Thames Valley Volvo Regional Youth Championships

Datchet Water Sailing Club

Photos:

1. Victoria Cooper and Richard Truscott of Frensham Pond Sailing Club
2. Claire Lasko showing the boys where to go down the first reach in the 1st race
3. Will Hemsley of Burghfield Sailing Club on his way to winning race 3

The Volvo RYA Regional Championship for the Thames Valley Region was held at Datchet Water Sailing Club on 8th July and resulted in a close fought contest between the top Optimist, Cadet, Laser Radial and Topper sailors from the region with no one boat achieving more than a single win. The overall event was won by Cadet sailors, Alex Adams and Nicky Curwen of Frensham Pond Sailing Club who scored a 3rd, 1st and 2nd in the first three races which allowed them to discard the eighth in the final race to become the overall champions. 2nd Overall was another Cadet sailed by the all girl crew of Charlotte Clay and Hanna Potbury from Wraysbury Lake Sailing Club. The Optimists of Phillip Lasko, Bowmoor Sailing Club, Phillip White, Papercourt Sailing Club, the Laser Radial of Will Hemsley, Burghfield Sailing Club and Topper of Richard Valentine, Aylesbury Sailing Club were close behind these two Cadets. Individual races were won by Charlotte Clay and Hanna Potbury, race one, Alex and Nicky race two, Will in the Laser Radial, race three and Phillip in his Optimist race four.

Race One:

Race one was held in a steady force 2 with the Optimists leading the way to the first mark. This was rounded first by Claire Lasko who was determined to show the boys the quickest way round the course. The Optimists were pursued by the Topper, Laser and Cadet fleets which were closing in fast on the smaller boats which started earlier in the start sequence. By the second lap, Richard Valentine led the Toppers round with James Alderton close behind. The Laser of Phillip Bridger was just in front of the Radial of Will Hemsley both having overtaken a number of Toppers and Optimists who started earlier. These two were followed some distance behind by the eventual race winning Cadet of Charlotte Clay and Hanna Potbury, who were also overtaking Toppers and Optimist. The first boat to finish on the water was Will Hemsley in the Laser Radial with Phillip Bridger using a full rig only 13 seconds behind. Once the handicap results were produced it was the two leading Cadets of Charlotte Clay and Hanna Potbury and Victoria Cooper and Richard Truscott who took 1st and 2nd and with Claire Lasko 7th in her Optimist it was time for the boys to consider how they would beat the girls.

Race Two:

Race 2 was run back to back with the first race. The wind had increased to force 3 and once again all the fleets started without the need for a general recall. Philip Lasko led the Oppy fleet at the first mark with Stuart Adams and James Boyle close behind. James Alderton led the Toppers from Sam Isaacs and both had a good lead over the following boats while Peter Frankel lost his 3rd position by hitting the mark. The race then settled in to a similar pattern to the first with the faster boats gaining on the slower classes, which started in front, especially now that they were able to use their planing performance to good effect. The final result once the handicaps were worked out once again resulted in Cadets coming 1st and 2nd but this time 1st place was taken by the eventual winners of the event, Alex Adams and Nicky Curwen, followed by Charlotte Clay and Hanna Potbury. 3rd place was taken by Phillip Bridger in his Laser and fourth to Adam Buck in a Topper.

Race 3:

Race 3 followed a lunch break that allowed everyone to come ashore and consider their strategy for the two remaining races. By end of lap two this race had developed into pairs racing at the front of both the Topper and Cadet fleets. The Toppers were led by Richard Valentine who was having a close fight with Adam Buck. Following these were the pair of Andrew Mill and James Melville who were having an equally close battle in their Toppers. The Cadets were led by Charlotte Clay / Hanna Potbury with Alex Adams / Nicky Curwen close behind. In the laser fleet the battle was once again between Philip Bridger with the standard rig and Will Hemsley in a radial rigged boat. By the end of the race it was Will Hemsley who not only took the line honours but also took 1st place on handicap by 3 seconds from the Cadet of Alex Adams and Nicky Curwen. Richard Valentine, Topper was a further 48 seconds adrift with Philip Bridger 4th in the Laser.

Race 4:

Between the races a squall gave Datchet’s excellent safety boat service a chance to demonstrate their skills. This also convinced a number of young sailors that it was time to stop for the day. Following the squall the course was quickly reset and the race started. The increased wind strength allowed the top Oppy sailors to show their skills with the first 7 boats on handicap being Optimists. The race was won by Phillip White, with Justin Vesser and Tony Adams taking 2nd and 3rd. The first non Optimist was the Cadet of Alex Adams and Nicky Curwen in 8th place which they counted as a discard to win the event.

The final results were:

 
Overall:
1st Alex Adams & Nicky Curwen      Cadet    Frensham Pond SC
2nd Charlotte Clay & Hanna Potbury Cadet    Wraysbury Lake SC
3rd Phillip Lasko                  Optimist Bowmoor SC

Girls:
1st Charlotte Clay & Hanna Potbury     Cadet    Wraysbury Lake SC
2nd Claire Lasko                       Optimist Bowmoor SC
3rd Victoria Cooper & Richard Truscott Cadet    Frensham Pond SC

Optimists:
1st Phillip Lasko, Bowmoor SC

Toppers:
1st Richard Valentine, Aylesbury SC

Cadets:
1st Alex Adams and Nicky Curwen, Frensham Pond SC

Laser Radial:
1st Will Hemsley, Burghfield SC

Laser:
1st Phillip Bridger, British Airways SC

1st Home Club Boy
    Bryn Pearce, Optimist

1st Home Club Girl
    Kimberly Jenkins, Optimist

More Information:

• Datchet Water Sailing Club