Brilliant sunshine and a light breeze greeted the 15 sailors that arrived for the first RS Fat Face racing circuit event of the year at Chew Valley Lake SC on 15-16 March. That light breeze steadily built to a good force 3 in time for the first race, Matt Humphreys got away from the start well and after a shifty first beat led at the windward mark and stretched away to win by a leg. There was close racing in the chasing pack with Jon Heissig coming out on top to take second with David Cummins in third.

In the second race after picking the windshifts well Heissig led the fleet up the first beat only for his shroud to break as he tacked for the windward mark, Humphreys narrowly avoided the falling mast and took the lead again to win by a leg with Peter Sanders in second and Cummins again in third.

Race three and Humphreys led again at the top mark stretching away into a now familiar lead which he steadily increased to the finish. There was close racing in the chasing pack with Sanders again taking second and Colin Hatton in third.

Sunday morning brought a fresh shifty breeze for race 4 which Andy Heissig capitalised on, leading at the windward mark followed by his brother Jon (with a new shroud) with Humphreys hot on his heels. Humphreys boat speed came to the fore and he squeezed past Jon H on the top reach. A close fought run with many gybes to stay in the gusts saw Humphreys just able to catch Andy H on starboard near the bottom mark, forcing him to gybe and controlling the inside line into the mark. Humphreys then stretched away comfortably leaving the rest to battle for second place honours. Much place changing took place over the next two laps with Jon Heissig coming out in Second and Sam Pascoe in third.

Race 5 saw Humphreys do his usual trick of sailing faster than everyone to win by a leg but the competition behind him was fierce with Jon Heissig finishing in second and Pasco achieving another third.

Race 6 and Humphreys took the lead at the windward mark, pulling away into a familiar lead, only to find himself stuck in a hole at the bottom of the run. He watched helpless as the rest of the fleet came flying down in a gust catching up to within a boat length. With the wind now very light, full of holes and shifty, Humphreys was hotly pursued by Ari Liddell all the way to the finish to take a fine second with Elaine Turner in third. The girls showing the rest of the fleet how it should be done.

The Race Officer coped with the conditions superbly and provided good racing with a fast turn around of races. Overall Humphreys won all six races comfortably but the battle for 2nd-5th was hotly contested with only 5 points between 2nd and 5th place. Sam Pascoe came second with 21pts and David Cummins came third with 23pts.

Overall Results

1 962, Matt Humphreys 5pts

2 742, Sam Pascoe 21

3 893, David Cummins 23

4 909, Peter Sanders 24

5 722, Colin Hatton 26

6 861, Jamie Mawson 31

7 709, Andy Heissig 37

8 954, Jon Heissig 38

9 937, Elaine Turner 38

10 826, David Nunn 42