Derbyshire Youth Racing Series Gets Underway
Toddbrook Sailing Club near WhaleyBridge in the High Peak of Derbyshire provided the picture perfect setting for the Derbyshire Youth Sailing 2007 series to get under way at the second attempt. The first event in the South of the County on Easter Saturday had been forced to be abandoned due to a lack of wind as a high pressure weather system covered the country.
The fair winds and fine weather this weekend was the ideal combination for more than twenty competitors to be battling it out on the race course in a variety of dinghies in the three races of the event. Race Officer husband and wife team Richard & Jane Thorpe set a testing course and the young competitors gathered in the start area eager to get going.
The first race was won by one of the smallest boats, an Optimist dinghy, helmed by Callum Lambourne (11) from Swarkestone Sailing Club but close on his heels was Elliot Banks (16) from Carsington Sailing Club in his Laser dinghy. Elliot went on to win the event by winning the next two races while Callum held onto third place overall and the two were split by Ben Crossdale (13) from Ogston Sailing Club in his Topper dinghy.
The racing was very tight and with the wind swinging during the day the conditions contributed to the excitement of both the racers and the spectators. The lead as well as places swapped around among the fleet as the sailors did their best to judge the favoured parts of the course. The leading local sailors were Mark Bussell in his Laser dinghy and Ben Steel in his OK class dinghy. The Juniors were led home by ten year old Ella Stoggall from Carsington Sailing Club in her Optimist dinghy.
Derbyshire Youth Sailing Rep. for Toddbrook, Martin Petch, observed “It is great to see this many young sailors who are all enjoying their racing sailing and they are performing at such a high level. There are sailors out on the water who are competing in the National Squads and I can see why by the way they are handling these tricky conditions.”
Toddbrook SC Commodore, Kevin Law, said “We really enjoy hosting the Derbyshire Youth Sailing event each year and we hope that young, as well as old, potential sailors in Derbyshire will see everyone enjoying their sailing and think to themselves that they might like to have a go and if they do, then please contact your local club, where you can learn to sail and join in the fun.”
The next Derbyshire Youth Sailing racing series event is in the North of the County again at Combs Sailing Club near Chapel en le Frith on Saturday 19th May. Briefing is at 10:30 with the first race at 11:00. Details and pre-event registration is available, along with lots more information and some excellent photographs of Saturday’s event in the gallery, all on the www.dysailing.com website.
Images provided by Ed Washington