CLUBS & CLASSES
Patience and Henderson take RS200 inlands win
Olympic silver medallist Luke Patience and Mary Henderson took a well-deserved win at the Harken RS200 inlands at Gra›am Water but didn’t have it all their own way.
A closely contested two days had 53 RS200s battling it out and winds of 7-12 knots on the first day saw hard hiking equating to high boat speed. Patience/Henderson won races one and three but picked up a 20th in between, while Edd Whitehead/Toby Lewis made instant amends for their race one UFD by taking the second bullet. No-one went into the second day counting three top 10s; Tom Hewitson sailing with Lucy Preston thought he’d be in the teens with a 6,6,12 and was shocked to find he was third. A building breeze from 15-23 knots then saw bullets for Nick Craig/Emma Hivey and Christian Birrell/Katie Burridge before the final race was abandoned in 30+ knots. The overall results came out with the top seven boats within nine points of each other. Patience/ Henderson had added a 3,15 to their counters to claim the title with 20 points. Second overall were James Peters/Charlie Darling on 22 points, with Will and Matt Taylor completing the podium in third on 24 points.
Great British Sailing Challenge finals
As reported last month, the first-ever grand final of the Great British Sailing Challenge was won by Simon Horsfield and Katie Burridge, who took victory in their 2000 at Rutland. A fleet of over 60 boats representing 41 different classes took part in the final. Three breezy Saturday races saw local sailor Steven Sawford in a Sprint 15 claim a 1,4,2 and the overnight lead. Penny and Russ Clark scored 2,2,3 in their 505 while Georgia Booth/Olly Davenport’s Fireball finished 8,5,1. A 150-minute Sunday pursuit race saw a duel between the 2000s of Burridge/Horsfield and Jasper and Laura Barnham; the Barnhams took the race but a second for Horsfield/Burridge, combined with a 3,1 from Saturday, was enough for overall victory. The Force 2-3 breeze wasn’t quite enough for Sawford to maintain his Sprint 15 charge and a 13th relegated him to fourth overall. In second overall were the Clarks in their 505 followed by third-placed Tim Hire sailing an RS Aero 7, who was also top youth. Teddy Dunn, RS Tera Pro, was top junior.
RS800 inlands victory for Morris and Fillmore
Tom Morris and Guy Fillmore claimed the Harken RS800 Inland Championship title over a contrasting weekend of conditions at Grafham SC.
The 22-strong fleet started out in a mild southeasterly, which built slightly for some twin-trapezing. Morris/Fillmore and Luke and Emma McEwen took first and second in both
