Junior open

Junior Open 9th July 2011

Notts County SC - Junior Open, 9th July 2011, Report

An extremely pleasant sailing day was clearly in store from the outset as even by 0900 a warm SW breeze was settling in under a blue sky peppered with small altocumulus clouds. The Start Sailing course was already under sail on the training lake in the Stratos’ and the Saturday Club gathering for another adventure on the lake. The club’s annual Junior Open was also privileged to share the great weather. A small, but good, number of single handers – all Toppers and Lasers – rigged up and prepared for the first race. After the race briefing the event got under way in a good F2 wind, with occasional F3 gusts to challenge the younger sailors, around a W-course in the middle of the main lake. There was close racing through the nine boat fleet, with the mixture of Laser rigs; 4.7, Radial and Full, making actual final positions unclear until the handicaps were sorted out. Race 2 was held after lunch in a slightly stronger breeze with Matt Reynolds managing to break his mast before the start, good shore crew support meaning he was back out with a new rig on his Laser for Race 3. Race 3 had the added complication of the Junior fleet following, and them getting mixed up in, the 1st normal club Saturday afternoon race who had to cope with a necessarily shorter lap than they may be used to.

Well done to Sam Wheelhouse, three 1st places, but all by a tiny margin on handicap to Alex Hughes’ 2nd places. In a full race environment all the sailors did fantastically to get round the course so well, especially when faced with the bigger, faster Saturday club mob in the 3rd race. Amy Hinsliff-Smith show great determination and ability to win through for the U13 trophy.

Thanks to all the helpers on the day; safety crews, race clerk in challenging conditions, Pauline for the galley service and the Commodore, John Parr, for officiating the prize giving. Amy Robinson, NCSC Junior Rep, missed the event as she was on holiday, but had organised a great set of prizes from the new Surfware shop, on the Melton Road in West Brigford (near the well renowned George’s fish’n’chip). Oscar’s is waiting for him at the club.

Keep up the sailing and lets keep the numbers increasing for the event next year.

Report: James Logan, Race Officer