Results / Open Waldringfield - 14/04/2017

9 RS200's arrived for the Waldringfield SC Easter Egg open on 14/15 April, with 2 visitors adding to the 7 from the home club. The 2 day meeting, run as part of the club's Easter Regatta, is the first event in the 2017 Fox's Marine and Country Great Eastern Travellers Circuit. Competitors enjoyed excellent conditions over the 6 races with patchy sunshine and gusty force 3-5 winds providing some exhilarating sailing, - and the occasional dip for some. 

Race 1 set the pattern for the event with Stephen Videlo / Maddie Harris taking the win from Ben and Liz Alexander with Robin Parsons / Kim Ford following in 3^rd.  Geoff Mayhew / Izzy Everitt took 4th ahead of Chris and Linda Woodard and Mark and Becky Hodge. ^. These 3 boats continued their battles in the next 2 races, each taking honours over the others as they shuffled for 4th, 5th and 6th positions. 

Stephen/Maddie took race 2 convincingly as Ben/Liz and Robin/Kim fought it out for second over an excellent course which made best use of the high water and westerly wind.

There was more of a challenge for the lead in race 3 as Robin/Kim were able to find speed on the long spinnaker reaches but superior upwind pace ensured Stephen/Maddie were ahead at the finish.

Race 4 brought stronger winds from a more northerly direction.  A long windward / leeward course was set which presented different challenges to the competitors, but Stephen/Maddie showed their mettle as they overhauled Ben/Liz for another win. 

The wind increased for races 5 and 6.  Courses were set with some tight reaches which, along with avoiding other classes, tested the competitors' nerve with the spinnaker as well as their ability to stay upright. Stephen/Maddie won again followed by Ben/Liz but both races featured Geoff Mayhew and Scary Collingridge pushing hard in 3rd, clearly enjoying the breezy conditions.

With a clean sweep of wins, Stephen/Maddie won overall, laying down a marker for the season and setting a challenge for others in the next round of the Great Eastern series at Alton Water on 6th May. 

Mark Smith

Photos thansk to Robin Parsons