IOCA South Pre Zone Winter Training 4 at Bosham Sailing Club
by Roger Cerrato 23 Jan 21:31 GMT
19 January 2020
IOCA South Pre Zone Winter Training at Bosham © Chay Taylor
Clear skies and thick ice on boat covers greeted 16 young Optimist sailors for the first IOCA training at Bosham SC of the new decade. Downwind sailing and strategy was the plan, we just had to wait until the wind started to fill in!
Patience not being something 8 to 12 year old children are renowned for the coaching team of Andy Kerr, Chay Taylor and Henry Chandler were kept busy chatting through best practice and setting ice tower building competitions. Fortunately a hint of a breeze arrived just in time for a series of downwind races before lunch.
After refuelling, three groups of sailors set three separate race courses with the intention of confusing sailors from the other groups with difficult decisions in order to make best use of tide and wind. Tricky course configurations and locations gave sailors a great challenge and led to some very close and unpredictable racing with three different winners.
Ethan Hill decided he was the overall winner by virtue of consistently being near the front, having forgotten to take any results and in the absence of no counter argument all coaches were happy to agree with Ethan!
After sailing those that were quick enough getting changed were treated to a spectacular sunset which ended what must have been one of the best days of the winter to be outside. Thanks once again to Bosham Sailing Club for the welcome.