WYA Youth Regatta at Llangorse Sailing Club
by Justine Lee 5 Sep 2003 08:11 BST
116 sailors at the annual Welsh Yachting Association/ PGL Youth Regatta © Justine Lee
Records were broken as sailors from all parts of Wales took part in the biggest ever youth regatta at Llangorse Lake in the Brecon Beacons this weekend. The fifteenth annual Welsh Yachting Association/ PGL Youth Regatta attracted boys and girls from age 6 to 17 to what is now one of the most popular events of its type in the UK.
This year the event was so popular that three separate fleets were allocated for the Optimist class, which attracted 45 entries alone.
Mal Jones, Welsh Yachting Association national coach, Commodore of Llangorse Sailing Club and PGL Watersports Manager, said: "This is a highpoint in the yachting calendar in Wales and the event has now become a real festival of youth sailing."
"The popularity of the event bears witness to the boost the sport received in winning 5 medals at the Sydney 2000 Olympics, and since young sailors such as Ellen MacAurther have become household names. We have converted this surge of enthusiasm in the sport into action with the help of organisations such as the Sports Councils for Wales."
He added, "It is a credit to the event that families travel hundreds of miles to take part. It's a regatta of which the Welsh Yachting Association, Llangorse Sailing Club and the sponsors, PGL, feel immensely proud."
In light airs, local sisters Laura (13) and Annabelle (12) Read from Llangorse stole the show as the showed the Mirror class a clean pair of heels in four of the five races. As well as full regatta honours, they take home the Blackham Trophy for the best placed local.
Patrick Metcalf from Port Dinworic swept up the honours in the Gold Optimist fleet, closely followed by Andrew Hibbard from Bowmoor and Nathan Bailey from Barry/Cardiff Bay. Similarly, Shane Terry from Poole took four firsts out of five to win the Silver Optimist fleet, closely followed by Hannah Tilley from Llandegfedd. Top of the Training Optimist fleet was Alex Kirk from Neyland.
The largest fleet of the event was the 31 Toppers – but the numbers on the start line did not deter fleet winner Nick Hamersley from Llandegfedd, closely followed by Graham Oliver from Llanishen. Other winners were Nick's brother David Hamersley from Llandegfedd and Ben Redwood from British Steel SC who won the Fast Handicap fleet in his standard rig Laser, closely followed by Maria Stanley and Rhian Williams from Bowmoor and British Steel SC in a 420.
More Information on the Welsh Yachting Association website.