NSSA National Youth Regatta at Grafham Water Sailing Club
by Chris Lowe 3 Aug 2011 08:38 BST
30-31 July 2011
300 competitors took part in the 49th NSSA National Youth Regatta, held at Grafham Water Sailing Club last week. The event, organised by Cambridgeshire Youth Sailing on behalf of the NSSA took place in blistering sunshine and light winds as summer finally returned to East Anglia
The National Youth Regatta is a five day event for all abilities of sailor. Entrants take part in four days of competitive fleet racing as part of either the rookie, laser, topper, fast or slow handicap fleets and one day of racing in either the single handed, all-comers or the prestigious Mount Haes Trophy. This is the premiere event of the regatta and is a match racing event sailed in Topper Xenons.
NSSA events are very different to any other sail racing event as entrants are encouraged to be part of a team – either as a member of their local association, or a county team. Each team has an adult team manager and assistants, but the young people are encouraged to work together on and off the water as a team; from rigging, launching and tactics to evening activities and making sure everyone is happy on the camp site. This is not just a week away from parents and school, the confidence, teamwork and friendships that are gained by the young competitors at National Youth Regattas is part of the experience.
2011 Results
The 2011 regatta saw two hundred and ninety-nine sailors take to the water for 5 days of competitive racing. Conditions were excellent for most of the week, but light winds on Thursday lead to racing being cancelled early.
Lasers were very competitive with both standards and radials sailing at Grafham. In the Laser Standard class, Josh Wingeatt from Cumbria impressed with five wins and one second in the ten round series, winning the overall series with 17 points with Matthew Brushwood in second place on 21. The 61 boat Radial fleet saw some heated action in the light conditions. The top five boats were separated by only eight points after the ten race series with Thomas Goodey from Kent taking the overall title with a run of top 4 finishes in the last few rounds. Second overall and only 4 points behind was Matthew Aldous-Horne from Herts Youth Dinghy Racing Squad followed by Kai Loudon from Worcestershire a further 4 points adrift.
A reduced Topper entry saw only 69 toppers take to the water but the racing was no less action packed. A slow start for George Hunter from Milton Keynes & Bucks turned into a string of wins in the later stages leaving him a comfortable overall winner on 17 points over second place Angus Cooper from Queen Mary SC on 35.
A one-two for Derbyshire Youth Sailing in the fast paced action of the fast handicap fleet, with Ben Crosslade in his Phantom beating Matthew and Emma Metcalfe-Smith in their Albacore into second place. In a slow handicap fleet dominated by Laser 4.7’s, RS Feva’s and Tera’s, Joshua Haynes of Derbyshire Youth Sailing shone in his Optimist with five wins and one second. Second place in their Cambridgeshire Youth Sailing Mirror were Tim Lachlan-Cope and Oskar Tonkinson.
This year, the Rookie Fleet had expanded again. Open to anyone who has not attended an NSSA regatta or had much experience of racing, the rookies are supported as they endeavour to sail the course with some helpful guidance given on the water by sailing instructors to those who need it. After ten rounds, Ed Chads and Toby Remington from Churchers College took the honours in their Cadet, closely followed by Roscoe Martin (2nd) and Dan Wellbourn-Hesp (3rd), both in the colours of Derbyshire Youth Sailing.
The Mount Haes Trophy was very hotly contested with a good breeze and frequent gusts and wind shifts, the sailor’s abilities were well tested. With their fellow team members cheering from the shore, the 6 heats were very competitive with frequent lead changes on the downwind legs. The final saw 2 boats from Plymouth Youth Sailing, 2 from Kent and one each from Datchet 20Kt Squad and Herts Youth Dinghy Racing Squad take to the water. Wind conditions for the final were very difficult with gusts rolling across the lake providing several wind shifts. In the tricky conditions, Harry McVicar and Matthew Aldous-Horne were victorious with a well sailed tactical race which saw them home in front of boats from Plymouth Youth Sailing and Kent.
Full results can be viewed at www.nssa.org.uk and www.grafham.org/?p=2992
2012, The Golden Jubilee
The 50th NSSA National Youth Regatta will be held at the Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy, venue of the 2012 Olympic Sailing. We are the last event at WPNSA before LOCOG, the Olympic Games Organisers take over. Along side the usual 5 days competitive sail racing, there are some very special events lined up.
To celebrate 50 years of NSSA Regattas we hope to reunite some of the past NSSA alumni with a special All-Comers race and a gala evening at WPNSA. We hope the Gala evening will be a chance for ex NSSA alumni to catch up with friends and on water rivals from the last 50 years of NSSA competitions over Champagne and Canapés, followed by some very special guest speakers and evening entertainment.
Further information will follow in the next few weeks, but we hope that the gala evening will follow a very special pre-Olympic visit to WPNSA of the Olympic Torch.
We are very keen to get in touch with all ex-NSSA sailors and volunteers from the past 50 years. If you would like to get involved with our 50th Year celebrations please email