Harken Optimist Regatta at Royal Lymington Yacht Club
by Mark Orr 15 Jun 2010 17:19 BST
12-13 June 2010
Harken Royal Lymington YC Optimist Regatta © Mark Orr
Over 100 Optimists raced at Lymington in summer sunshine for this popular regatta hosted superbly by the Royal Lymington YC. With light winds forecast on a weekend with spring tides it was always going to be difficult to achieve six races split equally over the two days.
However just a few knots more wind than forecast on Saturday meant that three races were achieved even if race 2 had to be shortened after a big windshift killed the dying breeze. Saturday was a long day on the water for the 9 – 14 year olds who all brought their lunches out with them but it was good racing at all levels of the fleet. The BBQ and haybale Olympics at the Warborne Farm was fun and a great opportunity for the English and French sailors to meet and compete off the water.
Sunday delivered more breeze than forecast with race 4 starting in 10 knots of breeze which built steadily through the day. The wind also shifted as it built necessitating a delay whilst the start line was relaid prior to Race 5. This start saw 18 sailors blackflagged as the sailors were drawn over the line by the tide. By now the wind was over 15 knots and some of the smaller sailors were finding it hard going prompting a few retirements. Race 6 did throw up a few surprises as the blackflag was in use again and some of the sailors were tiring.
The event was superbly run by the club and its Optimist section, the race officer, Roger Wilson, managed to get all of the races in despite the testing conditions on Saturday. The sun always makes sailing great and added to the generally fun atmosphere that was present in the regatta from registration through to prizegiving.
Overall Results:
1st Scott Wallis (Spinnaker SC)
2nd Thibault Cour (SRH Le Havre)
3rd John Voller (Burghfield SC)
4th Fraser Woodley (Burghfield SC)
5th Joseph Burns (Spinnaker SC)
First Girl was Jenny Cropley (Warsash SC)
First 10 yr old under was awarded to Milo Gill-Taylor (Spinnaker SC)
First 12 yr old was awarded to Alexandre Boite (C.v.st Quentin)
First R Lym YC sailor was Ryan Orr who finished 18th