Noble Marine RS400 National Championship 2024 at Royal Torbay Yacht Club - Day 2

OMG! Broken! So we though yesterday was big, well today was undoubtedly bigger, and three races. The fleet started early to get three races in and everyone had great slipway etiquette to get launched with German efficiency.

Race 2: Two general recalls brought the black flag out of the locker and then everyone was well behaved. The fleet pounded their way up the first beat into a solid offshore westerly F5 gusting 6, with a sharp chop. The majority of the fleet headed right, Oli and Esther came in from hard left, all congregated at the windward mark together. The shifts were coming in hard and fast downwind, with big gains to be made for those hooking into the 30 degree shifting gusts. In the end Ian and Chris Martin (Burghfield) made the best of the tactical choices and won from Edd Whitehead and Ben Whaley (Parkstone) and Oli and Esther (Bever SC) in third.

Noble Marine RS400 Nationals at Torquay Day 2 - photo © Lee Whitehead / www.photolounge.co.uk

Race 3: Up the first beat pretty much the whole fleet headed out to the left hand side of the course. If you managed to hold your lane then you could get out to the front as the fleet rounded the first windward mark. With a few leaders to follow, once again the fleet grouped together to steam down the course on starboard. As the racing continued, the wind picked up something different and the shifts kept coming in fast. Waves picked up and masts went down as the race came to an end with a second win from Ian and Chris Martin (Burghfield SC). A great race from Niall Houston and George Zavos (HISC) after a rough start to the week through no fault of their own (snapped boom). Third place once again to the ever-consistent Ollie and Ester.

Noble Marine RS400 Nationals at Torquay Day 2 - photo © Lee Whitehead / www.photolounge.co.uk

Race 4: The last race got away on the second attempt under a U flag. By now the wind was blowing consistent F6 with larger gusts, and the sailors were relieved to see only a 2-lap race, although the windward mark was set a bit further up wind closer to the shore resulting in shifty gusty conditions approaching the windward mark. The downhill ride was quick with pressure down the left-hand side of the course, benefiting those that gybed early. There were casualties throughout the fleet from front to back for those that didn't nail their gybes. By the top of the last beat there was that feeling of just one more leg to survive, but again more were caught out. Oli and Esther showed consistency taking the bullet followed by Sam Knight and Chris Bownes from Lyme Regis SC in second, with Sam Watson and Darren Roach (Nantwich SC) taking third.

Noble Marine RS400 Nationals at Torquay Day 2 - photo © Lee Whitehead / www.photolounge.co.uk

Overall, after the second day the scores are tight with only four points separating the top 3.

All to play for tomorrow, with another 3 races scheduled!

Results after Day 2: