Volvo Noble Marine RS Vareo Nationals at Grafham Water Sailing Club

Volvo Noble Marine RS Vareo National Championships 2014 © Ela Miller

Volvo Noble Marine RS Vareo National Championships 2014 © Ela Miller

A great group of eight RS Vareos made the trip to Grafham Water SC for the Volvo Noble Marine RS Vareo National Championship on the weekend of 11/12 October. After saying hello to each other and a number of new faces we were invited to talk with the race team to decide to go for four races on Saturday, instead of three due to Sunday's forecast. We also arranged for our own start which proved to be a great option with the light winds and other fleets racing.

Race 1, Very light. A number of boats decided to go right, but with the shifty winds it split the fleet up. Matt Yallop and Nick Crickmore went up the middle but it was Carl Gill who kept to the right and rounded the mark first closely followed by Nick Crickmore and Matt Yallop. The run was rather one sided with little opportunity to take so soaking as deep as possible was the play to take. Matt Yallop on the second beat managed to move into second place but was unable to catch the leader Carl Gill on the final run to the finish.

Race 2, shifty little more wind to start. A port bias on the line and the fleet then split. Matt Yallop had the best of the start and pulled out a decent lead up the middle of the track before heading right, followed by some of the fleet. Cheryl Wood decided to go left and was rewarded with a lift into the mark. Nick Crickmore was second at the top mark, followed by Andy Howard and Matt Yallop. Cheryl having a good size lead on the run went left but there was more pressure out to the right which Nick, Andy and Matt took full advantage. Nick was first at the leeward mark closely followed by Matt Yallop. With the breeze staying Matt Yallop managed to take the lead to finish first followed by Nick and Andy Howard.

Race 3, so light the RO abandoned the start for the RS300s. Once filled in again it had improved enough to even the course out. Matt Yallop kept up his tactics to go up the middle and took the lead early on, followed by Nick Crickmore and Andy Howard. On the second run a number of boats became confused whether it was a two or three lap race, but Matt Yallop continued without hesitation and increased his lead up the last beat for a relatively comfortable win.

Race 4, thunderstorm storms all around, so there was a possibility of lots of wind coming in. Matt Yallop was just first round the top mark, followed by Carl Gill and Andy Howard as the wind started to build. The wind then swung and suddenly it was a full on, flat out reach straight for the lee mark, with Matt Yallop just in pole position. A one side beat on the second beat left little opportunity for any places changes. The final run saw the wind ease again so it was back to soaking low. Matt Yallop blocked by a finished RS100 nearly let Carl Gill through while trying to head to the finish but just managed to keep the lead closely followed by Carl Gill second and Andy Howard with another third.

A great day's racing, but Sunday as predicted had no wind arrive. The fleet used this time to do some tuning and discussions around the kite launching pole. The RO abandoned at 1200hrs. So Matt Yallop for the second time took the National Champion Trophy with Carl Gill second, Nick Crickmore third and Andy Howard in fourth place.

Overall Results:

Well done to the other prizes winners:

• Mainspeed Marine Master Trophy: Carl Gill
• Concessional Trophy: Andy Howard
• 1st Silver for the 1st helm who had not been to an RS Vareo Nationals before: Andy Trickett
• 1st Lady: Cheryl Wood
• Fidelis Trophy for the 1st helm outside the main prizes who has been to 3 RS Vareo Nationals previously: Nick Crickmore