Results / Volvo Noble Marine RS800 National Championship Stokes Bay SC - 21/09/2017

CONGRATULATIONS TO

CHRIS RASHLEY AND

BILLY VENNIS-OZANNE OUR

NEW 2017 RS800 NATIONAL

CHAMPIONS!

Great event video by Sportography.tv here

Day one and two photos thanks to Sportography.tv

Day three photos thanks to Ollie Vennis-Ozanne

2017 RS800 National Championship Prize Winners

Winner Crew's Race:  Billy Vennis-Ozanne - Stokes Bay SC

Top Weekend Team:  Frances Peters and Tom Partington - HISC

Top Club:  Stokes Bay SC

Top Family Team:  Ralph and Sophie Singleton - Datchet Water SC

Loving Cup:  Luke and Emma McEwen - Royal Lymington YC

Endeavour Trophy (highest score completed all races):  Alex Benfield and Nick Ireland - Stokes Bay SC

1st Silver Team:  Richard Clampett and Grace Clark - Stokes Bay SC

1st Youth Helm:  Josh Belben - Stokes Bay SC

1st Youth Crew:  Billy Vennis-Ozanne - Stokes Bay SC

1st Master Helm:  Peter Barton - Lymington Town SC

1st Master Crew:  Chris Feibusch - HISC

1st Lady Helm:  Ella Morland - Warsash SC

1st Lady Crew:  Emma McEwen - Royal Lymington YC

6th:  Phil Walker and John Mather - Draycote WSC

5th:  Tim Gratton and Fiona Hampshire - St Catherine's College SC

4th:  Josh Belben and Alain Sign - Stokes Bay SC

3rd: Peter Barton and Chris Feibusch - Lymington Town SC and HISC

2nd:  Luke and Emma McEwen - Royal Lymington YC

1st:  Chris Rashley and Billy Vennis-Ozanne - Stokes Bay SC

RS800 2017 Volvo Noble Marine National Championship Day Four

With the overall Championship all but sewn up by Chris Rashley and Billy Vennis-Ozanne, there was still all to play to for many of the teams lower down the order on the fourth and final day of the Volvo Noble Marine RS800 National Championships, not least the battle for 2^nd with Pete Barton and Chris Feibusch on equal points with last year’s champions, Luke and Emma McEwen.

A fresher breeze than the previous day and the Easterly flowing tide was throwing up some chop across the race course making for some challenging conditions and the prospect of potentially costly mistakes in the final two championship races.

Lining up for the start, the big decision was whether to fight for the port bias gains or to start further up the line and tack off out into the stronger favourable tide as early as possible.  With a bit of local knowledge to help them on their way Chris Rashley and Billy Vennis-Ozanne called it perfectly and led the fleet out to the starboard lay line and round the windward mark closely followed by Peter Barton and Chris Feibusch and the stars of the previous day, Tim Gratton and Fiona Hampshire.  Under clear blue skies and champagne sailing conditions, the downwind legs were fast and bouncy and the racing tight.  At the end of two more rounds, the top three positions remained in that order, with Luke and Emma McEwen coming through from 6^th on the final downwind leg to take 4th and keep the pressure on Barton and Feibusch in the battle for 2^nd going into the final race.

For the final race and with the Easterly tidal flow weakening inshore and the port bias on the line seemingly less, Rashley and Vennis-Ozanne, Barton and Feibusch and the McEwens all opted to start towards the committee boat end of the line and tack out early.  Unfortunately this was to misjudge the gains that were to be made from the pin end and a number of boats gained a big advantage with the eventual race winners, Josh Belben crewed by local hero and Olympic rock star Alain Sign, among them.  Rashley and Vennis-Ozanne had already done enough to win the champs, but the battle for 2^nd raged on.  The McEwen’s spinnaker pole snapped on the first hoist, which appeared to hand the advantage to Barton and Feibusch, but with a discard of a 6^th to fall back on it meant that Barton and Feibusch needed a 5^th or better to break the tie.  Buried in the pack at the windward mark, they pushed hard, but only managed to recover to 9^th at the finish, handing the McEwens 2^nd overall by one point.   The “Kids”, Phil Walker and John Mather hung on for 2^nd with returning 2013 National Champion, James Date crewed by James “Jimmy” Green, finally finding some of his old form to take 3^rd.

All in all a fantastic championships, at a great venue, blessed with incredible hospitality from the club and its members and perfect weather enabling all 10 races to be completed on schedule.  On shore, the competitors enjoyed a packed social programme with a talk by Mike Golding OBE on the first night, a pirate-themed games night and a disco night with plenty of fun and frolics on the dance floor!

Huge thanks to everyone involved in organising the event and of course to the sponsors: Volvo, Noble Marine, Forward WIP and SpeedSix.

There is a great buzz of positivity within the RS800 class at the moment with a number of young new teams and returners to the class, many attracted by the recent rule change allowing the crew to take the mainsheet, which has brought the class right up to date again and broadened the demographic of people able to, and wanting to, compete.

A quick look at the top places at this event and it is occupied by a healthy mix of size, age and gender demonstrating that skill and ability is all that’s required to compete at the front of the fleet in the RS800.

Report by Chris Feibusch

RS800 Nationals - Day Three

Day three dawned with an 8-10 knot breeze from the South East and for the first time an East-going tide for the first race.

Many of the teams watched the RS700s start to assess what to do.  It was surprising that there were no major collisions for the RS700s or RS800s because the start was so pin-biased.  Tim Gratton and Fiona Hampshire got away cleanly from the middle of the line just above the cluster.  They led from the start ahead of Andy and Allyson Jeffries.  Both second and first overall had to work hard to get a counter after some poor starts.  Tim and Fiona took the win with Chris Rashley and Billy Vennis-Ozanne second, and Andy and Allyson Jeffries third. 

Video by Ollie Vennis-Ozanne is race two.

Race two the line was changed so that it was square but even with an opposing tide everyone was close.  Now it was a lane hold with neither side dominant.  Phil Walker and John Mather rounded first with Chris and Billy, and then Tim and Fiona behind.  Some breeze from behind put Tim and Fiona and weekenders Frances Peters and Tom Partington in first and second for the next lap.  However, a left shift meant Chris and Billy took the win with Tim and Fiona second.

Race three became an opposite to Garda with the shore and the left the defining features.  Tim and Fiona and Team Jimmy Green (James Date and James Green) rounded first and second having held their lane all the way to the shore.  Tim and Fiona showed their form to take another win with Chris and Billy second and the Jimmy Green third. 

Finally the Crews’ Race saw six brave helms put down the stick and race.  Again it was a left hand track with a bit more breeze.  John Mather and Phil Walker had a good start but couldn’t find their speed.  Billy and Chris won with John and Phil second and Fiona and Tim third.

Report by Billy Vennis-Ozanne

Up on Y&Y here

RS800 Nationals - Day Two

It was another glorious day at Stokes Bay SC.  Three races were scheduled.  There was a small delay as the South Easterly breeze swung to South West. 

The first start John Belben and Alain Sign pulled the fleet over causing a general recall.  The Birthday Boy Josh obviously wanted a birthday bullet.  The fleet restarted under the black flag.  Chris Rashley and Billy Ozanne unknowingly were black flagged and led the race but left the race win to Andy and Allyson Jeffries.  She had had her Weetabix!!

The breeze was in for the next two races.  The tide was strong meaning laylines were important.  Chris Rashley took a first and fourth.  The top four are very close going into Saturday’s racing.

Once ashore the RS800 were kept busy with their AGM, a great burger night, then the Pirate Party!  Yo ho ho and a bottle of rum!

Report by Alain Sign

Up on Y&Y here

RS800 Nationals - Day One

Stokes Bay Sailing Club have put on their characteristic warm welcome to the RS800 and RS700 fleets for their Volvo Noble Marine National Championships.  The galley is fully stocked up with tasty goodies and the social programme is packed with fun and frivolity.

The sixty two RS800 sailors who've turned up for the first day were greeted with a decent breeze and a slightly gnarly wave state, the SSW onshore wind kicking up a challenging standing wave pattern around the start line and leeward marks.  Launching was a bit tricky for the non-locals but everyone helped each other get safely away from the shingle beach.

Race One
Phil Walker and John Mather managed to get away cleanly from the starboard biased start line hotly pursued by local rock stars Chris Rashley and Billy Vennis-Ozanne who are making a guest appearance in the class for this National Championships.  Approaching what they believed to be the windward mark, Phil and John were leading but it turned out to be the spreader mark being towed away by a rib having dragged in the strong spring ebb.  Chris and Billy took advantage, taking the lead which they held to the finish.  Third round were Ella and James Morland but they were out-hoisted and rolled by Pete Barton and Chris Feibusch. 

At the end of the second lap the shorten course flag was up on the committee boat.  Boats that rounded the left hand leeward could then see that it was only the RS700s that were shortened so having passed through the finish line carried on upwind.  Phil and John chose the right hand leeward, saw the others apparently finishing and gybed back for the finish, dropping behind Ella and James.
After the third and final lap, during which the spreader mark again unfortunately ended up to windward of the windward mark causing similar confusion for the competitors, Chris and Billy had a substantial lead followed by Pete and Chris, and Ella and James.
The sea state dealt a blow to several of the top contenders including Ralph and Sophie Singleton who lost their rudder at the windward mark, Andy and Allyson Jeffries who broke their boom and Joe Joyner and Will Broom who snapped their bowsprit.

Race Two
By the second race the chop had abated a little.  After a general recall the fleet started cleanly off a port biased line.  Once again Chris and Billy led into the windward mark from the right hand side, chased by more local rock stars Josh Belben and Alain Sign, but overstood the mark letting Pete and Chris tack below them to steal the lead.  The top four boats were very close at the leeward mark.  Luke & Emma McEwen tacked off in fourth place to come in to the windward mark from the right hand side second to Chris and Billy.  Down the final run of the two lap race, Pete broke his tiller extension so couldn't wire.  Josh and Alain took advantage to finish third behind Chris and Billy, and Luke and Emma.

So now everyone's back ashore and had a welcome mug of tea, it's time for beers and curry and an inspirational talk from Open 60 sailor Mike GoldingOBE who would probably laugh in the face of today's Solent chop after his experiences in the Southern Ocean.

By Luke & Emma McEwen - Team Gul

Up on Y&Y here

RS800 Volvo Noble Marine National Championship Runners and Riders

With the 2017 RS800 Volvo Noble Marine National Championships just around the corner, taking place at Stokes Bay SC from 21st to 24th September, it’s time to take a look at this year’s runners and riders and check out the form sheet.

The RS800 is on a high at the moment with a number of new teams attracted to the class with the option now of crew / boom sheeting, which has also seen the return of few teams from the past.  Chuck in a few pros, Olympians, Multiple World, European and National Champions and it should make for a competitive and fun event.

So here goes: 

Luke and  Emma McEwen

By far and away the form boat for the last two seasons, having won every single event that they’ve competed in, “Team Gul” are firm favourites to retain the title.  Terrifyingly these two are not content with total domination and are still on a relentless mission of self-improvement; training, reading and practising at every opportunity.  Their ability to consistently sail faster and smarter than anyone else has caused some in the fleet to question whether they are, in fact, human or actually androids.  The only hope for the rest of the field is if some moisture finds its way in and short-circuits their complex electronic systems.

Phil Walker and John Mather

Still regarded as the ‘kids’ of the fleet, not because of how old they are, but their tendency to hang out with 29er sailors instead of people of their own age.  Having been quick right from the word go, consistency has improved considerably and are now a serious threat at the front, as demonstrated by their 3rd at the Europeans in Medemblik.  The consistency has come partly from being more comfortable with John taking the mainsheet upwind, but it is probably more to do with actually making it to the start line even after a big night out, unlike in those early days.  Perhaps they are growing up after all.

Dan Goodman and Debbie Robertshaw

What a year these two have had and Debbie has the scars to prove it.  One of the only teams to take a race off Luke and Emma all year at the Europeans in Medemblik, not once, but twice.  With an upgraded boat and a fearless and fast-learning crew at the front, these two are a match for anyone on the day.  If it’s windy expect bloodshed and bruises combined with endless positivity and undampened spirits.  Oh and there will be dancing.

Andy and Ally Jeffries

Andy is in full mid-life crisis mode, having just competed at the Moth Worlds in Garda after only 8 outings in one prior to the event, leaving him wanting more despite the horrific bruises.  The main priority is the RS800, however, having committed to a new ‘Whyte Bikes’ sponsored boat earlier in the year and going very quickly in it all season.  This pair will be hoping for big breezes at Stokes with Ally ‘the Gnarlier the Better’ Jeffries showing no signs of slowing down in the front of the boat and always thriving the more challenging the conditions become.  Consistently in the chocolates, maybe this is finally their year to take the title.  Took a race off the McEwens during their most recent battle.

Pete Barton and Chris Feibusch

Assuming Pete hasn’t completely forgotten how to trapeze after campaigning his RS Aero all year and Chris can remember what to do at the front of the boat, these two still fancy their chances if the breeze is up.  Lack of time in the boat recently and issues with pace in light airs will be the Achilles heel for this team.  This creaky old pair will certainly want their Masters titles back from the Jeffries at the very least.

Graham and Jeremy Williamson

Father and son team new to the class and on a steep learning curve.  They have the benefit of Jeremy having been a top 29er crew and very comfortable taking the mainsheet upwind.  A case of an old dog learning new tricks having spent years as a top helm and crew in the Merlin Rocket class, Graham is rapidly getting to grips with this new-fangled trapezing idea.  They have shown real pace and poise at times, but are prone to binning it at crucial moments.  This is all part of a typical and well documented process of a first season sailing an RS800. Make no mistake, they are learning fast and will be consistently challenging at the front very soon.

Hugh Shone and Hannah Tattersall

A very welcome return to the class for this popular pair of hotshots.  Out of the class for nearly two years, these two will be hoping to pick up where they left off, which was a 4th place at 2015 Championships.  Certain to be challenging at the front, will the break have done them good or will they be scuppered by lack of time in the boat?

Ella and James Morland

Small, but mighty, Ella is a seriously quick and tactically astute helm and with Superman James doing all the work at the front including taking the mainsheet upwind these days, these two make a formidable team.  Finishing 2nd at the Stokes Bay Magic Marine Grand Prix event earlier in the year and back at the same venue for this event, they could certainly take the fight to the McEwens.  Unstoppable on the dancefloor too, these two will be battling it out with the ‘Kids’ for the title of ‘Social Animals of the Week’.

Becky Diamond and Sophie Porteous

All female pairing and ex 29er hotshots, Becky and Sophie, will be undoubtedly be sniffing around the front end of the fleet.  As their boat handling improves and their ability in the corners begins to match their straight line speed we can expect these two start firing in some results, particularly in the light to medium stuff.

James Green and James Date

Two James making a return to the class.  After a short break to move house and focus on the family business, Jimmy Green Marine in Beer, is James ‘Jimmy the 2nd’ Green.  Before the break, along with crew Jamie Trewick, James had completed the obligatory ‘capsizing and crashing’ apprenticeship and had started to show some real, consistent pace.  With Jamie’s bodybuilding obsession making him too heavy for the front of an RS800 these days, James is taking no chances and has enlisted the help of former national champion, James Date. Clearly the name James was main criteria for this recruitment.  The only question now is which one is going to be steering?

Paul Jenkins and Colin Hatton

A consistent front runner, usually with his human lever son, Peter, Paul is once again teaming up with Colin Hatton.  They have vast amounts of experience on this boat that could and should be converted into consistency on the race course.  It probably won’t, though unless the whole event is sailed in survival conditions.

Ralph and Sophie Singleton

This mild mannered father and daughter team that have no problems getting the bit between their teeth as soon as they’re on the race course.  With her ‘butter-wouldn’t-melt in-the-mouth’ demeanour ashore, Sophie is another one that thrives as the conditions become more challenging.  They were serious contenders at the Nationals last year before they were subject to a collision.  With the highly experienced and skilled hand of her father at the back, these two have been steadily improving in recent months with two podium finishes on the Magic Marine Grand Prix circuit already this year.  Certainly ones to watch out for especially since they took a race off the McEwens at Lyme.

Tim Gratton / Fiona Hampshire

Ex RS Feva and 29er National Champion and 49er squaddie, Tim Gratton, has been snapped up by Fiona Hampshire, herself a past RS800 National Champion when partnered with Tim Saxton.  Clearly only comfortable sailing with people called Tim, with that kind of pedigree this pair can certainly count themselves amongst the genuine title contenders.

Cameron and Darrol Moss

Son and father team from Lyme Regis, still on a high from hosting their first RS800 event at their home club and loving every minute of sailing the boat.  These two are improving rapidly and spending less time swimming and more time sailing fast.  Their enthusiasm is infectious and their positive energy is great to have around on and off the water.  Whatever happens, they’ll be smiling.

Steve and Sarah Cockerill

Where to start with this one?  Multiple dinghy World (RS Aero 2017), European and National Champion, Steve is more commonly associated with hiking boats that go slower than the waves.  There are very few people quicker in the world in that type of boat than the ‘Boat Whisperer’.  Steve is sailing with wife Sarah, and both are riding high after a successful Summer of team work winning both the 2000 National Championship and the 4000 European Championship.  This is another team on a steep learning curve in a boat that goes faster than the waves and requires the helm to trapeze.  Only a fool would write sailors of this calibre off though and they are sailing on home waters.  Prepare for some established feathers to be ruffled.

Dan Kilsby and Bart Bridgen

Another re-formed team returning to the class for a crack at the title.  Top performers a few years ago, have this pair still got what it takes?  Lack of pre-event practice will probably see their results improve as the event progresses.  Anyway a welcome return and expected to be well in the mix.

Others to watch out for:

Frances Peters and Tom Partington

Another very welcome return to the class for Frances, sailing with rock star International 14 crew and boyfriend Tom.  Unfortunately only able to take part for two days over the weekend, these two won’t be competing for the title.  However, this pair have talent and ability in abundance and will undoubtedly be right in the mix.  Already looking very comfortable in the boat and exuding class; if there’s a prize for style and looking cool these two would be right up there.

Chris Rashley and Billy Vennis-Ozanne

Rockstar Mothie turned Olympic foiling Nacra 17 sailor is rumoured to be teaming up with top 29er crew Billy Vennis-Ozanne.  If they do show up, never underestimate a pro and an eager ferret.

Up on Y&Y here

Find all the information on the RS800 Nationals here

Don’t forget that weekend entry is available!

Fantastic new RS800 video by Sportography.tv online here

By Chris Feibusch