The 2010 RS Feva Inland Championship was hosted by Northampton Sailing Club on June 19/20.
Saturday was incredibly gusty with tricky wind bends across the course. Debbie & Tom Darling, the mother & son combo, started with a perfect port tack pin maneuver as the gun blasted but their immediate 20 yard lead was gradually overhauled by Rob & Emma Loveridge the current heavy weather ‘hot shots’. In race two Rob & Emma again dominated & lead from start to finish with Matt Whitfield & Gareth Viney ( pictured ) securing 2nd from Cathy Lear & Francine Counsell & a close group of boats.
After a short tea break the boats returned to the race track to slightly lighter 8 to 15 knot breezes. The fleet had cottoned on to the port biased line & with many of the top boats fighting for pole position it was Matt & Gareth who stole the start whilst many others had to dig deep to return from bad positions. Again the racing was incredibly tight. In the end Matt & Gareth held on from Rob & Rebecca Morris with Ruth & Tess Allan in 3rd.
Sunday dawned brighter & lighter. Again the wind proved tricky but with even bigger ‘holes’ than the previous day. The game of ‘snakes & ladders’ recommenced. Debbie & Tom again secured the pin on the port biased line & sailed away from the fleet eventually winning by half a leg. Light weather experts Morgan Peach & Herbie Harford showed their speed by comfortably taking 2nd from the pack behind led by Cathy & Francine. Race 5 was played out in winds dropping to 3 knots then back up to 8 knots again a test of nerves which Debbie & Tom reveled in, securing their 2nd win of the day from Cathy & Francine then Ruth & Tess Allan.
The points were close leading into the last race but Matt & Gareth pulled out all the stops to sail a good race & take the win. Unfortunately for them Debbie & Tom gradually picked their way through from 6th to 2nd just sneaking past Rob & Emma at the final mark to take first overall. Matt & Gareth won the Junior Inland Championship Trophy.
Iwan Basten WYA Squad Manager added “Mathew and Gareth are both members of the Welsh National Squad and British National Squads in their own right. The boys are relatively new to the sailing together in the RS Feva class but have applied their skills and tactical knowledge to the class in no time at all. This is the mark of excellent sailing talent – across the sport and have every opportunity for the future! A Really Big well done from their Welsh Squad Coaches who have worked with the boys over the past couple of years training in Cardiff and at the National Water-sports Centre Plas Menai / Pwllheli.”
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Image credit: Digital Images