Results / Totally Stoked Stokes Bay SC - 20/04/2024
RS800 2nd Rooster National Tour Event
Totally Stoked 20-21 April
Approaching Stokes Bay Sailing Club looking out through the windscreen it looked as though Summer had arrived. The sun was out, and the trees had plenty of green leaves. Getting out of the car shattered the illusion, stepping into a brisk northerly 8ºC. The question was is it windy, or very windy? The general opinion was windy, with those in the know forecasting big holes, and plenty of shifts. They were right.
The first race was a bit of a tussle between Monique Vennis-Ozanne sailing with Hugh Shone, and Bryan and Anna Ormond, with Alistair Hodgson sailing with Ella Spain, much to their surprise working through to third. It was definitely helpful to have a boat 100 metres upwind of you, so that you could see what random wind effect was shortly going to be heading in your direction next.
In race two the wind dropped slightly and if possible, became more unpredictable. Alistair and Ella’s surprise increased as they found themselves leading the last downwind leg, only to experience a large hole at the leeward mark which Bryan and Anna as well as Monique and Hugh shortly arrived to share. Having crept around the mark, Bryan and Anna came out in front, and continued to the finish, Monique and Hugh became confused heading up for another lap leaving Alistair and Ella to finish second.
Race three continued in a similar style, with almost every boat unsure about what was going on except Nicholas Charles and Dan Goodman who managed to pull out a healthy lead and maintain it for a while. Much to their distress the last leeward mark hole reappeared allowing Monique and Hugh to reel them in, and lead over the finish line.
After enjoying Stokes Bay Sailing Club’s excellent chilli offering, a question and answer session was held with each of the five classes present sending an ‘expert’ to explain how they had done so well on the day. The general agreement was to keep calm and accept what the wind gods had dealt you, and to keep the boat moving at its maximum potential in whichever conditions that you found yourself in.
Day two produced similar conditions to the previous day, but with a little more wind and not quite as many holes.
Race four produced various stories of misfortune, with Luke McEwen and Cliff Nicholson folding their mast while sailing upwind and three boats suffering the U flag, leaving Bryan and Anna the winners, Alistair and Ella 2nd, with Huw Whitworth and Harry Wilson 3rd.
Race five and Monique and Hugh were now putting on a demonstration of their enjoyment of the windier conditions speeding to 1st. Bryan and Anna chased them to 2nd. Alistair and Ella came through to 3rd after something dramatic happened to Rob Mawdsley and Oscar Morgan-Harris.
By the last race the conditions had started to take their toll. By the first leeward mark the fleet was reduced to only four, but they all arrived together keeping the competition keen. Monique and Hugh then sailed off into the distance leaving the remaining three having a race long battle. The tricky part was avoiding each other’s moments. The last downwind leg decided it with capsizes and recovery speed playing their part. 1st Monique and Hugh, 2nd Bryan and Anna, 3rd Alistair and Ella.
Thank you to Stokes Bay Sailing Club for organising a fantastic weekend with hectic racing. Thank you to Rooster for sponsoring our RS800 Rooster National Tour. Next stop Hayling Island SC (HISC) for the RS 30th Anniversary Regatta on 17th to 19th May.
Report by Alistair Hodgson and photos by Timothy Olin. Many thanks!
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