Patience/Bithell and Mills/Clark Dominate RYA Spring Series

With just over 100 days to go to the London 2012 Olympic Games commence, the final event of RYA Olympic Classes Spring Series 2012 was held on the Olympic waters of Weymouth and Portland on 14-15 April.The 2012-selected 470 crews of Luke Patience/Stuart Bithell and Hannah Mills/Saskia Clark confirmed their dominance on the home waters of 2012 as they topped the tables at the end of the two-day domestic Spring Series event.

One of the aims of the RYA Olympic Classes Spring Series is to provide home-grown talents in the Olympic classes the chance to race against regular Olympic classes competitors and some of Skandia Team GBR’s top performers.

Four races were held on Saturday in a cold, easterly 10-12 knots and two on the Sunday in a stronger 12-16 knots of breeze.

In the 470 Men’s fleet, Luke Patience/ Stuart Bithell notched up four race wins and a second to claim the regatta victory and overall event honours ahead of Ben Saxton/Richard Mason, who provided GBR’s representatives at the 2012 Games with a tough battle securing two bullets to finish three points behind in second.

Luke Patience/Stuart Bithell © Richard Langdon/RYA

Hannah Mills/Saskia Clark demonstrated their resilience after a disappointing tenth place at the Princess Sofia Trophy with a consistent set of scores across the six races to finish the weekend top of the female fleet and overall event winners. Skandia Team GBR Transitional Squad sailors Amy Seabright/Eilidh Mcintyre and Joanna Freeman/Katie Tomsett finished the weekend in second and third respectively, while Development Squad sailors Sophie Weguelin/Sophie Ainsworth finished runners up in the overall Spring Series standings after finishing fourth this weekend.

Skandia Team GBR Development Squad Manager, Barrie Edgington, commented, “This weekend provided some great racing across the six Olympic and Paralympic classes in what were some very fresh and challenging conditions in Weymouth Bay. In addition to deciding the RYA Olympic Classes Spring Series winners, this weekend will also decide who gets the grants to the major summer and autumn ISAF World Cup events and class championships.

“It was great to have four of the 2012 Olympic crews competing as it gives the young sailors who are making the transition into Olympic boats the opportunity to learn and rub shoulders with some of the world’s best sailors,” Edgington concluded.

470 Men - Top Three
1st Luke Patience/Stuart Bithell
2nd Ben Saxton/Richard Mason
3rd Mike Wood/Hugh Brayshaw

470 Women - Top Three
1st Hannah Mills/Saskia Clark
2nd Sophie Weguelin/Sophie Ainsworth
3rd Jo Freeman/Katie Tomsett

More Information:
Results
For full details on the 2012 RYA Olympic Classes Spring Series and for a full list of results please visit the RYA Racing website.
Skandia Team GBR website

Source: Matt Carter

Top Image: Hannah Mills/Saskia Clark © Richard Langdon/RYA