Encouraging Middle Fleet Position for Derbyshire Youth Sailing

At last weekends’ Eric Twiname National RYA Junior & Youth Team Racing Championship held at Grafham Water some excellent tactical sailing and teamwork was encouraging for the Derbyshire Youth Sailing team sailors who achieved a creditable middle fleet position.  However, it wasn’t all plain sailing for the six team members who were unfortunate not to secure sufficient victories to progress into the closing stages of the championship. 

 

Despite a good start in medium strength winds, the event was held over a weekend of principally very light winds that favoured the other teams in the Junior competition.  There was even a two hour postponement at the start of the second day to wait for any wind to sail in.  Remarkably, despite all being under 16 years of age, the Derbyshire team were among the older competitors in the Junior fleet.  This meant that their slightly heavier weight gave them a distinct disadvantage in achieving sailing speed in the double hander Feva Class dinghies in such light winds.

 

Ally Britton (16) who sails at Trent Valley Sailing Club commented “We had some success in blocking tactics at the rounding marks on the course and forcing the other sailors to sail as slow as we were but eventually their weight advantage told and we could not beat enough of the other teams to make it to the final stages.  The teams that we lost to really did sail very well and deserved to win.”

 

The Derbyshire Team of Ally Britton, Amy Burns , Matt Rawson , Phil Bell, James Hadden and Kate Fox-Davies were not so dismayed as to not have enjoyed themselves at the event.  The organisation and facilities were excellent and everybody is looking forward to next year when they will hopefully have another go.

 

Derbyshire Team Racing Manager, Sally Hadden said “These young sailors have every right to be proud of their achievements and we have taken a lot from the event to build on for next year.  I am always impressed by the level of sailing skill in such young sailors and their hunger for victory is tangible.  The sailing was extremely exciting to watch and although it would have been nice to progress further in the competition this was our first attempt in the Championship and we did have a good measure of success.”

 

Derbyshire Youth Sailing secured an entry to the RYA National Championship following their high level of performance at the National Schools Sailing Association, National Team Racing championship held in October.  Derbyshire Youth Sailing welcomes any sailors aged under 18 to join in their ten race series and to seek selection to the team racing squad.  All anyone needs to do is call in to their local Derbyshire Sailing Club or visit www.dysailing.com