Rooster Optimist Southern Traveller Series at Chichester Yacht Club

Rooster Optimist Southern Traveller Series visits Chichester © Brian Ayton

Rooster Optimist Southern Traveller Series visits Chichester © Brian Ayton

Rooster Optimist Southern Traveller Series visits Chichester © Brian Ayton

18 competitors in main fleet braved the strong and gusty wind at Chichester Yacht Club for the Rooster Optimist Southern Traveller Series Open Meeting.

Race Officer Derek Jackman set a trapezoid course, for the Main Open Fleet, which gave the opportunity for some exciting downwind sailing but was hard work up the beats for all the sailors.

Sam Watson from Emsworth Slipper SC showed his mastery of the conditions by winning all three races but his brother Luke chased him hard all the way finishing second overall. Hazel Jones of Hayling Island SC and Edith Ingram of Dell Quay SC also sailed well with Edith just taking second place in the last race to take third overall with Hazel fourth on discard.

Lower down the fleet Florence Ingram also DQSC and Lucy Owen of Chichester YC showed a steady improvement in spite of the increasingly windy conditions finishing twelfth and fourteenth overall. Ethan Hill was first CYC boat in seventh place with Effie Grant two points behind in ninth.

For the less experienced sailors, the Rooster Regatta Fleet Series event provided opportunities for the 30 competitors to develop their racing skills. The wind strength was a real challenge for them with winds up to 25 knots but they coped with the conditions with great courage and tenacity. The wind was strong enough for some exciting planing on three downwind legs of the course.

In the first race, Tom Saunders from Warsash SC led the first lap but his clubmate, Tom Peace, recovered from seventh, after a poor start, to take the lead in the second lap.

There was quite a battle for the lead during the third lap between Ella Cumming also from Warsash, Tom Peace and Finnlea Leigh-Anderson from Christchurch SC. Those three continued in tight competition on the final lap with Tom Peace winning, Ella second and Finnlea third at the end.

Rooster Optimist Southern Traveller Series visits Chichester - photo © Brian Ayton

After a break ashore, to allow a severe squall to pass through and giving the sailors time for lunch, the second race started with Joe Armstrong Roland of Royal Southern YC showing very quickly out of the start and maintaining superior boat speed, on all legs of the course, to build a substantial lead through the first two laps. However, a period of very strong wind found him in difficulties on the third beat and Tom Peace came through to win again.

There was considerable place changing in this race, with Barney Bromilow from Parkstone YC coming through to second, after his fourth in the first race, followed by Tom Saunders at the finish.

Overall, Tom Peace won with Barney Bromilow second and Tom Saunders third. The tie on points between Saunders and Leigh-Anderson was settled by the results in the last race.

Jake Teece of the home club, CYC, sailed consistently well to finish fourth.

Rooster Optimist Southern Traveller Series visits Chichester - photo © Brian Ayton

Main Fleet Results:

Rooster Optimist Southern Traveller Series visits Chichester - photo © Brian Ayton

Regata Fleet Results:

Rooster Optimist Southern Traveller Series visits Chichester - photo © Brian Ayton