RS Vareo Winter Championships at Rutland Sailing Club

A strong, cold northerly during the RS 300, 600 & Vareo open at Rutland © Martin Hollingshead

Nine Vareo sailors braved the cold and strong north-easterly winds to compete at this year’s Winter Championships.

Clubs represented from Grafham, Bexhill, Weirwood, WOB, Rutland, Roadford and three boats from Filey (Ed Whitehead fancied a sail and borrowed Lucy Tyndall’s boat, cheers Lucy).

The first race had a clean start and Chris Larr (Grafham) was first round the windward mark, closely followed by Colin Aldred (Filey). Both crashed and burned on the first gybe downwind. Mike Adams (Bexhill) took up the running followed by the Whitehead brothers (Filey). By the last beat Larr had pulled back to second and closed right up on Adams. Adams held on for first, Larr second and Ed Whitehead third.

Rutland race committee turned the races round quickly to prevent most of the fleet from getting hypothermia. So it was straight off again for race two. This time Aldred was first, Adams then Larr at the windward mark. Larr sailed past both down the first run and opened up a big lead which he held to the finish, Adams second and Aldred third.

The 600s had already started race three as the Vareos were finishing race two so no time for breath and straight into race three.

Aldred lead again at the windward mark followed by Larr and Adams. Again Larr was quick downwind and opened up a lead on Adams, a scrap then developing for third between Aldred and Basset (Weirwood), Basset managing to pull clear so at the end it was Larr first, Adams second and Basset third. The fleet headed for shore and warm showers having enjoyed some close racing with very small margins separating them.

The fleet decided not to sail on Sunday, one or two jaws were chattering and it didn’t take much to persuade those who were thinking of going out when they found their spinnaker frozen in the shoot.

Special thanks to Rutland Sailing Club for holding the event which was run smoothly. Well done to Mike Adams for sailing three races with a bent boom after bending it on the first downwind leg (note don’t forget to let your kickers off on rounding windward mark) and thanks to Ed Whitehead for making up the numbers – not being an RS member which pushed me up to fourth overall and Alan up to third.

Overall Results:

The Merritt award went to Geoff Shaw for completing all races but for starting the third race more or less straight after finishing the second.