After a season not blessed with the greatest wind conditions the RS Fat Face Racing Circuit has had two superb sea events in two weeks. Following the great conditions at Eastbourne the previous weekend, the Saturday at Highcliffe this weekend was barn-stormingly brilliant sun, 17-22 knots from the south-west building fantastic waves, and 40 teams enjoyed some great racing.

Race 1 and the Tom/Jo Hewitson were off to a good start to lead for long periods. David Giles/Fiona Clark could not be shaken off and took the lead on the last lap to win with James Stewart/Sam Littlejohn third. Jon Lewis/Millie Parsons led race 2 at mark 1 with four boats in close company. Pete Vincent/Lucy Matthews took the lead on a flying run, Lewis and Giles then had turns in the lead before the finish order settled on Giles, Lewis and Vincent. Race 3 and Giles/Clark made it three in a row just ahead of Lee Sydenham/Anne Vaudrey with Lewis third.

Sunday was a very different with a patchy 6-10 knot from the west that kept on wanting to go north. The breeze stability was not helped by the frequent arrival of very heavy showers that gave scenes more in keeping with monsoons rather than July in Britain.

Race 4 and it paid to start late and keep more right with Trudie Danbury/Graeme Ryder just leading from Vincent and Sydenham not far behind. The three pulled well clear in a huge shower with Sydenham gaining the upper hand to win with Danbury winning the Bristol fight for second.

In race 5 Jeremy Stephens/Zara Flynn flew in on the port layline to just lead from pathfinder, home club’s Phil/Daniel Sowden. Some of the leading contenders made good progress through the fleet and the order settled on Stewart/Littlejohn, the Hewitsons and Vincent/Matthews. Giles/Clark’s two fourths though had kept them in a strong position and overall victory with a race to spare. This left the Hewitsons to start very early in race 6 and cross the fleet very early to have a convincing lead. As another cloud went over the wind eased and Sydenham/Vaudrey took advantage to win from the Hewitsons and Sarah Allen/Vicky Symons who had pulled through the fleet to claim third.

Overall Results

1. David Giles Fiona Clark Weirwood SC 11pts

2. Lee Sydenham Anne Vaudrey Stokes Bay SC 13 pts

3. James Stewart Sam Littlejohn Stokes Bay SC 17 pts

4. Tom Hewitson Jo Hewitson RNCYC 20 pts

5. Pete Vincent Lucy Matthews Bristol CYC 25 pts

6. Jonathan Lewis Millie Parsons Burghfield SC 28 pts

7. Ian Pickard Noelle Vidal Bristol CYC 30 pts

8. Trudie Danbury Graeme Ryder Bristol CYC 43 pts

9. Sarah Taylor Sheena Craig Bristol CYC 47 pts

10. Mike Chapman Sheridan Killwick Wembley SC 54 pts