RS700 Sailing Today

RS700 Fat Face Circuit Event 2

Hunstanton Sailing Club - 22nd/23rd April 2006

Despite a forecast of 1-3mph all weekend and this being a brand new venue for the fleet, 24 RS700 competitors from all over the country made the trip to Hunstanton for the second Fat Face racing circuit event of the year. The days proceedings started with the presentation of Fat Face rash vests to the current series leaders in the Gold and Silver fleets, Matt Humphries and Ian Nolan respectively.

Race 1 started in a very light breeze after one general recall caused by a large wind-shift. Jon Heissig reached the top mark first to lead down the run. The fleet compressed at the spreader mark and with barely enough wind to set the spinnakers boats struggled to avoid going backwards with the tide. Heissig took the middle of the run but found a hole and was passed on the left and right. Jerry Wales managed to keep his spinnaker flying better than most and took the win followed by Pete Purkiss in second. Leigh Albrecht found a personal gust and went from 9th round the windward mark to finish third.

The sea breeze filled in to a decent force 2 for the start of race 2. Off the start line there was a wide split in the fleet, with a difference of opinion of whether to go right and out of the tide or left for more breeze. As the fleet recombined at the windward mark it turned out that left had given a slight edge. The fleet enjoyed the fresher conditions, trapezing downwind with much place changing. Nigel Walbank showed very good speed to take the win followed by Tony Freer and Jon Heissig.

Race 3 was sailed in the same conditions but with a few more shifts thrown in. Matt Humphries did a classic start-line capsize at the pin end of the line. Leigh Albrecht and Pete Purkiss sailed away from the fleet to finish in that order but further down the fleet things were very bunched and competition was closely fought. Alex Koukourakis was doing well until a broken tiller extension slowed him down. Jon Heissig was the best of the rest and came through to take third again.

The Saturday night prizegiving saw the Fat Face rash vests being passed to the overnight leaders, Pete Purkiss showing his class after a long absence from the circuit to take the gold and Dave Gorringe taking the lead in the silver fleet. Two very different physiques proving how well the equalisation system works on these boats.

The fleet then descended en-masse to the Rose and Crown for a night of good food and some very dubious cabaret entertainment provided by the local Hunstanton sailors!

Sunday morning dawned bright with the hope of a light breeze. After the morning inspection by the committee and some hasty application of stickers, the first race on started promptly but in a dying south westerly breeze. Ian Nolan from the home club led at the windward mark but sailed into a hole down wind passing the lead to Rob Chaplin. The second lap was sailed in virtually no wind and seemed to last forever. Eventually the fleet was rewarded with a finish after a very frustrating last few yards. The eventual winner was Rob Chaplin followed by Andy Irons and Matt Humphries.

Before the second race the predicted northerly breeze swept in with a vengeance and the course had to be swung round by 180º. The northerly force 4-5 quickly kicked up lots a steep swell which soon resulted in a fine display of submarining and cartwheeling. A few revelled in the conditions, and after some three laps the first home was Steve Marshall followed by Matt Humphries and Andy Irons.

With time running out, the last race had a congested start in steep, slamming waves mastered by Gorringe and Koukourakis who arrived together at the windward mark. Koukourakis blasted off to the wrong mark, letting Marshall into second with Gorringe third. However it was Matt Humphreys who got the layline right to win what had turned out to be one-lap sprint with all boats finishing in quick succession. Pete Purkiss dropped out of contention for the lead by dropping the mainsheet twenty yards form the finish and suffered a painfully slow capsize to windward.

Matt Humphries sailing “RoosterBooster” sailed consistently to take the overall win and maintain his lead in the Fat Face Rankings. Dave Gorringe put together a good series to take the lead in the Silver. Special prizes were awarded to Rob Chaplin for the longest ‘endo’ in a 700 and to Andy Holland for the perpendicular nosedive, which scored a perfect 10 with the Committee.

Our thanks go to Fat Face for their continued support of the series and to the local sponsors, Kings Lynn Audi, The Rose and Crown and Premier Fitness who all contributed to a very successful event.

It was a fantastic weekend overall, with superb organisation of the racing, the facilities and the entertainment. A very good time was had by all on the lovely north Norfolk coast.

Photo’s courtesy of Seaborne Photography who can supply prints to those who are interested http://www.pbase.com/rsscanlon/rs700_meeting_hunstanton

The Fat Face Racing Circuit Moves on to Stokes Bay for the 3rd event of the series on May 6-7th.

Good Sailing!

The 700 Fleet

Final Hunstanton Results