Rooster RS Tera Start of Season Championships at Grafham Water Sailing Club
by Helen Fretter 14 Apr 13:10 BST
29-30 March 2025
The RS Tera fleet made a long-anticipated trip to Grafham Water for their 2025 RS Tera Start of Season Championships over the weekend of March 29-30.
After the early entry cap was smashed in just a couple of days, parent volunteers offered to tow additional RIBs to Grafham to bolster the available safety cover and allow entry numbers to swell to a bumper 85 boats (huge thanks to James Day, Tim Hulse, Jon Willars/Paul Wilson, King George SC and Frensham Pond SC). Unusually, the Pro fleet attracted even bigger numbers than the Sports, at 47 and 38 respectively.
While some of the fleet had lined up at the UKRSTCA Battle of the Regions two weeks prior at Draycote Water, for others this was the first major competition of the year after what has clearly been a very busy winter of training across the country for both the UKRSTCA Regional Training Squads and the new UKRSTCA RS Tera Performance Academy.
Saturday brought sunshine and streaky 9-12kt breezes from the WSW, the gusts visible on the water from the outset across Graham's open sailing area. With the gusts came some significant shifts, and picking a way up the beats cleanly was key to success. Several races saw significant reshuffles throughout the pack.
In the Pro fleet, Jasper Jenkinson of Gurnard SC had the best of the day, winning the opener and following up with two 2nds and a 6th. Rafe Bradley, also Gurnard, got an unlucky roll of the dice with the shifts in Race One, picking up a 24th, but won Races Two and Four. James Reekie of Bassenthwaite SC won the third race.
At the close of the day, Jasper Jenkinson led on 5pts ahead of a three-way tie between Rafe Bradley, James Reekie, and Cassius Day, also Gurnard, all on 9pts.
In the Sport fleet it was a 1-2 for sisters Laia and Aggie Priestley (Ullswater SC) in Race 1. Draycote Water's Hari Clark took clear wins in Races 2 and 3, together with a 3rd in Race 1 and a 2nd in Race 4 to comfortably lead overall. Thomas Hill (Royal Lymington SC) won Race 3.
Harry Wilson (Filey SC), Ethan Watkin Jones (Port Dinorwic SC-CHYF) and Freddie Harrison (Gurnard SC) also scored top three finishes.
Over the course of the afternoon the gusts built in strength to 16kt bullets coming down the course, producing some high speed reaches and more than a few capsizes to keep the rescue crews busy. Though a fifth start had been hoped for, anticipating a more ferocious forecast for Sunday, after four taxing races the fleet were sent ashore.
Saturday closed with a sold-out lasagne evening, and plenty of Tera families enjoyed camping with the visiting Topper squad on Grafham's spacious grounds.
Sunday's forecast turned out to be accurate with white caps dotting the reservoir, and as sailors assembled on shore by 10.00am the gusts were already in the mid-20s and forecast to build. PRO John Aston made the decision to send the Pro fleet out first, with those that braved it sailing into a 32-knot blast shortly after launching.
Despite the top-end conditions, the Pro fleet got away cleanly for the fifth race of the series. Cassius Day avoided getting caught up in any nearby wipe-outs to take the win, with Oscar Davenport (Bassenthwaite SC) taking 2nd ahead of Hannah Yates (Gurnard SC) in 3rd.
With many competitors having gone for an unscheduled swim or several, just 18 boats lined up for Race 6. Cassius Day stretched out a significant lead in Race 6, while the chasing pack saw a few place changes as quick capsize recovery skills were tested. Hannah Yates took 2nd, ahead of Harry Bennell (Port Dinorwic SC-CHYF).
With winds solidly above 30 knots, and a peak gust of 36 knots recorded on the club anemometer it was confirmed that the Sport fleet would be kept ashore, and the Pro fleet were sent home - most enjoying a very fast, very wet reach back to the club.
In the overall results Cassius Day won the Pro fleet overall, his third Start of Seasons title in a row, ahead of Hannah Yates in a Gurnard SC 1-2. Oscar Davenport took 3rd on count back from Fallon Day (Gurnard SC). The Sport fleet results stood from Saturday with Hari Clark - who only moved into the Tera fleet at the end of last season - discarding a 3rd to take the win. Laia Priestley took 2nd, with Thomas Hill in 3rd.
Gurnard Sailing Club won the Club trophy but were well challenged by the north who had excellent results at the front of the Sport fleet.
While the weekend's weather conditions proved too much most of the time for our 11 strong Train & Race Regatta fleet sailors, they managed to get out on the water for a couple of sessions on Saturday and then they were kept on their toes with onshore learning and fun & games by UKRSTCA coaches Dylan Collingbourne and Jack Bew - much fun was had by all!
The UK RS Tera Class and all the sailors would like to thank Colin Glover and John Aston at Grafham Water Sailing Club for all their help in setting up the Championships, and all their volunteers and the race team and the aforementioned PRO John Aston for enabling a superb event in challenging conditions. Special mention must go to UKRSTCA Safety Lead Paul Bew, who marshalled his troops so calmly in some extreme breeze.
Thanks also to Lisa and Alex and their fab galley team for keeping us fed and watered over the weekend.
Once again, huge thanks to our long-running Class sponsor Rooster for their generous prizes for the event, you guys are awesome!
Thanks to Paul Sanwell/OPP for the event photographs - these can be seen here.
It took us a long time to get our fleet to Grafham, and we hope it won't be many years before we return!
Next stop for the National RS Tera fleet is the Rooster RS Tera Inland Championships 2025 at Burton Sailing Club on 28th - 29th June 2025.
For all RS Tera related activity in the UK, check out the UK RS Tera Class Association website at www.rstera.org.uk
Overall Results:
| Pos | Sail No | Helm | Club | R1 | R2 | R3 | R4 | R5 | R6 | Pts |
|---|
| Pro Rig |
|---|
| 1st | 112 | Cassius Day | Gurnard SC | ‑8 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 11 |
| 2nd | 2927 | Hannah Yates | Gurnard SC | 2 | 7 | ‑12 | 6 | 3 | 2 | 20 |
| 3rd | 2569 | Oscar Davenport | Bassenthwaite SC | ‑11 | 10 | 3 | 8 | 2 | 5 | 28 |
| 4th | 3897 | Fallon Day | Gurnard SC | ‑12 | 9 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 28 |
| 5th | 4622 | Joseph Hulse | Felpham SC | ‑9 | 5 | 4 | 9 | 6 | 7 | 31 |
| 6th | 2611 | Harry Bennell | Port Dinorwic SC‑CHYF | 3 | ‑11 | 10 | 11 | 9 | 3 | 36 |
| 7th | 2109 | James Reekie | Bassenthwaite SC | 4 | 4 | 1 | SCP | (DNC) | 14 | 41 |
| 8th | 4343 | Molly Wilson | Filey SC | ‑20 | 8 | 9 | 7 | 13 | 10 | 47 |
| 9th | 984 | Olivia MacAlister | Royal Lymington YC | ‑21 | 13 | 8 | 12 | 4 | 13 | 50 |
| 10th | 959 | Edward Knowles | Royal Lymington YC | 15 | 6 | 11 | ‑22 | 16 | 11 | 59 |
| 11th | 2874 | Jasper Jenkinson | Gurnard SC | 1 | 2 | 6 | 2 | (DNC) | DNC | 60 |
| 12th | 2442 | Anwen Sims | Neyland YC | 22 | 21 | ‑36 | 15 | 11 | 6 | 75 |
| 13th | 2362 | Barney Hall | Gurnard SC | 16 | 19 | 17 | 21 | 7 | (DNC) | 80 |
| 14th | 3564 | Emily Hooton | Waveney and Oulton Broad YC | 13 | 20 | 22 | 14 | 12 | (DNC) | 81 |
| 15th | 2311 | Rafe Bradley | Gurnard SC | 24 | 1 | 7 | 1 | (DNC) | DNC | 82 |
| 16th | 4864 | Grace Fleming | Ullswater YC | ‑43 | 23 | 13 | 17 | 17 | 12 | 82 |
| 17th | 2987 | Charlotte Caldecott | Rutland SC | ‑33 | 32 | 20 | 16 | 15 | 8 | 91 |
| 18th | 2505 | Fergus Anderson | Thorpe Bay YC | 18 | 29 | 21 | (DNC) | 10 | 16 | 94 |
| 19th | 2125 | Elen Thomas | Port Dinorwic SC‑CHYF | 14 | 24 | 16 | 23 | 18 | (DNC) | 95 |
| 20th | 2456 | Amelia Caldecott | Rutland SC | ‑32 | 18 | 30 | 19 | 21 | 9 | 97 |
| 21st | 4331 | Annabel Hooton | Waveney and Oulton Broad YC | 6 | 27 | 14 | 10 | (DNC) | DNC | 106 |
| 22nd | 3766 | Iolo Bool | Dale YC / Neyland YC | 34 | 26 | ‑35 | 28 | 14 | 17 | 119 |
| 23rd | 4133 | Phoebe Greenhalgh | Port Dinorwic SC‑CHYF | 17 | 16 | 19 | 18 | (DNC) | DNC | 119 |
| 24th | 4700 | Lily‑Rose Phillips | Waveney and Oulton Broad YC | ‑41 | 30 | 25 | 29 | 22 | 15 | 121 |
| 25th | 4544 | Charlie Hunt | Netley SC / Frensham Pond SC | 30 | 35 | 29 | 20 | 8 | (DNC) | 122 |
| 26th | 3436 | Rebecca Wharmby | Salterns SC | 28 | 22 | 15 | 13 | (DNC) | DNC | 127 |
| 27th | 2059 | Lily Chisnell | Royal Lymington YC | 5 | 14 | 18 | (DNC) | DNC | DNC | 135 |
| 28th | 2372 | Harry Bew | Docklands SWC | 26 | 31 | (DNC) | DNC | 19 | 18 | 143 |
| 29th | 3424 | Harry Calver | Waveney and Oulton Broad YC | 19 | 25 | 26 | 27 | (DNC) | DNC | 146 |
| 30th | 889 | Leo Harris | Frensham Pond SC | 40 | 41 | 24 | 24 | 20 | (DNC) | 149 |
| 31st | 3662 | Josh Pickard | Bowmoor SC | 10 | 15 | 27 | (DNC) | DNC | DNC | 150 |
| 32nd | 2584 | Harrison Hogan | Port Dinorwic SC‑CHYF | 29 | 28 | 23 | 26 | (DNC) | DNC | 155 |
| 33rd | 1029 | Luke Keighley | Avon SC | 7 | 12 | (DNC) | DNC | DNC | DNC | 166 |
| 34th | 3163 | Cerise Le Petit | Neyland YC | 27 | 37 | 28 | 25 | (DNC) | DNC | 166 |
| 35th | 3025 | Cara Thomas | Port Dinorwic SC‑CHYF | 31 | 36 | 34 | 30 | (DNC) | DNC | 180 |
| 36th | 3566 | Oscar Clark | Thorpe Bay YC | 23 | 17 | (DNC) | DNC | DNC | DNC | 187 |
| 37th | 3262 | Ben Gambi | Royal Lymington YC | 36 | 39 | 31 | (DNC) | DNC | DNC | 204 |
| 38th | 743 | Harry Ambery | Cransley SC | 42 | 33 | 32 | (DNC) | DNC | DNC | 205 |
| 39th | 3398 | Maxwell Edwards | Warsash SC / Frensham Pond SC | 25 | 34 | (DNC) | DNC | DNC | DNC | 206 |
| 40th | 2851 | Rory Mitchell | Frensham Pond SC | 37 | 45 | 33 | (DNC) | DNC | DNC | 213 |
| 41st | 2260 | Blake Brown | Gurnard SC | 44 | 42 | 37 | (DNC) | DNC | DNC | 221 |
| 42nd | 3263 | Jack Reeve | Waveney and Oulton Broad YC | 39 | 38 | (DNC) | DNC | DNC | DNC | 224 |
| 43rd | 4362 | Abbie Glover | Grafham Water SC | 35 | 44 | (DNC) | DNC | DNC | DNC | 226 |
| 44th | 3464 | Elsie Jenkinson | Gurnard SC | 45 | 40 | (DNC) | DNC | DNC | DNC | 232 |
| 45th | 0 | Liam Franz | Neyland YC | 38 | (DNC) | DNC | DNC | DNC | DNC | 234 |
| 46th | 1482 | Henry Mills | Frensham Pond SC | 46 | 43 | (DNC) | DNC | DNC | DNC | 236 |
| 47th | 2548 | Tim Marshall | Frensham Pond SC | (DNC) | DNC | DNC | DNC | DNC | DNC | 245 |
| 47th | 4303 | Thies Schuerch | Rutland SC / Hykeham SC | (DNC) | DNC | DNC | DNC | DNC | DNC | 245 |
| Sport Rig |
|---|
| 1st | 4118 | Hari Clark | Draycote Water SC | ‑3 | 1 | 2 | 1 | | | 4 |
| 2nd | 3830 | Laia Priestley | Ullswater YC | 1 | ‑6 | 4 | 3 | | | 8 |
| 3rd | 2040 | Thomas Hill | Royal Lymington YC | ‑22 | 7 | 1 | 2 | | | 10 |
| 4th | 4582 | Harry Wilson | Filey SC | ‑14 | 2 | 5 | 4 | | | 11 |
| 5th | 2789 | Ethan Watkin Jones | Port Dinorwic SC‑CHYF | ‑12 | 4 | 3 | 7 | | | 14 |
| 6th | 3829 | Aggie Priestley | Ullswater YC | 2 | ‑9 | 8 | 8 | | | 18 |
| 7th | 2985 | Andrew Reekie | Bassenthwaite SC | 5 | ‑11 | 6 | 9 | | | 20 |
| 8th | 1993 | Edward Gould | Abersoch SC | 8 | ‑19 | 7 | 6 | | | 21 |
| 9th | 1909 | Freddie Harrison | Gurnard SC | 6 | 3 | 13 | (DNC) | | | 22 |
| 10th | 3230 | Isabelle Nuttall | Neyland YC | ‑17 | 13 | 11 | 5 | | | 29 |
| 11th | 4162 | Monty Mawditt | Thorpe Bay YC | ‑18 | 8 | 10 | 12 | | | 30 |
| 12th | 4481 | Michael Boatman | Derwent Reservoir SC | 11 | ‑15 | 12 | 10 | | | 33 |
| 13th | 2893 | Reuben Hazell | Christchurch SC | 7 | 10 | 17 | (DNC) | | | 34 |
| 14th | 4834 | Harry Fleming | Ullswater YC | 9 | ‑23 | 14 | 11 | | | 34 |
| 15th | 4402 | Jessica Willars | Filey SC | 15 | ‑17 | 9 | 13 | | | 37 |
| 16th | 2871 | Sidney Mitchell | King George SC | 10 | 12 | 19 | (DNC) | | | 41 |
| 17th | 2919 | Bora Carrington | Royal Lymington YC | 13 | 14 | 15 | (DNC) | | | 42 |
| 18th | 2652 | George Panos | Welsh Harp SC | 4 | 5 | (DNC) | DNC | | | 49 |
| 19th | 1610 | Pavla Vernik | Burton SC | 20 | 16 | ‑26 | 15 | | | 51 |
| 20th | 3933 | Iolo Sims | Neyland YC | ‑34 | 25 | 16 | 16 | | | 57 |
| 21st | 1984 | Sam Livingston | Warsash SC / Frensham Pond SC | 26 | 18 | (NCS) | 14 | | | 58 |
| 22nd | 4640 | Ieuan Kelly | Port Dinorwic SC‑CHYF | ‑28 | 24 | 20 | 17 | | | 61 |
| 23rd | 2255 | Lachlan Walker | Royal Lymington YC | 21 | 22 | 22 | (DNC) | | | 65 |
| 24th | 1872 | Jonas Spicer | Frensham Pond SC | 25 | 26 | ‑27 | 19 | | | 70 |
| 25th | 2580 | Amy Heyburn | Whitefriars SC | 24 | ‑28 | 23 | 23 | | | 70 |
| 26th | 1638 | Keela Tudor | Brightlingsea SC | 29 | ‑32 | 21 | 21 | | | 71 |
| 27th | 3198 | Josie Heppell | Brightlingsea SC | 16 | 20 | (DNC) | DNC | | | 76 |
| 28th | 1933 | Marcus Spicer | Frensham Pond SC | (NCS) | 34 | 24 | 20 | | | 78 |
| 29th | 2492 | Athena Trollinger | Middle Nene SC | ‑35 | 33 | 25 | 22 | | | 80 |
| 30th | 2703 | Scarlett Kettell | Frensham Pond SC | 32 | 35 | (NCS) | 18 | | | 85 |
| 31st | 3914 | Emily Leather | Gurnard SC | 27 | 31 | 28 | (DNC) | | | 86 |
| 32nd | 1880 | Lucy Eeles | Brightlingsea SC | 30 | 21 | (DNC) | DNC | | | 91 |
| 33rd | 2459 | Kaya Carrington | Royal Lymington YC | 23 | 29 | (DNC) | DNC | | | 92 |
| 34th | 3034 | Rory Davenport | Bassenthwaite SC | (DNC) | DNC | 18 | DNC | | | 98 |
| 35th | 3606 | Hattie Garner | Frensham Pond SC | 31 | 27 | (DNC) | DNC | | | 98 |
| 36th | 4219 | Lucas Hill | Royal Lymington YC | 19 | (DNC) | DNC | DNC | | | 99 |
| 37th | 3476 | Sebastian Kummer | Neyland YC | 33 | 30 | (DNC) | DNC | | | 103 |
| 38th | 2858 | Max Hillier | Welsh Harp SC | (DNC) | DNC | DNC | DNC | | | 120 |
| 38th | 2613 | Matthew Willcox | Netley SC / Frensham Pond SV | (DNC) | DNC | DNC | DNC | | | 120 |
