RS400 Northern Tour 2024 Sponsored by Trident UK
by Hamish Gledhill 26 Oct 18:36 NZDT
Chris Pickles and Matt Sharman at GNAC © William Carruthers
For the second year running congratulations go to Chris Pickles and Matt Sharman (Bassenthwaite SC) for winning the 2024 RS400 Trident UK Northern Tour, though it was a close-run thing, and all top 6 positions were settled at the final event of the season.
Chris and Matt finished the season tied on 5 points with Ollie Groves and Ester Parkhurst (Beaver SC). Both teams had three first places and a second, so we had to dig deep into Appendix A of the racing rules of sailing to settle the series on the last event. It may have been a different story, but Ollie and Esther jumped into an RS200 for the last weekend of the series practising for the Endeavour Trophy. It was clearly worthwhile as they went on to win the Endeavour Trophy. Whilst they were representing the 2000 class, we all really know they're northern RS400 sailors. Huge congratulations guys!
Hamish Gledhill and Ross Southwell (West Riding SC) finished third, squeaking ahead of Dave Exley and Nigel Hall (Leigh and Lowton SC) in fourth. Louise McKeand and Sean Ratcliffe (Leigh and Lowton SC) climbed the leader board to finish 5th with Carl and son Ben Whitehead (Filey SC) finishing 6th overall..
Over the year the Trident UK Northern Tour has served up the full range of conditions, from strong winds and waves of biblical proportions at Filey, to a glassy lake at Notts County, not forgetting the squall that wiped out half the fleet at Carsington.
The overall numbers of boats competing on the northern tour has dropped slightly this year. It has been a trend across the country. However, we are seeing a few new faces in the fleet, so fingers crossed we'll see more boats out competing on the tout next year. The 62 boats that competed on the tour his year came from 23 different clubs. With Tynemouth SC providing the greatest number of boats (11), ahead of Yorkshire Dales (9), Notts County (8). Leigh and Lowton SC and Carsington SC were the other major contributing clubs with 6 boats each.
The tour finished strongly with the last event of the year at Bassenthwaite having the largest entry of the year with 20 boats, which matched the highest turnout from the 2023 tour.
Looking forward, the calendar for next year's events have been confirmed and can be seen on the RS400 Class Association website.
You will see that the fleet is returning to Bala SC for the Northern Championships on 10/11 May. In past years Bala has put on great events and with the wind in the right direction you can experience some of the best inland sailing in the country. Let's hope we can get a great turnout for that.
We hope as many of you as possible can support the tour next year. If you have any suggestions or ideas for improving the tour, please contact the RS Association. If your club would like to host an event in 2026, please contact the RS Class Association so we have plenty of time to include your event within the calendar.
Finally, special thanks must go to Trident UK, who again generously supported the Tour this year by providing overall prizes for the Tour winners and vouchers presented at each event from a raffle. Please remember that you had to be present at the prize-giving to be eligible for the raffle prizes.
We look forward to seeing you on the water next year. The first event of the year is at Leigh and Lowton SC on 29th and 30th March - hopefully see you there!
RS400 Northern Tour 2024 Overall Results:
Pos | Sail No | Helm | Crew | Club | Leigh | Hollingworth | YDSC | Tynemouth | Carsington | Filey | Notts | GNAC | Pts |
1 | 1283 | Chris Pickles | Matt Sharman | Bass SC | 64 | 1 | 64 | 64 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 5 |
2 | 1526 | Ollie Groves | Esther Parkhurst | Beaver Sailing Club | 1 | 64 | 1 | 64 | 1 | 64 | 2 | 64 | 5 |
3 | 1511 | Hamish Gledhill | Ross Southwell | West Riding SC | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 64 | 6 | 64 | 5 | 13 |
4 | 1460 | Dave Exley | Nigel Hall | Leigh & Lowton | 2 | 64 | 2 | 1 | 64 | 64 | 64 | 9 | 14 |
5 | 1191 | Louise McKeand | Sean Ratcliffe | Leigh & Lowton | 6 | 64 | 5 | 64 | 6 | 64 | 64 | 13 | 30 |
6 | 1427 | Carl Whitehead | Ben Whitehead | Filey sc | 11 | 64 | 6 | 10 | 64 | 64 | 7 | 18 | 34 |
7 | 517 | Max Burrows | Amy Burrows | Rutland SC | 12 | 64 | 64 | 16 | 10 | 64 | 14 | 64 | 52 |
8 | 1398 | Phil Murray | Matthew Murray/ Neil Schofield | Tynemouth SC | 64 | 64 | 64 | 2 | 64 | 2 | 64 | 15 | 83 |
9 | 1456 | Alex Oyston | Catherine Hide | Tynemouth SC | 64 | 64 | 64 | 7 | 64 | 5 | 64 | 10 | 86 |
10 | 1029 | John Cunningham | Nicky Ellen | Carsington SC | 13 | 64 | 64 | 64 | 7 | 64 | 15 | 64 | 99 |
11 | 498 | Alistair Coates | ThomasCoates | Budworth SC | 3 | 64 | 64 | 64 | 64 | 64 | 64 | 3 | 134 |
12 | 1150 | Richard Marsh | Heather Marsh | Hollingworth Lake | 64 | 2 | 64 | 64 | 64 | 64 | 64 | 4 | 134 |
13 | 1410 | Jacob Ainsworth | Kayleigh Roberts | Tynemouth sc | 64 | 64 | 64 | 64 | 64 | 3 | 64 | 7 | 138 |
14 | 1518 | Ben Williamson | Zach Williamson/ Jon Willars | Ripon SC | 64 | 64 | 7 | 64 | 64 | 4 | 64 | 64 | 139 |
15 | 1465 | Gary Knott | Jake Williars | Notts County SC | 64 | 64 | 64 | 64 | 64 | 7 | 5 | 64 | 140 |
16 | 8 | Keith Escritt | Paula Kent | Yorkshire Dales SC | 64 | 64 | 4 | 64 | 64 | 9 | 64 | 64 | 141 |
17 | 1461 | Charlie Exley | Caroline Exley | Leigh & Lowton | 7 | 64 | 64 | 8 | 64 | 64 | 64 | 64 | 143 |
18 | 438 | Alastair Rimmer | Ethan Dawson | Bassenthwaite SC | 64 | 4 | 64 | 64 | 64 | 64 | 64 | 14 | 146 |
19 | 1383 | Phil Robinson | Tim Cresswell | Carsington SC | 64 | 64 | 64 | 64 | 8 | 64 | 13 | 64 | 149 |
20 | 1072 | Matt Jenkins | David Jenkins | Sheffield Viking SC | 64 | 64 | 64 | 13 | 64 | 64 | 64 | 12 | 153 |
21 | 572 | James Brown | Adam Ovington/Becca Smith | Tynemouth SC | 64 | 64 | 64 | 15 | 64 | 64 | 64 | 20 | 163 |
22 | 695 | John Tailby | Cillian Dyne | Notts County Sailing Club | 64 | 64 | 64 | 64 | 64 | 64 | 1 | 64 | 193 |
23 | 1367 | Josh Metcalfe | Patrick Metcalfe | Port Dinorwic | 64 | 64 | 64 | 64 | 64 | 64 | 64 | 2 | 194 |
24 | 1189 | Steve Restall | Chris Stubbs | Downs S C | 64 | 64 | 64 | 64 | 3 | 64 | 64 | 64 | 195 |
25 | 932 | Jonathan Lye | Ameila Latham | Notts County SC | 64 | 64 | 64 | 64 | 64 | 64 | 4 | 64 | 196 |
26 | 1463 | Stewart Robertson | Sarah Robertson | Royal Forth YC | 64 | 64 | 64 | 4 | 64 | 64 | 64 | 64 | 196 |
27 | 979 | Charlie Sansom | Esther Heathcote | Bowmoor SC | 64 | 64 | 64 | 64 | 4 | 64 | 64 | 64 | 196 |
28 | 1175 | Fred Lord | Louise Gale | Carsington SC | 64 | 64 | 64 | 64 | 5 | 64 | 64 | 64 | 197 |
29 | 1032 | Andrew Brown | Alex Sutcliffe | Tynemouth sc | 64 | 64 | 64 | 5 | 64 | 64 | 64 | 64 | 197 |
30 | 1502 | John Heissig | Nicky Griffin | Llangorse SC | 5 | 64 | 64 | 64 | 64 | 64 | 64 | 64 | 197 |
31 | 1484 | Mark Somerville | Joe Roberts | Bass SC | 64 | 64 | 64 | 64 | 64 | 64 | 64 | 6 | 198 |
32 | 1521 | Ross Ryan | Catherine Reynolds | Notts County Sailing Club | 64 | 64 | 64 | 64 | 64 | 64 | 6 | 64 | 198 |
33 | 1437 | Nathan Batchelor | Sarah Batchelor | Tynemouth SC | 64 | 64 | 64 | 6 | 64 | 64 | 64 | 64 | 198 |
34 | 145 | Alex Leonard | Ben Murrell | Bassenthwaite SC | 64 | 64 | 64 | 64 | 64 | 64 | 64 | 8 | 200 |
35 | 442 | Jon Willars | Nicola Willars | NCSC | 64 | 64 | 64 | 64 | 64 | 64 | 8 | 64 | 200 |
36 | 1131 | Erica Caswell | Ian Caswell | YDSC | 64 | 64 | 8 | 64 | 64 | 64 | 64 | 64 | 200 |
37 | 1524 | Martin Spencer | Anna Walsh | Leigh & Lowton | 8 | 64 | 64 | 64 | 64 | 64 | 64 | 64 | 200 |
38 | 154 | Matthew Butler | Steven Smith | Yorkshire Dales SC | 64 | 64 | 64 | 64 | 64 | 8 | 64 | 64 | 200 |
39 | 1513 | Neil Parkhurst | Ian Parkhurst | Beaver Sailing Club | 64 | 64 | 64 | 64 | 64 | 64 | 9 | 64 | 201 |
40 | 1544 | Chris Larr | Abigail Larr | Draycote Water | 9 | 64 | 64 | 64 | 64 | 64 | 64 | 64 | 201 |
41 | 861 | Gerard Barron | Rachel Barron | Carsington SC | 64 | 64 | 64 | 64 | 9 | 64 | 64 | 64 | 201 |
42 | 956 | Toby Waggett | David Shilling | Derwent Reservoir SC | 64 | 64 | 64 | 9 | 64 | 64 | 64 | 64 | 201 |
43 | 1345 | Spirit Alderson | Finlay Cochrane | YDSC | 64 | 64 | 9 | 64 | 64 | 64 | 64 | 64 | 201 |
44 | 950 | Alan Elkington | Obehi O Alator | Notts County Sailing Club | 64 | 64 | 64 | 64 | 64 | 64 | 10 | 64 | 202 |
45 | 1133 | Lester Mulligan | Michael Hargraves | YDSC | 64 | 64 | 10 | 64 | 64 | 64 | 64 | 64 | 202 |
46 | 1396 | Mark Dingsdale | Ness Evans | Leigh & Lowton | 10 | 64 | 64 | 64 | 64 | 64 | 64 | 64 | 202 |
47 | 1461 | Andrew Benn | Harry O'Rourke | Yorkshire Dales SC | 64 | 64 | 64 | 64 | 64 | 10 | 64 | 64 | 202 |
48 | 1465 | Tim Hall | Jess Hall | Port Dinorwic | 64 | 64 | 64 | 64 | 64 | 64 | 64 | 11 | 203 |
49 | 1122 | Chris Huffen | Kathryn Ryan | Notts County Sailing Club | 64 | 64 | 64 | 64 | 64 | 64 | 11 | 64 | 203 |
50 | 664 | Gorden Mocket | James Mansfield | Filey SC | 64 | 64 | 64 | 64 | 64 | 11 | 64 | 64 | 203 |
51 | 1209 | Rob Holmes | John Pitkethly | Tynemouth SC | 64 | 64 | 64 | 11 | 64 | 64 | 64 | 64 | 203 |
52 | 532 | John Simms | Matt Butler | YDSC | 64 | 64 | 11 | 64 | 64 | 64 | 64 | 64 | 203 |
53 | 795 | Timothy Bird | Daniel Bird | Carsington SC | 64 | 64 | 64 | 64 | 11 | 64 | 64 | 64 | 203 |
54 | 1354 | John Sears | Jeremy Coupland | Notts County SC | 64 | 64 | 64 | 64 | 64 | 64 | 12 | 64 | 204 |
55 | 614 | Philip Cowans | Rosie Kincaid | Tynemouth SC | 64 | 64 | 64 | 12 | 64 | 64 | 64 | 64 | 204 |
56 | 858 | Steve Rickwood | David Crabbe | Yorkshire Dales SC | 64 | 64 | 12 | 64 | 64 | 64 | 64 | 64 | 204 |
57 | 693 | Theo Holmes | Milo Waters | Carsington SC | 64 | 64 | 64 | 64 | 12 | 64 | 64 | 64 | 204 |
58 | 810 | Ricahrd Fahey | Jamie Ellis | Tynemouth SC | 64 | 64 | 64 | 14 | 64 | 64 | 64 | 64 | 206 |
59 | 1103 | Howard Green | Ian Ritchie | LLSC | 14 | 64 | 64 | 64 | 64 | 64 | 64 | 64 | 206 |
60 | 750 | Jospeh Spencer | Andy Spencer | Yorkshire Dales SC | 64 | 64 | 64 | 64 | 64 | 64 | 64 | 16 | 208 |
61 | 1272 | Andy Wilcox | Hannah Wilcox | Bassenthwaite SC | 64 | 64 | 64 | 64 | 64 | 64 | 64 | 17 | 209 |
62 | 475 | Martyn Whilley | Dave Trelease | South Shields SC | 64 | 64 | 64 | 64 | 64 | 64 | 64 | 19 | 211 |