Derbyshire Youth Sailing – sailing successes in 2012

Derbyshire Youth Sailing event at Burton © Steve Giles

The final two events in the 2012 Derbyshire Youth Sailing Series, supported by Peak Dinghy Spares, have taken place at Staunton Harold and Burton Sailing Clubs over two recent weekends.

Derbyshire's youth sailors and their families have enjoyed the fine weather at both events and this has added to a summer of excellent sport and challenging sailing, during which there have been some notable successes for the youth sailors in their racing sailing activities at home and abroad – more of that later.

When the sailors arrived at Staunton Harold sailing club on Saturday 8th September, the water was glassy calm under blue skies and the first race for the 24 entries was delayed until a light breeze arrived around noon. Although it wasn't fully filled in, the race went ahead just in case this was the best wind of the day. Fortunately, after lunch, the light breeze remained and filled in, providing some good racing conditions for the second and third races.

Callum Lambourn (17) of Swarkestone Sailing Club, sailing his Laser Class dinghy, took the overall win after three races, with the double handed, Graduate Class dinghy of brothers Lewis (17) and Harrison (15) Coppinger, from Toddbrooke Sailing Club, coming second. Ben Haynes (17) of Trent Valley Sailing Club was third in his Splash Class dinghy.

Burton Sailing Club served up some very challenging conditions on Saturday 15th September for the 22 boats at the last event of the series, with variable patchy and gusty winds ranging between 6 knots and16 knots. The instability caused the race officer Paul McCarthy some difficulties and he delayed the starts of the 2nd and 3rd races while they waited for the wind to be steadier.

Josh Haynes (14) of Trent Valley Sailing Club, sailing his Optimist Class dinghy was the overall winner after three races and Lewis and Harrison Coppinger again came second in their Graduate Class dinghy. Third overall was Jessie Wellbourn Hesp (16) in her Laser Radial Class dinghy.

Overall Series Champion 2011 retains the title in 2012

With the series completed, the overall series winner has, for the third year running, been decided using the tie break rules. This demonstrates how closely fought the series championships have been. Josh Haynes has successfully retained the position as Overall Series Champion and Intermediate Age Group Champion, for the second and third year respectively. Josh was on the same points as Lewis and Harrison Coppinger, who are the Overall Runners-up and Senior Age Group Champions in their first series completion. However, the tie break rules place Josh in first place. Third Overall and Intermediate Age Group Runner-up is Toby Woodings (14) from Carsington Sailing Club in his Laser Radial Class dinghy.

The Junior Age Group series has been won by Daniel Wellbourn Hesp (10) of Ogston Sailing Club in his Optimist dinghy, with Runner-up Alistair Joyce (9) also of Ogston Sailing Club in his RS Tera Sport Class dinghy.

Josh Haynes said "I am delighted to have retained the title of DYS County Champion for 2012 and for it to be on the tie-break rules again is amazing. I'm having a great year and I'm very grateful to my sponsors, HD Sails and to my parents for all their support."

As noted above, former and current Derbyshire Youth Sailors, including Josh, have also been achieving further successes in national and international dinghy racing sailing competitions this year. Ogston Sailing Club members Rory Mackenzie (17) & Harvey Martin (13) were crowned 2012 European Champions in the double handed Mirror Class dinghy and Rory, this time with his elder brother Calum Mackenzie (19) in the boat, achieved 2nd place at the 2012 Enterprise Class double handed dinghy under 21 British Championship.

Trent Valley Sailing Club members and brothers, Josh and Ben Haynes also continued their successes in single handed sailing this summer. Josh achieved 2nd place at the International Chocolate Cup in Hungary in his Optimist Class dinghy, losing out in a tie break when on equal points with the Hungarian National Champion. While elder brother Ben became the 2012 British National Champion in his Splash Class dinghy.

"The skills and commitment of these youth sailors and their families, demonstrated in their enjoyment of their dinghy racing sailing activities are incredible," commented DYS Chairman, Mike Haynes. Mike continued "The performance levels that the youth sailors are aspiring to and achieving, is inspirational to the junior sailors, who also race alongside them and compete in their own age group series championship."

The Derbyshire Youth Sailing Series prizes and trophies will be awarded at the Annual General Meeting in November. Meanwhile the National School Sailing Association, National Single Handed Team Racing event in October is the next outing for Team Derbyshire. The same team that were runners up in last years event, winning six out of seven races, is entered again for this exciting event that is being held at Oxford Sailing Club, Farmoor Reservoir on the first weekend in October They're hoping to come back with the impressive HMY Britannia Gig's Yoke trophy as winners this time around.

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