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RS 200 Open Sunday 12th 2009.<br />
G<br />
Andrew & Geraldine Peters<br />
For the third year running <strong>Weir</strong> wood laid on fabulous<br />
sailing weather for its RS 200 open meeting. A 12kt. Westerly<br />
breeze that rose to 20kts during the course of the day was<br />
complimented by unbroken sunshine and a 22 degrees Celsius<br />
temperature. Champagne sailing if ever there was!<br />
Seven home club RS200’s were joined by 11 visiting boats for<br />
the six short race contest, three back to back in the morning<br />
and three back to back in the afternoon. Race Officer’s Ernie<br />
Hatton and Peter Clifton set windward/leeward courses with a<br />
leeward gate. With the wind almost straight down the lake the<br />
upwind/downwind buoys could be set a long distance apart<br />
and two laps took the lead boat about 40 minutes to get to<br />
the finish.<br />
Race one got promptly away with Steve Janering and Lottie<br />
Wakeling establishing a comfortable lead over Nick and Juliet<br />
Charles. Janering extended his lead downwind but missed<br />
the windward gate out on the next upwind leg loosing several<br />
places correcting the error. Charles took the lead followed by<br />
David Giles and Fiona Clark who were passed by Rob Janering<br />
and Olivia James and this order remained to the finish.<br />
Race two saw Charles again take an early lead but he lost out<br />
on the right side of the lake downwind being passed by James<br />
Boyce and Sam Tozer as well as Giles. At the final leeward gate<br />
Giles rounded the left hand buoy while Boyce choose the right.<br />
The left prooved the better choice and Giles squeezed passed<br />
Tozer on the upwind leg to the finish line.<br />
Race three saw Andrew and Geraldine Peters establish an<br />
early lead from Giles and Charles. The race order was turned<br />
on its head when a strong gust filled in from the left hand side<br />
downwind leaving those on the right relatively becalmed. Steve<br />
Janering was best placed when the gust hit and took the lead<br />
which he held to the end. Charles pulled through to second<br />
with Boyce third. Giles witnessed life at the other end of the<br />
fleet limping over the finish line in 12th spot.<br />
David Giles<br />
G<br />
Nick & Juliet Charles<br />
A short lunch break was taken before battle recommenced.<br />
Giles got the best start in race 4 and established a narrow<br />
lead at the first windward buoy. Gybing straight around the<br />
windward buoy and heading to the left hand bank downwind<br />
paid handsomely as again a strong gust filled in on that side of<br />
the lake. Giles extended his lead considerably followed by Mike<br />
Chapman and Lynne Ratcliffe. These two had a big enough lead<br />
on the rest not to be troubled again. Charles worked his way up<br />
to third.<br />
Race five saw Peters take the early lead and was then first into<br />
an enormous gust downwind which took him over the horizon.<br />
Boyce was next into the gust and established a comfortable<br />
second place while the rest scrapped it out with Charles again<br />
managing to sneak through into third.<br />
And so to the last race. Charles was very much in the driving<br />
seat with only Giles able to overtake him by finishing ahead of<br />
Charles and in at least first or second place. Charles rounded<br />
the windward buoy first followed by Peters, Boyce, Janering<br />
and Giles. Downwind the wind was relatively even but Giles<br />
managed to squeeze through to third behind Charles and<br />
Peters. Although Giles passed Peters upwind Charles held a<br />
comfortable lead around the last windward buoy. Downwind<br />
Charles having gybed immediately around the windward buoy<br />
gybed back about mid lake while Giles carried on as far left as<br />
the depth would allow. Shortly after gybing the strongest gust<br />
of the day arrived, mostly missing Charles but engulfing Giles.<br />
Charles could only watch helplessly as Giles was able to sail<br />
faster and lower and went from 100 metres behind Charles to<br />
100 metres ahead in the last half of the last downwind leg. Giles<br />
crossed the finish first with Charles second giving Giles the<br />
overall victory on count back.<br />
And so to the prize giving. First up was the Duckhams award,<br />
the prize given to competitor who committed the biggest<br />
howler of the day. Easy winner of this was Steve Janering from<br />
A<strong>float</strong> Autumn/Winter 2009<br />
9
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