RYA South Optimist Squad Weekend at Parkstone Yacht Club

RYA Optimist South Zone Squad Training at Parkstone © Chris Evans

Oliver Evans & Oliver Dowson McGill, 1st in the team racing at the RYA Optimist South Zone Squad Training at Parkstone © Chris Evans

Amy Smith & Delfina Sesto Cosby, 2nd in the team racing at the RYA Optimist South Zone Squad Training at Parkstone © Chris Evans

Last weekend saw the final RYA Optimist Zone Squad training session for the South squad at Parkstone Yacht Club. The theme for the weekend was to recap on some of the activities from the last 5 weekends, as selected by the sailors, along with some fleet racing, and team racing to finish off.

The sailors were greeted on Saturday morning with perfect Spring conditions of brilliant sunshine and 10 – 13 knots of breeze. The children spent the morning and early afternoon sessions in their groups working on starting, windward mark approaches, leeward gate approach and finish bias. The day was rounded off with 2 fleet races. In the first race, James Foster lead at the windward mark but by the leeward mark Oliver Evans was on his tail and managed to pass James on the final leg to snatch victory. In the second race the fleet was joined by 2 intermediate squad sailors, Adel Young and Alexandra Schonrock. This set up some sibling rivalry with Toby Schonrock winning the race, beating his older sister.

Sunday morning saw equally perfect conditions and a number of parents took the opportunity to go off for a run or cycle, as they have during many of the squad weekends. The sailors had a short session afloat and one final fleet race which was won by James Foster, giving him the series overall.

After a short early lunch the fleet was paired up for the afternoon's team racing on 2 courses. The final was contested between Amy Smith and Delfina Sesto Cosby against Oliver Evans and Oliver Dowson McGill with the two Oliver's winning by a small margin. In the race for 3rd and 4th it was Oliver Sturley & Henry Heathcote against Fergus Fox & Jasmine Summers with Oliver and Henry taking victory, giving them the last place in the team to take on the coaches. The coaches were victorious!

The fleet then came ashore for a short prize giving and to say a big thank you to Clare Hall as it was her last zone squad session as a coach. Clare has coached squads for the last 7 years and plans to coach Optimist sailors in Canada this summer. Mel Atherton was also thanked for her valuable contribution as a parent co-ordinator. Over the last 6 years Mel has seen all her three sons, Josh, Dan and Toby take part in zone squads.

Thanks go to Parkstone Yacht club for making us welcome and to coaches Tom, Clare, Matt, Johnny, Anna, Aaron and Robbie for great winter training which will hopefully see the young sailors fully prepared for the Spring Championships in Torbay on the 29th and 30th March.

Overall Results:

Fleet racing

• Race 1, Oliver Evans
• Race 2, Toby Schonrock
• Race 3, James Foster
• 1st Overall, James Foster

Team Racing

1. Oliver Evans & Oliver Dowson McGill
2. Amy Smith & Delfina Sesto Cosby
3. Oliver Sturley & Henry Heathcote
4. Fergus Fox & Jasmine Summers

• Hector Bennett
• Phoebe Le Marquand

RYA Optimist South Zone Squad Training at Parkstone - photo © Chris Bamber / Atlas Images