Welsh sailors use their home advantage
by Hamish Stuart, Welsh Yachting Association 16 May 2014 14:04 BST
16 May 2014
Welsh sailors used home advantage to do well against top British competition in the 2014 Welsh Youth and Junior Championships and the Welsh Topper Championships at Pwllheli.
With facilities at Pwllheli improving all the time as it transforms into a world class sailing centre, it was North Wales sailors who led the way in many of the categories, up against competitors from the North of England and Scotland with 170 sailors taking part in all.
The Optimist class of boat turned into a Pwllheli shoot-out with Christopher Jones, Iago Davies and Hatty Morsley all going into the final race with a chance of winning the championship.
Davies did best to claim the title, with Morsley second overall and the first girl, with Cardiff Bay's Rhys Williams climbing up to third place as Jones slipped back to fourth.
The General Handicap fleet was dominated with the Welsh 420 squad sailors who were obviously making the most of the planning conditions and significant swell.
Current RYA Youth Nationals gold medallists Sarah Norbury and Mari Davies dominated with straight firsts. Port Dinorwic and Treaddur Bay pairing Daniel Whiteley and James Clemetson were next best and ahead of Cardiff Bay's Jemma Viney and Tilly Matthews who were close behind in third.
The competitive Topper fleet boasted nearly 70 competitors looking to maximise practice on Cardigan Bay ready for the Nationals and Worlds there later in the year. Thomas Wallwork from Redesmere won, with Teifi's Tom Renny in third.
The Laser Radials who were also sailing in the General Handicap fleet were dominated by Welsh Laser Performance Squad sailor Aled Goddard, from Bala. Mumbles pair Daniel Jones and Frankie Dickens finished second and third respectively. Cardiff Bay's Alaric Bates and Iwan Roberts were the first of the three RS Feva XLs who were also racing within this fleet.
In the 29er fleet, James Grummett and Daniel Budden from Burwain SC dominated with an (almost) faultless scorecard. They were being chased down by Pwllheli's Rowan Edwards and Daniel Blight. They kept RYA Youth Nationals silver medallist, Owen Bowerman with new crew Tilly James, behind them in third.
Holyhead sailing club dominated the Optimist Regatta fleet. Matthew Ingram sailed away from the rest with four firsts. Harri Burns finished third ahead of clubmate Louis Mills.
WYA High Performance Manager and Event Director Alistair Dickson said, "Once again, Cardigan Bay and Pwllheli SC has proved to be a world-class venue.
"I would like to thank all the volunteers, Pwllheli Sailing Club, competitors and parents for making it such a great event and also Firmhelm, Sailing Fast and Topper for supplying the prizes."
Next year's event is likely to be the grand opening for the Pwllheli Events Centre.