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Optimist Midlands Traveller Series Open at Barnt Green Sailing Club

by Debbie Smith 6 Sep 2021 07:32 BST 4 September 2021
Main fleet start in the Barnt Green Optimist Open © Debbie Smith

The second event of the Midlands Traveller Series for Optimists was held on Saturday 4th September.

With just enough time since lockdown ended for some new sailors to learn enough to join the racing, the turnout of new sailors was great with 19 in the regatta fleet and ten in main fleet. On the water coaching was provided for the regatta fleet by Steph Harding (RYA Racing Coach) assisted by Finley Moss.

The whole fleet in the Barnt Green Optimist Open - photo © Debbie Smith
The whole fleet in the Barnt Green Optimist Open - photo © Debbie Smith

A nice consistent breeze greeted the sailors for the morning racing with race leaders changing frequently and even the newest sailors completing the large figure of eight course. After a hot lunch and cakes provided by visiting sailors from Cardiff Bay, to raise money for Macmillan, the sailors returned to the water to face very light conditions - testing the tactics of the more experienced racers and introducing the newer sailors to the skill of roll tacking. A fouth race was abandoned and the fleets headed ashore.

Sailors in the Barnt Green Optimist Open - photo © Debbie Smith
Sailors in the Barnt Green Optimist Open - photo © Debbie Smith

Prizes were awarded to Thomas Kelsall - Staunton Harold SC 1st overall; Will Moss - Barnt Green SC 2nd overall; Theo Smith - South Staffs & Draycote SCs 3rd overall; Jack Hodgkins - South Staffs SC 1st junior in main fleet; Oscar Smith - South Staffs & Draycote SCs 1st regatta fleet; Lochlyn Grant - Leigh & Lowton & West Kirby SCs 2nd regatta fleet; Oscar Johnson - Blithfield SC 1st sailor sailing in their first event and Anila Atkins - Barnt Green SC 2ndsailor sailing in their first event. There were also prizes for all the sailors competing in their first event and awards to nine sailors for exhibiting great examples of the British Youth Sailing values and behaviours.

Overall Results:

PosSail NoNameClubPrize CategoryR1R2R3Pts
Main Fleet
1st6600Thomas KelsallStaunton Harold SC ‑3112
2nd6342William MossBarnt Green SC 1‑223
3rd6575Theo SmithSouth Staffs SC & Draycote SC 23‑45
4th6365Jack HodgkinsSouth Staffs SCJunior‑8459
5th6548Seb LyttleDatchet SCJunior4‑6610
6th6418Tristan ShawBanbury SCJunior‑108311
7th6344Jacob BennettGlossop SC 65‑811
8th5722Will CowleyMidland SC 5‑9914
9th6395Meg ThomasCardiff Bay YCJunior‑77714
10th6196Niamh EpsteinCardiff Bay YCJunior9‑101019
Regatta Fleet
1st5483Oscar SmithSouth Staffs SC & Draycote SC 1‑223
2nd6013Lochlyn GrantLeigh & Lowton SC & West Kirby SC 21‑33
3rd5391William ShawBanbury SC 3‑614
4th3613Oscar JohnsonBlithfield SCFirst Event‑4448
5th5611Tom CowleyMidland SC 55‑1310
6th4173Anila AtkinsBarnt Green SCFirst Event6‑7511
7th5288Oli CowleyMidland SC ‑1631114
8th5962Lerming WangBarnt Green SCFirst Event‑88614
9th5086Saoirise SmithBarnt Green SCFirst Event79(DNF)16
10thGBRHansen WangBarnt Green SCFirst Event11‑15718
11th1314Roisin EpsteinCardiff Bay YC (DNF)11819
12thK3913Kaitlyn TiffanyBarnt Green SCFirst Event‑14.512921
13th1192Joshua Garratt First Event913‑1522
14th4821Florence CroftBarnt Green SCFirst Event12‑141022
15th2913Luca JohnsonBlithfield SCFirst Event1310‑1423
16th3913Shay Moran First Event14.5(DNF)1226.5
17th2674Luke Hodgetts First Event10(DNF)DNC31
18th508Beatrice CroftBarnt Green SCFirst Event(DNF)161632
19th5609Hugo ThomasCardiff Bay YC (DNC)DNCDNC42
19th4021Stefan ClaridgeMidland SC (DNF)DNFDNC42

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