Royal Harwich Yacht Club Junior Race Week
by Mike Clayton 5 Sep 2013 08:47 BST
18-23 August 2013
Royal Harwich Junior Week © James Clayton
108 junior sailors came to the Royal Harwich Yacht Club for the 2013 Junior Race Week sponsored by Seamark Nunn Chandlers and local sail makers Sail and Cover. The week was held in varied weather from 18th to 23th August with two days racing afloat lost through lack of wind, with replacement on-shore activities. 13 competitors sailed in the regatta fleet with a mix of training and fun sessions, paddling races and a pirate day with a cruise to Pin Mill for ice creams. They also had a number of short races with Rose Fawcett the leading Optimist and Ruby Lovsee-Clark in a Topper winning the Keeling Cup.
Class racing was held for 39 Toppers, 12 Optimists, 9 Teras with the remaining boats split between a fast and slow handicap and a mixed laser fleet.
The race week was again well supported by returning over-age sailors who manned the support boats and moved marks. In addition local clubs Harwich Town Sailing Club, Orwell Yacht Club and Neptune Sailing Centre provided support boats with many volunteer parents helping the race officers, Graham Louth and Antony Gifford and the shore party lead by Stephanie Hensley who co-ordinated the whole week.
In the Optimist fleet Joseph Taylor from Hunts dominated winning 8 of the 10 races sailed. The runner up was Ollie Meadowcroft from Upper Thames with Rebecca Thornton from Henley 3rd and Jo Jo Whytock the first local boat in 4th place overall. The Tera fleet was the setting for some close racing between Toby Ruffles, James Deaton and Guy Parker all from the Royal Harwich Yacht Club. Toby emerged victorious for the second year with James finishing second with three race wins.
The slow handicap started with the Teras and Thomas Fisher and Francesca Wallace of Orwell Yacht Club were victorious. The Fast Handicap and Lasers also started together. In the laser fleet James Head from Felixistowe Ferry Sailing Club won with Adam Fuller of the Royal Harwich second and Cameron Harris from Orwell Yacht Club in third place. The Fast Handicap had the closet racing with Henry McCarthy of Neptune winning from the Feva sailed by Howard Head and Edward Mercer from Felixstowe Ferry.
The largest fleet was once again the Toppers with 25 home boats joined by 14 visitors. Racing at the front of the fleet was close with Ollie Dixon from Royal Harwich having a successful last day to win from his club mate Ashley Deaton with Dylan Walendy-Wright of Harwich Town Sailing club gaining the third place on the podium.
Parents and sailors clapped and cheered the prizes winners with the Royal Harwich's Rear Commodore, Gordon Sutton offering his congratulations on their efforts and achievements.