Junior Regatta 11th June 2023
Sunday afternoon 11th June saw the first Junior Regatta of the year, it was sailed in very warm conditions but at least there was a gentle breeze! With a few missing due to injury, illness and overrunning cricket matches, 10 children took to the water in two fleets – Oppies and Toppers.
Toppers started each race first and sailed several laps of a triangular course, with the Oppies starting two minutes later and sailing a slightly shorter triangular course with a shorter beat and a few less laps.
Fleur sailed extremely well to win all four Topper races!
The Oppie fleet was a little more mixed. Race 1 saw all the Oppies quite close together initially before Milo took the lead and kept it to the end, Alex was ahead of Molly at the end of the first lap but she managed to overtake him before the end of the race, they were closely followed by Harry.
Race 2 saw Milo racing ahead and opening a big lead, Molly was in 2nd place at the end of the first two laps but Oliver was slowly creeping up the fleet 4th at the end of the first lap, 3rd and the end of the second and 2nd by the end of the race with Molly finishing 3rd, closely followed by Alex. These four had sailed so well they lapped the rest of the fleet!
Race 3 saw Milo starting at a different end of the line to everyone else and just sailing away from the whole fleet! Everyone else was consistent with Oliver maintaining 2nd place throughout the race and likewise Alex in 3rd. Molly was usurped by younger brother Fergus, who despite only starting to sail this year took 4th place leaving her to take 5th.
Concentration was beginning to go, all the children were now very warm, and the course was changed slightly due to the wind shifting so Race 4 saw a few more position changes. This time Molly was the one to sail away from the rest of the fleet, keeping her 1st place to the end of the race. Fraser finished the 1st lap in 2nd place followed by Alex, but on the final lap Alex followed by Milo both managed to get past Fraser.
Karen presented the Junior Topper trophy to Fleur, with Rohan in 2nd place. The Junior Optimist Trophy was presented to Milo, with Molly in 2nd place and Alex in 3rd.
Huge thanks to Jess and Richard in the Committee boat running the races, and to Karen and Paul who were coaching where it was needed.