2014 Cadet Week at Waldringfield Sailing Club - Overall

Waldringfield Cadet Week © Juliet Dearlove

Lucy and Cally Terkelsen win the Cadet class at Waldringfield Cadet Week © Juliet Dearlove

Waldringfield Cadet Week sponsored by Seamark Nunn, Gill and Harken finished in spectacular fashion on Friday. There was wall to wall sunshine, a huge high tide, racing around the island, a prizegiving to match any at any championship, free tea and cakes in front of the clubhouse and smiling youngsters wherever you looked.

The day started with the final series race. In the gold fleet cadets the overall podium positions were pretty much already settled but nevertheless there was plenty to play for down the rankings which made the race as fiercely contested as ever. Lucy and Cally Terkelsen continued their fine form of the second half of the week to win the race ahead of Alex Page and Aaron Chadwick in second and Archie Penn and Hazel Whittle in third. Overall in the Cadets Lucy and Cally were first, Daisy and Hamish Collingridge second, Alex and Aaron third and Willow and Cara Bland fourth.

The Laser Radials series had remained open into the final race but with an inconsistent showing from the series leaders it was the turn of Sarah O'Brien to take the race win from Harry Chatterton and Alice Dearlove. This left Sam Yale first overall ahead of Josie Gummer and Sarah O'Brien equal on points but with the countback in favour of Josie.

In the Silver fleet cadets any one of three boats could still win overall but with Lucie Nunn and Natalie D'Enno winning their first race of the week ahead of Alex Bell Jones and Lucy Rains this left Alex and Lucy first overall ahead of Lucie and Natalie in second and Anna Wootton and Ben Whitmore in third.

Lunchtime saw non-sailing parent Sue Chatterton attempt to sail the UKNCCA boat "You'll never forget your first Cadet" around the island in order to raise money to support the running of the Worlds in Weymouth this summer. With assistance from various crews jumping in and out of the boat and in spite of the screams that could be heard for miles around she made it round in 33mins 55seconds and raised over £240 in the process, bringing the squadron's total fundraising to well over £1000 after Cake Bake-offs, Car Washes, team Hoodies and other initiatives and donations were added up. A big thankyou to everyone including the Waldringfield Sailing Club for their donation - we will now be presenting the prizes at Weymouth on 21st August in recognition of our efforts... as for Sue, she certainly will never forget her first cadet!

ue will never forget her first Cadet at Waldringfield Cadet Week - photo © Juliet Dearlove

Once that was all cleared up the really serious business started. The single handed ex-cadets race always sees a number of slightly older generation sailors return to re-live former glories or attempt to settle old scores. The breeze was up and off the club line start a number jumped the gun but in this winner takes all shoot off no one returned... this left Matt White to keep his nose clean at the start and take the race win in Zest, the boat he built himself. The trophy is in danger of taking up a permanent residency in his house unless we get a good blow one year to let those with longer legs get a shout!

And finally to the Old Gaffers race for crews with a combined age of over 70. Our sponsor Spunge Nunn of Seamark Nunn crewed by Annie Turner led the fleet of 15 off the line on the island side ahead of Gordon Harris with granddaughter Bettine Harris crewing. Patrick Cooney with Nellie Nunn (also our sponsor) took off up the Clubhouse side but sage heads knew it rarely pays to do that even if it looks very good for the first few minutes. Half way up the first beat Spunge had to tack off for a huge bowsprit that appeared out of nowhere on a moored yacht - perhaps he was still feeling the effects of the previous night's "Dark and Stormies" - and that left Gordon and Bettine to cross the tide to Buoy C with a lead that was never challenged thereafter. They sailed back around the island to finish first and take the coveted trophy. Discretion prevents us from revealing Gordon's age but let's just add that Bettine is 11 and their aggregate age was way way over the minimum limit for the race! A tremendous result.

A huge thank you to the sponsors Seamark Nunn, Gill and Harken who give so generously to this event and help make the entry fee massive value for money, and also to very one who helps with their time to run the event.

Overall Results:

Cadet class Gold fleet

Cadet class Silver fleet

Laser Radial class

Spectators at Waldringfield Cadet Week - photo © Juliet Dearlove