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Parkstone Yacht Club Optimist Open incorporating the IOCA South West Regional Championship

by Elaine Hakes 2 Jul 2021 06:52 BST 26-27 June 2021
Regatta fleet sailors at the Parkstone Optimist Open © Roger Hakes

What better way to spend a weekend than racing with your friends on glorious Poole Harbour? On 26 and 27 June, over 30 young Parkstone Optimist sailors welcomed old and new friends from clubs far and wide for a weekend of competitive and fun racing and socialising. With a total of 85 sailors taking part across three fleets, the open meeting also doubled up as the IOCA South West Regional Championship.

There was racing across three fleets: a competitive main fleet of 38 sailors, which raced in the 'top triangle' near Poole Yacht Club and Arne; a Regatta fleet of 31 boats, which sailed nearer the Parkstone racing platform; and finally a smaller Coached Regatta fleet of 18, which was offered on-the-water coaching and a more gentle introduction to the world of open meetings. As well as the large Parkstone contingent, there were entrants from 17 other clubs, including from as far away as King George Sailing Club in London and Restronguet in Cornwall.

Saturday presented itself as sunny with cloudy intervals, with light south easterly winds of 7 to 10 knots. Main Fleet Race Officer John Lyons - stepping into the breach at the last moment - did an excellent job of completing the four scheduled races. There was close competition across the fleet, with Joe Wimpory (Bewl and HISC) and Will Fletcher (Royal Southern/HRSC) showing early form, with a handful of the Parkstone massif nipping at their heels. In Regatta Fleet, with six races completed in two sessions, Felix Howe (Royal Lymington) held a narrow lead over fellow club sailor Jonny Rogers, with Burghfield's Felix Garlick not far behind.

The vibe on the Coached Regatta fleet was more relaxed, with the aim being to get everyone out on the water and happy (helped along by a generous quantity of Haribo). Success was measured by how many children came back smiling, and the light winds, bright light and sunny disposition of the race team meant that the entire fleet came back in high spirits. A group swim finished off the afternoon, followed by pasta for all the kids and drinks for the adults on the deck watching the sun go down over the harbour.

Sunday dawned with yawning children and buckets of rain, making for a damp start to the day. Fortunately the rain cleared quickly, and Main Fleet launched enthusiastically for a second day of racing, this time with north easterly winds of between 15 to 20 knots. Some larger gusts in the low 20s came through early in the day, causing Coached Regatta to cut their session short and host an early prize-giving. Their series ended with seven races completed. Lizzie Hudson from Royal Lymington won the event, followed by fellow Lymington sailor Isla Hutchinson in second and Parkstone's Chloe Davis in third place.

Meanwhile, Regatta Fleet were racing hard, with the young sailors coping admirably with the gusty winds and managing to fit in three races before lunch and another three after. It was Royal Lymington's day here too, with Jonny Rogers delivering a decisive win, followed by fellow club sailor Felix Howe in second, Felix Garlick from Burghfield in third and Parkstone's Fraser Hakes in fourth.

In the top triangle the Main Fleet sailors were embracing the windier conditions and the racing was highly competitive with many a twist and turn, and plenty of noisy banter according to the race team. In the end the Parkstone team found success with a first, second and third from Tom Hakes, Ollie McCormick and Will Webster respectively. Henry Camm from Warsash finished fourth and Will Fletcher from Royal Southern/HISC finished fifth. At the awards ceremony later in the afternoon, Parkstone Commodore Gary Wakefield presented the awards as the gloomy skies steadily brightened, including prizes provided by event sponsors Quay West Chandlers, Rooster and Front Rank Boats. Tom Hakes and Eliana Edwards (first girl and sixth overall) were awarded their prizes as IOCA South West Regional Champions.

Overall Results:

Main Fleet

PosSail NoHelmClubOppie AgeR1R2R3R4R5R6R7R8Pts
1st6530Tom HakesParkstone YC137‑934412122
2nd6306Oliver McCormickParkstone YC13‑11167245227
3rd6129Will WebsterParkstone YC133122538(UFD)740
4th6412Henry CammWarsash Sailing Club14531111(DNF)59650
5th6531William FletcherRoyal Southern/ HRSC1426(UFD)1123UFD52
6th6583Eliana EdwardsParkstone YC11620.543‑24111954.5
7th6456Joe WimporyBewl & HISC12ARB4102206(UFD)1872
8th6410Dirk RogersRLYC12(UFD)10141712107373
9th6301Will HakesParkstone YC11138128(RET)9131073
10th6381Max BromilowParkstone YC148212616196(UFD)78
11th6560Eddie DorsettParkstone YC131218810513(UFD)1278
12th6400Jacoby KeeganParkstone YC916718‑2861281178
13th6459Hennie BurltonRoyal Southern YC134149‑30915191484
14th6547Thomas DempseyParkstone YC112117‑24231034886
15th6598Joseph Armstrong RowlandRSYC13105(UFD)983416486
16th6156Robbie HudsonRoyal Lym YC14‑22111718716141598
17th6517Thomas SaundersWarsash / Royal Southern13(UFD)15211328710599
18th6105Alice PopeRVYC14913521152118‑26102
19th6561Ella JonesHISC131723‑261514171513114
20th6519Freya HutchinsonRLymYC111920.5720192217‑24124.5
21st6416Harry FranklinParkstone YC12(DNC)29311411181120134
22nd6467Alex SaundersWarsash SC/RSrnYC1024(UFD)131613142628134
23rd6505Barney BromilowParkstone YC12231615‑3417252021137
24th6451Sienna MordauntRLymYC1114‑30161218292227138
25th6366Sebastian BaileyBurghfield SC111819‑292223271219140
26th6246Louis HiscocksWpnsa11152625‑3121282117153
27th6336Sam Armstrong RowlandRSYC11(UFD)28226RET203223168
28th6454Edward StubbsLyme Regis SC14(UFD)24272527262325177
29th6253Adam CraigBurghfield SC122627321922‑352430180
30th6152Nicola RichardsCastle Cove SC12(UFD)25282925242822181
31st4989Bruno GreenfieldCCSC1427(UFD)193229312916183
32nd6167Ellie PickardBowmoor12203120‑3330302531187
33rd6019Toby VincentNewhaven & Seaford SC122522232432(UFD)3332191
34th6346Alex BreeseRLymYC1128323027313330‑34211
35th6402Isla FletcherRoyal Southern/ HRSC13(DNC)DNCDNCDNC26232729216
36th6292Hugo FletcherRoyal Southern/ HRSC11(DNC)DNCDNCDNCRET323133244

Regatta Fleet

PosSail NoHelmClubOppie AgeR1R2R3R4R5R6R7R8R9R10R11R12Pts
1st6271Jonny RogersRLYC10213‑4‑6211111114
2nd5892Felix HoweRoyal Lymington YC1042121‑73‑5243325
3rd6349Felix GarlickBurghfield SC11158‑149428422‑1245
4th6311Fraser HakesParkstone YC9‑10‑13755843368251
5th5468Oscar WingateRlymYC101165341161110‑14‑20875
6th4650Roman ArcherParkstone YC13‑181515‑19111710737581
7th5946Lauren BarberRSrn.YC11‑2219‑2181010525891591
8th5426Ruby CallaghanRSrnYC11‑1611‑20613131166166795
9th6249Francesco MarangioBurghfield Sailing Club10‑19916‑2131612414551498
10th5995Ben McEwenRoyal Lymington YC1091061‑169151313‑21101399
11th6302Tom KeeganParkstone YC9‑2912220239‑21117161799
12th4850Guglielmo CeccatelliKGSC116(DNF)191317‑2510128944102
13th6299Freddie PankCastle Cove SC10‑257131514616‑181217129121
14th5969Oscar HoyleParkstone YC1013164‑23719‑20917101116122
15th6588Josh PickardBowmoor1034991258(RET)(DNC)DNCDNCDNC146
16th6490Pippa KnightsBurghfield1014181112221223(RET)(DNC)111710150
17th6217Freddie EvansParkstone YC117141222‑2418147(DNF)192222157
18th6484Isabella DeasParkstone YC105‑25‑22182121221515121820167
19th5608Nia ByrneKing George Sailing Club11‑241718112020191719‑221518174
20th5368Megan WebsterParkstone YC112124‑2828272813(RET)918136187
21st5048Lewis MillerSpinnaker12‑2721‑26252514251920132111194
22nd6397Darcy ODonnellRoyal Southern YC1182325‑2726172722(DNF)201421203
23rd6051Laszlo DrummondRoyal Lymington Yacht Club101781471515(DNC)(DNC)DNCDNCDNCDNC204
24th6328Harry DraperParkstone YC111520171082217(DNF)(DNC)DNSDNCDNC205
25th6556Oli MorganParkstone YC1120310241924(DNF)(DNF)16DNCDNCDNC212
26th5003Angus EverestSpinnaker Sailing Club1126222726‑282624201815(ARB)19223
27th5988Rupert GarlickBurghfield SC91228241723271816(DNF)(DNC)DNCDNC229
28th5839Zara DorsettParkstone YC1023272316182326(DNS)(DNC)DNCDNCDNC252
29th6272Hector DaviesRLymYC11(DNC)(DNC)DNCDNCDNCDNC2114DNFDNCDNCDNC291
30th6537Rory SaundersWarsash / Royal Southern10282930292929(DNS)(DNS)DNCDNCDNCDNC302
31st5033Stefano MarangioBurghfield Sailing Club9302629(DNC)(DNC)DNCDNCDNCDNCDNCDNCDNC309

Coached Regatta

PosSail NoHelmClubOppie AgeR1R2R3R4R5R6R7Pts
1st510Lizzie HudsonRLymYC102112‑32210
2nd4907Isla HutchinsonRLymYC103‑54114114
3rd6415Chloe DavisParkstone YC81327‑91620
4th5915Ruby CosterRLymYC9‑923923524
5th6276Josie ClarkParkstone YC976‑11545330
6th5881Charlie KnightsReading SC96‑115686435
7th5432Emily FranklinParkstone YC954‑9479938
8th5238Eliza HolleyRestronguet Sailing Club10‑127811611750
9th5421Raffy EvansParkstone YC8109713510(DNF)54
10th6510Eloise McCarthyParkstone YC848131412(DNF)859
11th6529Henry CruseBurghfield SC91112108117(DNF)59
12th6152George MCCormickParkstone YC913106101012(DNF)61
13th5967Rafael ArcherParkstone YC1015151531313(DNC)74
14th6279Alex ScottParkstone YC881312(OCS)148DNF74
15th64001Finnian KeeganParkstone YC8141414121514(DNF)83
16th6288Stelios PavlouParkstone YC8161616(OCS)DNSDNSDNF105
17th4736Poppy PhillipsParkstone YC8171717(DNC)DNCDNCDNC108
18th5033Stefano MarangioBurghfield Sailing Club9(DNC)DNCDNCDNCDNCDNCDNC114

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