Gul RS K6 Inlands at Grafham Water Sailing Club
by RS Class Association 7 Oct 2005 11:23 BST
1-2 October 2005
The results tell the story: six different race winners from six races; four points separating the first five boats. Some of the best racing of the season.
The conditions were superb, with sunshine and 15-20 knots of breeze. But boy did you have to keep your eyes out of the boat. What worked on one leg never seemed to work as well when you tried to repeat it. Being philosophical was essential and patient paid. As local Laser Master Phil Evans crewing in Pippi said of race four, having led for the first half, “it was a shame it wasn’t our turn to be in the lead at the finish!”.
If there was a boat and crew out to make a point it was Martin and Amanda Wadhams with Claire Upton-Brown in Fat Face. Four weeks earlier they handed over their Nationals crown in Plymouth, and were outside the top five. At Grafam they came good, but still had to rely on the count back system to beat David Cummins and Ian Schenkel from Queen Mary.
Bill Masterman and Tom Seppings tried their best to stay out of the top end by sailing an extra lap in race one and dropping their kite the wrong side of the line in race two, letting other boats sail through. However, quality shows, and they walked away with the third spot.
Overall, a great event to finish a season that has seen the racing get so much closer, and perfectly reflected in six different race winners from six races.
Overall Results:
| Pos | Sail No | Helm | Crew | Club | R1 | R2 | R3 | R4 | R5 | R6 | Pts |
|---|
| 1 | 102 | Martin Wadhams | Amanda Wadhams & Claire Upton-Brown | Lymington Town SC | 3 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 5 | 12 |
| 2 | 145 | Dave Cummins | Ian Schenkel | Queen Mary SC | 2 | 3 | 5 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 12 |
| 3 | 101 | Bill Masterman | Tom Seppings | Hayling SC | 5 | 10 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 15 |
| 4 | 148 | Mark Darling | John Ironmonger | . | 1 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 6 | 2 | 15 |
| 5 | 126 | Peter Kirkby | Phil Bevan | Queen Mary SC | 6 | 4 | 2 | 5 | 1 | 4 | 16 |
| 6 | 160 | Myles Mence | Judith French & James French | Royal Solent Yacht Club | DNC | 1 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 6 | 26 |
| 7 | 112 | Stephen Blake | David Lucas | Carsington SC | 7 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 5 | 7 | 33 |
| 8 | 159 | Paul Botterill | Ben Robinson | Aldeburgh Yacht Club | 4 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 8 | RTD | 36 |
| 9 | 135 | Philip Waterfall | Phillip Cox | Carsington SC | 8 | 6 | 9 | 10 | 9 | RTD | 42 |
| 10 | 124 | Fraser Elms | George Smith | Hayling Island SC | 9 | 9 | 10 | 8 | 10 | 8 | 44 |