Harken Royal Lymington Youth Regatta 2004
by J. Muskett 10 Sep 2004 15:12 BST
4-5 September 2004
55 boats came to Lymington over the weekend of the 4th/5th September to enter the annual Royal Lymington Youth Regatta, covering all Laser rigs, International Cadets and 420. They were greeted by fine late summer sunshine with light winds, which combined with strong tides made the racing even more challenging.
The laser fleet had only three entries as the event clashed with a points series regatta in the West Country. Maria Claridge took the honours.
Cadets at Harken Royal Lymington Youth Regatta 2004
The 21 Cadets entered started the first race round the trapezoid course with James Rusden and Sam Muskett in Harem Scarem leading the pack. With what little breeze there was dying, many struggled to get round the first windward mark.
A number of the sailors, more used to pond conditions, miscalculated the tide relative to the light airs and had to take 360o penalty turn after hitting the mark.
The race was finished after the first lap with James and Sam winning, followed by Kate Allum and Amy Yeoman in Blue Moon and Will Rusden and Matt Davanzo in Challenger third.
For the second race the Race Officer changed the course to limit the effects off the tide. Jonathan Moss and Sophie Dingwall led throughout to win, followed by James Rusden and Sam Muskett with Ben Muskett and Sasha Bruml in third place.
By the time the third race started the tide had turned. This caught a few of the young sailors unawares and a number were pushed over the line resulting in a general recall.
After a clean second start, first round the windward mark was Ben Lyon and Jenny Sudell in Genesis. On the reach the three leading boats went inshore to get out of the tide and at the next mark Ben and Shasa(White Stuff) had just edged into the lead ahead of Genesis closely followed by Harem Scarem. At end of the first lap Genesis withdrew having been OCS at the start. This left Ben Muskett and the two Rusden brothers juggling for position.
The close finish went to James first followed by Will then Ben.
Sunday dawned bright and sunny again with the breeze a steady force 2/3 but forecast to drop off by lunchtime. Again the combination of strong tides and light winds proved challenging.
In the first race all boats for off to a clean start. At the first windward mark Ed Impey and Marcus Young led the way ahead of Katrina Hughes and Stevie Green. On the run the fleet divided with four boats going inshore, the remainder staying out hoping for more breeze but sitting in more tide. The jockeying for the lead continued and at the finish it was Ed and Marcus in Touchwood winning followed by Ben Muskett and Sasha Bruml, with Kate Allam and Amy Yeoman in third.
The black flag was out for the start of race 5, unfortunately four boats were caught. With the breeze starting to fade, the race officer finished the race after two rounds, with James and Sam again putting in a good performance, followed by Kate Allam and Amy Yeoman, then Will Rusden and Matt Davanzo in third place.
Overall the event was won by James Rusden and Sam Muskett in Harem Scarem, who were clear winners with 6 points after the discard, with only one point separating the next three: Will Rusden and Matt Davanzo second in Challenger, Kate Allam and Amy Yeomen third, Ben Muskett and Sasha Bruml fourth. These conditions would prove useful to the sailors who were facing two weekends of indicators toward qualification for the Cadet Worlds in Australia at the end of the year.
420s at Harken Royal Lymington Youth Regatta 2004
Summer returned to Lymington as a good quality fleet of 31 420’s enjoyed hot & sunny conditions at the Harken sponsored youth regatta.
With plenty of new names and helm/crew combinations joining the resurgent 420 class, this was a good opportunity to see who might be moving up to the front of the fleet over the coming months.
Race 1 started on Saturday afternoon in a gentle F2 to F3 sea breeze over a trapezoid course with Jodie Green & Amelia Hughes taking an early lead.
The racing was very close with plenty of place changes before Tom Makey & James Wade pulled through to win from Maria Stanley & Catherine Alton and Oliver Dix & Tom Heywood
The strong tide and light wind resulted in most of the fleet forming a huge raft at the leeward mark in Race 2.
The leaders escaped into a big lead whilst the rest attempted to free themselves from the mass of boats.
Tom Mallindine & James Clark won followed by Sophie Ainsworth & Harriet Trumble and Tom Makey & James Wade.
Both the Tom & James combinations looked set for a repeat performance in Race 3 when they were early leaders after flying starts. Unfortunately the black flag blackboard was waiting for them at the windward mark and they were both pulled over for jumping the start gun along with 4 other offenders. Robbie Claridge & Jasmine Husband took over the lead and won the race followed by Claire Walsh & Clare Best with Robert Struckett & Tom Hodkinson holding onto 3rd.
A further 2 races were held on Sunday morning in a steady F3 Easterly wind. After excellent starts Ben Ainsworth & Ian Heywood and Hannah Mills & Peggy Webster were early leaders of race 4, but Rachel Wigmore crewed by Robbie Allam pulled through to a comfortable win.
The event was wide-open going into the final race with all the leaders carrying a poor result they needed to discard. James & Dan Ellis pulled out a large lead which they held to the finish followed by Robbie & Jasmine and Tom Mallindine & James Clark.
This left local Lymington talent Robbie & Jasmine clear overall winners, with Tom Makey & James Wade second and Ollie Dix & Tom Heywood third. The fleet returned to shore to enjoy an excellent prizegiving tea and some very generously donated Harken prizes.