VR Team News

VR Gul Race Team Report - Topper Nationwide Series 1

Location: Datchet Water Sailing Club

14th-15th April

Report by: Harry Janes Saturday

When we arrived at eight o clock to Datchet Water, it was already looking like being a light wind day, just as the forecasts suggested, with 8 -10 knots. As the fleet rigged the wind showed little signs of changes to the forecast. We went in to the briefing with hope - it was looking like the first event in the last year in Toppers where every race has been completed. As we launched it was looking as if the day was going to be all about picking the shifts and finding the pressure as we had the long sail across Datchet to the start area with the wind blowing away from the clubhouse. When the fleet arrived, the PRO started to try and get racing underway.

I say started, as it began with the first attempt being postponed with3 seconds to go due to a 90 degree shift, meaning we couldn’t cross the line on starboard. The start was then quickly retried and the same thing happened on the second attempt, so this led to a longer postponement to try and get the wind to decide where it wanted to blow from. Once we had waited long enough for the wind to settle, the fleet decided to begin the first race of the nationwide series in true Topper style, with a general recall, with a generous PRO we had one more start under ‘P’ flag that also was a general recall, and we moved onto the black flag that is a common occurrence at Topper events. After this we had clean starts for the rest of the day with all 3 races for both starts being able to be raced.

Sunday

On arrival on Sunday it was looking an altogether different day with 15-18 knots gusting more and a lot colder. As masts slowly made their way up around the boat park, many people were looking forward to a new day to try and improve their results. As we launched a number of the smaller sailors made the decision to sail with a reefed sail, in the hope that this would allow less capsizing and therefore better racing.

On the slipway Mr VR made a surprise appearance to wish me luck. Once again the PRO did a good job in trying to get us away on the ‘P’ flag once again but the fleet was having none of it so he was not as lenient the second day and after the first general recall, went straight to the black flag. This then allowed us to have clean starts for the rest of the day with very few people suffering from BFD on the score sheet. The wind stayed relatively strong throughout the day with the temperature not increasing allowing the bigger sailors a chance. The temperature though was shown with 57 retirees after race 5 showing that at least some of them might need to speak to Mr VR about some warmer kit.

All in all a great weekend had by most and a special thanks to Datchet Water Sailing Club for hosting the event, Andy Millington for being in charge of the safety fleet on the water and Peter Baldwin for running some excellent races at his first ever Topper National event.

Great photos from this year's Youths in Pwllheli c/o Bob Aldous-Horne.

Photos

VR Gul Race Team Update...We can't forget Dicken's crew - Hannah Young - an highly respected sailor and just got back a skiing holiday so she will certainly live up to her nickname 'Prunester' - looking forward to seeing both of you this weekend at Frensham Pond S C with all your goodies...!!

VR Gul Race Team Update....We can now announce the final class in the long list of VR Gul Race Team members - the RS200!! Dicken Maclean - top sailor and also an RS Feva coach - or Princess to his friends.

Welcome to The Team Princess!!

VR Gul Race Team Update....just one more Class to be announced tonight. The VR Gul Race Team are now sailing in all these classes:

* Topper

* 420

* Laser Radial

* Cadet

* 29er

* Phantom

* Musto Skiff

Who will it be......

VR Gul Race Team Update.....Megan needs a great crew so joining Meg's today is Amy Crick - Mr VR knows too well what is was like as a Cadet crew (many many years ago) so Meg's better be seriously looking after Ames to get the best out of the boat.

Welcome Amy to the VR Gul Race Team!!

VR Gul Race Team Update.... The newest member of the ever expanding team is Megan Ferguson in her Cadet sailing from Frensham Pond SC and Lymington.

She has shown great sailing potential already and we wish her a warm welcome to the team!!

VR Gul Race Team in Weymouth - standing tall there Matt!!!

Photos

VR Gul Race Team - News Update - The newest member of the VR Gul Race Team is Gavin Page in his lean mean fighting machine - Musto Skiff!! Gavin must be one of the youngest sailors to be competing in this seriously fast and cool skiff.

Check out his biography and I am sure that we all wish him well with his MS campaign for 2012...

Last weekend’s event was down at Stokes Bay which we had some tricky racing having to contend with. Light winds of 10 knots and a strong tide. At one point the wind faded away resulting in, one of the races being abandoned when the flight ground to a halt at the committee boat . A net score of 47 wasn't enough for a gold fleet this time

The second day saw racing postponed because of the wind (or lack of!) but the race officer finally got one race away across all the fleets . I was top 5 in the fleet round the windward, when the wind totally died, as it filled in again, the 5 lead boats had that sinking feeling as they saw everyone behind making huge gains and the chase was on!

The wind continued to fill and was then accompanied by a 90'+ shift making the last reach a beat to the finish line. An eighth place was enough secure an overall 3rd in the silver fleet for me.

Congratulations to Rheanna Pavey (Alton Water) she had a great 18th birthday weekend finishing 2nd overall in the Radials. Nice one! This was one of the trickiest places I have sailed to date.

Next up........ back to Weymouth.