Noble Marine RS700 National Championship 2024 at Hayling Island Sailing Club - Day 3

The fleet arrived at the club to be greeted by mirror flat water and wall to wall sunshine. It was safe to say the Dabchicks contingent, after indulging heavily at the bar in the after sailing social the day before, were banking on there being a postponement. However, the race officer had different ideas and instructed us to launch and drift out the race area, not ideal words to hear for the many with sore heads!

Once at the race area we were welcomed with a 7-10 knot Southerly. Jack Grogan and James Clark headed right. James held his nerve and pushed further right than anyone else and got rewarded at the top mark leading the fleet round. He was closely followed by John Booth and Mike Banks showing that the Dabchicks Sailing Commodore works well with an expresso martini and negroni induced hangover. As the wind clocked further right the course became one sided keeping those three in the podium positions. However, John managed to sneak past James at the final mark leaving John 1st, James 2nd and Mike 3rd.

RS700 Noble Marine National Championship Day 3 - photo © Phil Jackson / Digital Sailing

Race Two: The breeze built. Robbie Bell and Matt Carter arrived at the top mark joined together, but it was Rob Higgins who decided to jump first on the breezy but overly tight reach and hoist and smoked through the big bunch of boats. From there the hammer was down and he chased down Robbie and Matt just getting the win, then it was Matt, then Robbie. Tom Playford showed his nose at the front grabbing and 5th and James Bayliss back from International 14 duty had a steady result in 4th.

Race Three: It was now champagne sailing with the breeze at 15knots. The pin end was the place to be. Sam Caslin won it and showed great speed. Pistol Pete Purkiss lived up to his name with a UFD, the only sailor so far to get the wrong side of the line this week. John Booth treated the committee boat to a view of his underside after catching the committee boat with his tiller extension resulting in a rapid bear away on the gun and big crash. Just shows that the current national champ can get it wrong too.

RS700 Noble Marine National Championship Day 3 - photo © Phil Jackson / Digital Sailing

The race unfolded with the left paying. Rob lead with Nathan on his heels until he capsized at the final mark relinquishing his 3rd place to James Clark, with Robbie grabbing 2nd. However, with the breeze up there was close racing in the fleet. Rich Wadsworth had a ding dong with Matt Carter for a most of the race. Tom Dutton, a stronger wind specialist, unfortunately broke his goose neck so it was a shame he had an early bath as it would have been good to where he fitted in with the stronger breeze.

Special mention must go to Rob who has now won the 2024 RS700 Noble Marine national championship with a day to spare. He has shown great boat speed combined with great tactics. So it is very well deserved.

RS700 Noble Marine National Championship Day 3 - photo © Phil Jackson / Digital Sailing

Day four looms, again with a light forecast, but this time just two races scheduled.

Results after Day 3: