Bristol Corinthian Yacht Club hosted the RS200 South West series on Cheddar Reservoir.

THE racing season for the RS200 South West series began in style at Bristol Corinthian Yacht Club on Cheddar Reservoir.

The series sees the RS200 class travel around the South West, taking in some of the best venues in the country, with competitors ranging from those new to the class up to some of the top national competitors.

As is now tradition, the first event is held at Cheddar, with 19 boats (38 competitors) braving the gale force weather predicted to sweep the country.

The racing was fast, furious and challenging, with wind gusting to 30 knots, but the fleet were in safe hands with local race officer Arky Wainwright from Axbridge controlling proceedings.

2013 national champions Matt Mee and Emma Norris (Red Wharf Bay/Burghfield Sailing Club) controlled the day, with an impressive three race wins from four. In second place was the team of Simon Potts and Ally Martin (Burghfield Sailing Club), closely followed in third by the first home boat of John Teague and Naomi Pound from Bristol Corinthian.

Local sailors performed well in the challenging conditions, with Alistair Norris and Frederick Mainwaring in sixth, narrowly missing out on the prizes and a further three home boats featuring in the results.

The fleet will now eagerly await the next round of the series, where local boats will travel to Exmouth Sailing Club in May for the first sea event of the year

The smaller 2000 fleet was dominated by Natalie Roach and Alex Pickles of Royal Navy Sailing Association achieving four first places, but club members occupied the next three places with Andy Morton and Steve Bland second, Steve Pearce (fleet captain) and Jena third and Chris Baker with Lizzie Flemming fourth.