North East Youth Travellers at South Shields Sailing Club
by Barbara Darling 25 Apr 2006 06:48 BST
22 April 2006
The first of this year’s events was held at South Shields SC on Sat April 22nd, when thirty young sailors ventured out into the estuary in a light southeasterly and a fairly flat sea.
In the first race, it soon became obvious that Peter Logg, Radial from South Shields was sailing in a committed and determined fashion. Close behind him was a group of Toppers, Thomas Steavenson, Tynemouth, Michael Matthews and Luke McGill, Sunderland, and Joric Gebhard, Derwent Reservoir were having an exciting battle.
The two SSSC 405 crews, Lisa Evans with Claire Robson and Liam Alcock with Kieran Alcock were being challenged by Bruce Carnaby, Laser Radial Sunderland and another group of SSSC Toppers Alex Forth, Laura Whitfield and Katherine Gill, finishing in that order.
Elsewhere, four Picos were being sailed really well by a quartet of sailors from the Inner City SC in Middlesbrough. This is a sailing club, entirely organised and run by the young people themselves! Well, yes there is some input from Bob Kaye.
These four deserve special mention because it was their first time on the sea and their first proper race. Sarah Mohan, Anthony Moloney, Laura Hillaby and Lauren Bennet.
In race two, the wind was lifting and the front sailors were all there with a bit of place changing and Matt Chaganis with crew Henry Logg SSSC in a Magno coming in at seventh. Katherine Brown, SSSC Topper, excelled in the stronger winds, as did Moloney ICSC. Aidan Dyne, Newbiggin, sailed well too and came ashore grinning.
After an excited, chatty and energetic break, the wind was strengthening and swung southwesterly and the boats launched into a strong ebb.
The first few places were almost predictable except an unfortunate capsize by Alcock and Alcock on top of Matthews when he was leading Topper may have changed the results a bit. Matthews, being the philosophical sailor he is, just got on with it and finished third anyway. Joe Newton and Eleanor Chaganis of SSSC in Toppers were enjoying the fresh breeze but Mohan ICSC suddenly seemed to realise that she could sail and finished a wonderful tenth. Graham Birch with Jonathon Lambert, 420 Newbiggin chased hard to eleventh.
Iain Symon age nine, from Castlegate Quay, Stockton in a reefed Topper sailed a fantastic race to come thirteenth. Two double-handed Picos had their own private competition in all races. Duncan Henry with Craig Chandler and Charlotte Scott with Rachel Stratton vied with each other, the boys just having the edge, by one point, over the girls.
This was a superb event, smoothly and safely run, excellent food as usual, and judging by the huge smiles and chatter whilst packing up, everyone had had a great fun day as well as some serious sailing.
Overall Results:
1st Peter Logg (SSSC) Laser Radial
2nd Thomas Steavenson (TSC) Topper
3rd Michael Matthews (SYC) Topper
4th Joric Gebhard (DRSC) Topper
5th Luke McGill (SYC) Topper
6th Liam Alcock & Kieran Alcock (SSSC) 405
7th Bruce Carnaby (SYC) Laser Radial