The Fat Face RS Vareo event at Burghfield on 11 June was preceded on the Friday evening by an excellent training and video session by twice national champion Jonathan Lewis.

Light winds and sunshine greeted the 22 boats from as far apart as Yorkshire, Devon and Wales, and race officer Steve Middleton started race one on time with a shared start with the RS300 event. Having spotted the massive shift onto port that the RS300s got most of the fleet went for the pin end, and local expert Christopher Froehlich (Burghfield SC) gradually pulled away from the rest of the fleet on the first leg in very light and shifty conditions.

Froehlich gradually opened up his lead until the run when he sat, frustrated, in a hole while the rest of the pack rushed up with spinnakers flying on a sustained gust. Martin Barrett (Craven SC) and Mark Williams (Llandegfedd SC) glided past him. By the final mark, Williams had overtaken Barrett for first place, and Paul Craft (Teign Corinthian YC) had overtaken Froehlich. Needless to say no Vareo was in danger of being caught by speed cameras on the adjoining M4.

After a prolonged lunch break waiting for some wind, and enjoying the video of the morning race, the second race was also sailed in very light and shifty conditions. Froehlich again got away but this time managed to stay well ahead to the end, Craft coming second and Barrett third.

Race three was cancelled due to lack of wind to give the top three 5 points each. Froehlich was awarded the trophy as the only one of the three with a first, Craft coming second and Barratt third. Dominic Hurnall of Datchet Water SC was awarded the Merit Prize for the best improver.

Overall Results

1 162 Christopher Froehlich Burghfield SC 5 pts

2 239 Paul Craft Teign Corinthian YC 5 pts

3 354 Martin Barrett Craven SC 5 pts

4 391 Mark Williams Llandegfedd SC 8 pts

5 322 Mark Hayzelden Burghfield SC 10 pts

6 390 Nigel Tinkler Llandegfedd SC 10 pts

7 334 Nick Crickmore Waveney & Oulton Broad 16 pts

8 403 Steve Carr Hardway SC 16 pts

9 188 Matt Moore Middle Nene SC 18 pts

10 156 Andrew Trigg Burghfield SC 18 pts

11 204 Gavin Steven Ripon SC 23 pts

12 416 Dominic Hurndall Datchet Water SC 25 pts

13 206 Dave Machin Netley SC 28 pts

14 172 Hugh Wray-McCann Teign Corinthian YC 31 pts

15 207 David Bates Datchet Water SC 31 pts

16 425 Paul Nurser Rickmansworth SC 32 pts

17 243 Gavin Clark Chichester YC 33 pts

18 148 Robert Norris Burghfield SC 37 pts

19 402 Scott Butler Hardway SC 38 pts

20 179 Eddie McDonald Burgfield SC 38 pts

21 261 Chris Greenwood Bristol Corinthian YC 38 pts

22 348 Martin Denly Burghfield SC 42 pts