Twenty eight RS800s teams braved a not very promising weather forecast to race at Datchet Water Sailing on 16-17 April.

The forecast proved true, with light and shifty airs for the first race on Saturday, and winds dropping as low as 0.5kts at points. Despite the lack of wind, it proved an exciting race, with a multiple pile-up involving the majority of the fleet trying to get over the start line.

Steve Irish and Martin Gotrel finished first, followed by Justin Deal and Sarah Marriot, with Ian Martin and Ben McGrane in third, and Ben Schooling and George Puss in fourth, their best result of the weekend. The race officer wisely abandoned sailing for the remainder of the day.

Sunday dawned sunny and totally windless, but by midday it had filled in, the lighter crews were almost twin wiring and the race officer did a great job of fitting in three races and one general recall.

Race 1 was won again by Gotrel/Irish, with Martin/McGrane in second and Alan and Jane Olive in third. The wind increased to twin wiring for Race 2, with Irish and Martin repeating their scores, with Deal/Marriot in third and Tim Boon and Rich Evans had their best race of the day to come fourth.

A special mention must go to the Olives – because at the first windward mark they were third last and managed to fight their way back to a very creditable seventh place. Irish and Martin again held first and second in Race 3, with Neil Ashby and Roz Allen scoring a third, and Andrew Smith and Ashley Davison in fourth. Although Steve Irish discarded a 1st place, he was heard to say afterwards that it was very close and exciting racing at the front of the fleet.