54 RS200s gathered at Datchet Water SC over 4/5 April for the start of the 2009 national circuit.  With the sun shining and a gusty force 3 – 5 wind blowing, things looked perfect.  With some new names in the fleet, and some older ones absent, everything was to play for, shown by the fact that there was a different winner in each of the 5 races completed.

Race one saw Pete Vincent & Ness Tichol in devastating form, managing to pull well away from the fleet, lap some boats and win by a country mile – and doing all this despite Pete’s best efforts to capsize by falling over during one gybe.  ISAF youth world champ Frances Peters & Claire Lasko were 2^nd and the Catts third.

Top RYA coach Ian Martin & Becky Hyde showed everyone he can actually do what he preaches by winning race two, but only after he capsized miles in the lead and having to work hard to overhaul Charlotte Savage & Darren McNamara.  Nick Charles & Helen Wightman followed up in third.

Races 3 saw a win for Steve Dunn & Caroline Martin, making up for being OCS the race before. Charles/Wightman rounded off the day by wining race 4, just holding off a charging Ian Pickard & Karen Falcon in an epic dogfight at the front of the fleet, a win that gave them the overnight lead.

With the forecast for Sunday looking dodgy, at best, the fleet retired to the bar and enjoyed an excellent curry supper.  A quiz night had also been organised and was a resounding success, with Wembley SC beating the 10 other teams and winning the case of wine!  Whether drinking it all that night was a good idea is open to debate though……

The forecast for Sunday was correct, but one race was fitted in early doors.  Andy Bryson & Jo Bailey continued a weekend of steady improvement to win a light and shifty race with the Gillows 2^nd and the Catts 3^rd.  However, the highlight of the race was definitely the impressive 360 pirouette capsize by Peters/Lasko, who got caught in the downdraft from a plane coming in to land at nearby Heathrow!

With the wind completely disappearing a popular early decision was taken to abandon the final race and the prize giving was held in DWSC smart upstairs lounge overlooking a glassy lake further vindicating the decision to hold an extra race on Saturday.

Despite making every effort to lose the event with a 25^th in the final race, Charles/Wightman took overall victory on count back from Martin/Hyde, with Peters/Lasko rounding out the top 3 only a point behind. Savage/McNamara won the silver division from Clive Eplett/Bryony Gregory. The Gill brothers from Wembley won the bronze division by a point from Oakham Schools Ant Chapman/Ed Langford.   An excellent weekends racing and many thanks to DWSC for laying on such a great event.

Next round of the circuit is at Highcliffe SC on 18/19 April 2009, so be there and join in the best one design racing in the country.