National Schools Sailing Association Youth Regatta - Overall
by David Wiliams 6 Aug 2007 15:23 BST
22-27 July 2007
The 2007 NSSA Regatta saw the best and the worst weather Plymouth had to offer, but all of the competitors had a fantastic week of on and off the water activities. Over 250 competitors from across the UK arrived in Plymouth at the beginning of the week, eager to begin an intensive racing schedule. In contrast to last year’s event in the Lake District the event started with overcast skies, but ended with fantastic sunshine and a moderate breeze.
The event was based at the Mount Batten Centre, where the boats were berthed and launched. In the evening the competitors camped at Plymstock school which is only five minutes down the road. The Regatta Organisers had arranged for an internet café to be available on site at the camping which allowed competitors to check their emails or look at the latest results and pictures from the day on the NSSA website. Nigel Vick from Oxford School Sailing Association was the week’s Principal race officer.
With 67 Boats in the Topper fleet racing was extremely competitive this year. Oliver Wright from Yorkshire had a very good start in the week, as well as some strong competition from the Plymouth Youth Sailing Team, but the overall winner was Jack Hopkins from Lancashire who sailed clear after the nine races with two discards. The Topper fleet was sailed in Jennycliffe Bay which gave some of the competitors a challenge taking the tidal streams into consideration in their first sea event.
The 60 strong Radial fleet featured some very close competition at the top end and the back of the fleet. Phillip Reynolds of Plymouth Youth Sailing came 1st clearly ahead of the rest of the fleet. He was followed in second by his team mate Max Robinson (also form Plymouth) with Alastair Lucas in third from Worcester, just to prove that local knowledge is not essential in order to do well! There was a clear battle going on in the laser full rigs, Ben Longstaff from Cambridgeshire was only just beaten into second place by Elliott Banks of Derbyshire. Paul Turnhill from Kent came third. here were more boats in the handicap fleets than last year which was under the watchful eye of Race Officer Ralph Tingle. The fast Handicap fleet was won by Sarah Martin & Nicola Grovers sailing a 29er from the Hertfordshire Youth Dinghy Racing Squad. Sarah & Nicola not only picked up the very prestigious “Ellis Trophy” but also the spinnaker trophy for the leading asymmetric boat. The slow handicap fleet was won by Ollie Srimshaw from Cambridgeshire sailing a Laser 4.7
Entries to the Mount Haes event were restricted to two entries per team and was run as a knockout
competition in six-boat flights with a second sail allowing those that did not do so well in the first round
to redeem themselves before the semi-finals. Thanks to our long term sponsor Topper Sailboats, Jon Manners was on hand to ensure that the 6 Topper Xenons were all rigged identically and after nine races, several close finishes and a few capsizes, Chris Tooley and Sam Hall from Cumbria eventually won. The heats were sailed inside the Cattewater as the weather had deteriorated outside in the Sound, so the spinnakers were not used which led to some very interesting tactical racing.
The single-handed trophy was as usual sailed in Toppers and was won by Pete Sands from Oxford.
The three normal race courses the event organisers decided to include a “Rookie” or Beginners fleet in order to allow sailors who had not been to a regatta before a chance to prove themselves under close guidance. The Fordingbridge Cup which is presented to the winners of the Rookie fleet went to Thomas Christie and Daniel Pingstone from Worcester sailing a Topaz Uno Race Plus.
The big question of the week was; who had won the team trophy? The NSSA is comprised of a number of associations and clubs from around the UK who attend the regatta as a team each year. This Year Plymouth Youth Sailing won the team cup on home waters which is a fantastic achievement.
Prizes were presented by Capt. Laramar RN, which was followed by a disco for competitors at Plymstock School. Will Glover from Yorkshire won the Leapfrog Trophy for improvement in fleet position from last year’s Regatta. The Sportsmanship Trophy was awarded to Emma Haslam from Lancashire who had broken her wrist on the first day of sailing but had continued to race around her check-up appointments at the hospital. Tom Craig and Mark Kudlinski of Cambridgeshire won the Baroness Platt of Whittle Seamanship award for towing another competitor to the race course in his Optimist using their Laser 2000.
International Paints Team Trophy:
Plymouth Youth Sailing
Mount Haes Competition (Sponsored by Topper Sailboats)
1st Chris Tooley & Sam Hall, Cumbria
2nd Oxford
3rd Lancashire
Single Hander Race
1st Pete Sands, ODSSA
2nd Ben Crossdale, Derbyshire
3rd James Wilson, Norfolk
Topper Fleet
1st Jack Hopkins, Lancashire
2nd Oliver Wright, Yorkshire
3rd Charlotte Copper, Plymouth Youth Sailing
Laser Fleet
1st Elliot Banks, Derbyshire
2nd Ben Longstaff, Cambs
3rd Paul Turnhill, Kent
Radial Fleet
1st Phillip Reynolds, Plymouth Youth Sailing
2nd Max Robinson, Plymouth Youth Sailing
3rd Alistair Lucas, Plymouth Youth Sailing
Fast Handicap Fleet
1st Sarah Martin & Nicola Grovers, HYDRS
2nd Matt Underhill & Richard Crocker, MK & Bucks
3rd Adam Hilton & Nick Reading, ODSSA
Slow Handicap Fleet
1st Ollie Scrimshaw, Cambridgeshire
2nd Joanna Pakes, MK & Bucks
3rd Johnathon Pakes, MK & Bucks