run & it was Neal Freeman again taking line honours & Colin Smith won the 10.2 fight.

As the sun strengthened, the sea breeze effect started to pull the wind further left. The Race Officer re-laid the course & the wind increased slightly. Smith started at the pin & crossed most of the fleet before settling for the middle. The left, however, continued to pay, allowing Neal Freeman & Huw Powell to lead at the first mark. On the 2^nd beat pressure on the right closed the fleet but Freeman was able to hold onto victory with Powell 2^nd over the line.

The sea breeze well & truly ‘kicked in’ for the final race. The course was ‘tweaked’ & after 3 attempts the fleet got away with quite a few black flagged. The pin was favoured & Powell stormed away to lead at the windward mark & extend his lead by the finish, as the wind increased to 18 knots. Freeman managed to dust himself down, after his tangle with the pin end boat on the 2^nd start attempt,  he crossed the line in 2^nd & secured  his 3^rd consecutive UK Nationals title in the 8.4. Smith finished in 13^th but 3^rd in the 10.2 fleet with gave him the championship title for the 10.2 rig.