Cadet Open at Frensham Pond Sailing Club

Cadets at Frensham © Frensham Cadet class

Cadets at Frensham © Peter Collyer

Frensham Pond Sailing Club provides some of the best Cadet sailing in the country, week in, week out, so it is no surprise to find that their Open Meeting is always such an excellent curtain-raiser for the class's season.

Twelve visiting teams joined the large home fleet to bring a total of 36 boats to the start, with travelling honours going to Ruby and Amber Riggs, Octavia and Hugh Owen, and Alex and James Colquitt, who all made the 500 mile round-trip from West Kirby Sailing Club.

Frensham always lays on a very warm welcome together with an impromptu rugby match in the lunch break and a delicious tea to finish, and this year they arranged perfect weather too. The sun shone and the gusty breeze held up well all day. On the water there was excellent sailing throughout the fleet with novice helms working just as hard to gain places as those at the front of the fleet.

The battle for overall honours was fought out between two Frensham boats and two visitors; Frensham's Ben Shorrock and Ellie Watling in 8441 'It Takes Two' and Olivia Bates/Charlotte Videlo in 9754 'Zat Bowt', and Lucy and Cally Terkelsen from Stone SC in 8352 'Master Mariner' and Alex Page and Aaron Chadwick from Blightlingsea/Fisher's Green in 8521 'Gnat'.

Frensham took the spoils from Race 1, with Ben and Ellie winning from Olivia and Charlotte, but the visitors came back in Race 2 which was won by Alex and Aaron from Lucy and Cally. These positions were reversed after lunch when Lucy and Cally won Race 3, and this set things up for a thrilling finale with Lucy and Cally needing another race victory if they were to take the overall win from Alex and Aaron. On the first lap they looked as though they might do it, leading some of the time and staying in the front group of boats while Alex and Aaron were mid-fleet for the first time. However, by the finish Alex and Aaron had come though to win from Frensham's Megan Ferguson and Yasmin Sfaxi, with George and Tom Bridge, also from Frensham, third.

Report from Jim Morley

Following weeks of rain and gales Frensham’s Cadet dinghy Open Meeting took place on a perfect spring day of warm sunshine and a good Easterly – South Easterly breeze.

Thirty seven crews took part including visitors from eleven clubs including furthest travelled; three crews from West Kirby in the Cheshire Wirral. This itself is a tribute to Frensham’s standing in this class and in youth sailing nationally. A real challenge for the home club to host seventy four young competitors plus adults and young shoreline supporters.

The four race series was dominated by one visiting crew from Brightlingsea SC: Alex Page and Aaron Chadwick. These were also the youngest combined crew in the event.

In the four race series the pair achieved two firsts, a second and third. The sport of sailing will likely see more of this pair in the future. Second place went to another visiting crew from Stone SC: Lucy and Cally Terkelsen and then third: the popular local Frensham crew Ben Shorrock and Elle Watling. The big entry coped well with a tight startline and there was enough breeze to produce several capsizes but good recoveries.

With boats ashore and crews changed the prize giving took place. A clubhouse packed with young crews plus adults heard Frensham Cadet captain Karen Ferguson thank all competitors and then introduce club commodore Keith Videlo. Keith thanked all who had taken part plus the race officer and safety boat crews as well as the kitchen staff who had worked on behalf of everyone all day. The prize giving and speeches over the young competitors and friends fell on the traditional Frensham free tea disposing of the food laden tables in record time.

Cadets at Frensham winners (l to r) Aaron Chadwick, Alex Page, Lucy Terkelsen & Cally Terkelsen - photo © Peter Collyer

Special Prizes:

Sportsmanship: Louis Mellar (Frensham)
Youngest crew: Ben Goult age 8 Happy boat: Lucy Mallinder – Jess Williams
Furthest travelled from West Kirby: Ruby & Amber Riggs
First all girl crew: Lucy & Cally Terkelsen (Stone SC)
Under age 14: Alex Page & Aaron Chadwick

Overall Results: