Cadet Open at Fishers Green Sailing Club

9948 & 9026 neck and neck during the Fishers Green Cadet Open © Roberto Mancini

Matteo Mancini & Kali Karaskas win the Fishers Green Cadet Open © Roberto Mancini

Over the last few weeks the country has enjoyed sunshine with a huge high pressure established and barely a cloud in sight, however this isn't a great thing for sailing and maybe it was the light wind forecast or maybe it was England's World Cup Play Off, or Wimbledon, that resulted in a very low turn-out for the Fishers Green Cadet Open, with prizes sponsored by Exe Sails and Covers.

Cadet competitors were received from Frensham Pond SC as well as a welcome return from King George SC. We all enjoyed a few bacon butties before an informative briefing from Race Officer Godfrey Clark.

The first race quickly established with what was going to be the norm for the rest of the day; a southerly 5-6 mph breeze that confused competitors and challenged the RO in equal measures.

The start was closely fought between Matteo and Emily with Emily just getting the edge, however on the second leg Matteo and Kali slowly overhauled Emily and Hamish on the windward leg and took the lead along with the win. The breeze proved to be extremely shifty and inconsistent and although the RO had great patience and imagination on setting a decent course for race 2, all competitors decided to adjourn for lunch and try again in the afternoon.

After a fabulous home-made curry from the Galley, created by Jane O'Brien, the second race was neck and neck till the leeward mark, Emily and Hamish just got ahead on the spinnaker leg, Matteo and Kali fought back on the upwind section, Matteo tacked off, but in the end Emily finished a few boat lengths ahead, after fighting hard to keep the lead.

The boys Sam and Ashwin kept them honest in a borrowed boat and they managed to keep them within striking distance but in the end boat handling favoured the top two finishers.

For third race with one race apiece it was all to play for, a great start, right on the button by Matteo meant that he got away in clean wind and although Emily and Hamish fought back and got to the top mark 1st, it was Matteo and Kali that went round the mark in the lead, with the shifting winds, Matteo and Kali were held up less by the Lasers than Emily and Hamish and could not close the ever increasing gap.

It needs to be said that all competitors faced light, shifty winds, and all boats competed as well as they could in the very challenging conditions due to heat and wind, well done to all!

We were all very relieved to make it back to club house and indulge in the Cadet Tea.

Overall Results: