Twenty Fevas arrived at Chichester Yacht Club on Sunday 10 May for their Open Meeting, many of them sporting their crews’ names on their sails, indicating membership of the RYA Training Squads.
The racing demonstrated the skills they had derived from their coaching there. Although the overall winners had three firsts, they also had a ninth – to discard – and all the other leaders were glad of the four-race format, in which the Class rules permit a discard. In the final tally five boats had to be separated by tie-breaking.
The conditions were tricky, with a light to moderate and very variable north-easterly. The course was a windward-leeward affair, with a spreader mark at the windward end, and two mark-laying boats were kept busy shifting the pin-end and turning marks in order to provide a proper beat. In two of the races they were successful and in two less so, with the leaders able to lay the weather mark from the start line!
The Race Office went straight to the Black Flag after one General Recall with the tide under the boats, and thereafter the fleet lined up twenty yards behind the line. Once again the fleet raced with impeccable manners – no shouting, yet very close positioning, especially at the starts, and an instant, unhailed, performance of penalty turns when a breach of the rules occurred.
It was observable that in every race there was plenty of place-changing from round to round, and one or two occasions when an apparent leader lost his place at the last leeward mark when a spinnaker tangle allowed a rival to slip through.
Guildford Marine provided some extra sponsorship for the event, allowing ten prizes to be awarded, and some ‘special’ ones, for the smartest crew, for most laid-back, and the happiest, as well as one for the first Chichester boat.
RS Feva – Chichester YC Open Meeting
1st. 1226 : Will Howes & Hugo Tucker, Whitstable YC. 3 pts
2nd. 936 : Hugo Jones-Warner & James Poyner, Hayling Island SC. 6 pts
3rd. 576 : Will Acres & Ed Bowman, Emsworth SC. 10 pts
4th. 3100 : Steph Harding & Kat Colvin, Hollowell SC. 16 pts
5th. 1664 : Harry Bowerman & Cameron Steward, Hayling Island SC. 16 pts
6th. 2609 : Paul & Jack Fisk, Emsworth SC. 16 pts
7th. 3030 : Elidh McIntyre & Vicki Payne, Hayling Island SC. 17 pts
8th. 2821 : Jack Hawkins &Chris Thomas, Restronguet SC. 17 pts
9th. 2837 : Alex & Stephi Orton, CYC. 19 pts
10th. 2809 : Adam & Lisa Kay, Warsash SC. 24 pts