An armada of RS boats invaded Hayling Island Sailing Club over the first May Bank Holiday for the RS 10th anniversary regatta sponsored by Fat Face and LDC.

Speaking about the weekend, seasoned RS sailor and current RS700 National Champion, Paul Bayliss said: “This weekend celebrated just how far the RS association has developed over the last 10 years. It was an epic weekend on and off the water and lived up to every expectation of an RS event. Everybody enjoyed the weekend.”

Hayling Island was well-organised and the weekend ran like a typical RS open meeting. With a massive team of volunteers on hand the wait down the causeway or onto the beach was minimal and very soon over 250 RS boats had taken to the water for the first race.

Starting off one line the RS Fevas were the first to go and about an hour later the RS 800s set off in pursuit. Racing and extended ‘M’ course the race soon became very tricky as the processional format kicked up a lot of chop for the sailors to punch their way through.

The second race saw all 260 boats start off one line at the same time and race back to Hayling Island Sailing Club. Witnessed by the sponsors in the helicopter the horizon became a blur of florescent kites heading for Hayling Bar in a dying breeze. Leading the pack was Andy White in his RS 700 who made it first over and into the bar followed by Neil Robinson also in a 700.

Sunday saw similar conditions with the sun eventually breaking through and light winds for the south. Like the ‘record race’ on Saturday, the pursuit race on Monday did not count to the overall series. With one look at the sour weather many RS sailors decided to nurse their hangovers from the black tie birthday bash the night before. For those who did venture over the Hayling bar they enjoyed some massive rollers in a Force 4 that Chris Howarth and Stuart Aston used to their full advantage winning the race from Barrie Edgington and Ian Lovering both in the RS800.