Please select your home edition
Edition
GJW Direct 2024 Dinghy
Product Feature
Upffront.com - PROtect Tapes Optimist kit
Upffront.com - PROtect Tapes Optimist kit

Midland Area Optimist Championships at South Staffs Sailing Club

by Jon Smith 20 Sep 2021 09:21 BST 18 September 2021
Midland Area Optimist Championships © Deborah Smith

The third event of the Midlands Traveller Series for Optimists was held on Sat 18 September. The day started misty and windless but bacon baps and coffee were downed, and after a postponement racing got under way mid-morning.

Sailors were split into three fleets depending on experience level with the two most experienced fleets racing around a course covering most of the reservoir and an enthusiastic fun fleet tucked in close to the clubhouse excited to take part in their first race.

In the first race it was Theo Smith who picked his way through the patchy wind to take the win although Dilara Soyer made a great comeback from a premature start to claim second. With lunch already cooked, due to the postponement, the sailors headed ashore.

During lunch the wind picked up a little, although never consistent. The afternoon racing saw Tristan Shaw win his first race on the Midlands Traveller Series. The racing was incredibly tight; after three races the leaders were tied on points for overall winner of the championship, also tied on points for 1st junior, and only one point separated the leaders of the regatta fleet. The young sailors maintained their concentration brilliantly. Racing was still tight, with places changing frequently, in the last race of the day. It wasn't until the final beat to the finish that places were settled.

Overall winner of the Midland Area Championship was Dilara Soyer (Draycote SC), runner up was Theo Smith (South Staffs and Draycote SCs), first junior was Jack Hodgkins (South Staffs SC) and the Endeavour Trophy was awarded to Tristan Shaw (Banbury SC) for winning his first race in the travellers series. The regatta fleet was won by William Shaw with Oscar Smith he runner up. Several sailors received awards to recognise their values and behaviours, and George Senior won the mini race series of the fun fleet.

Overall Results:

PosSail NoHelmSailing_ClubFleetPrize CategoryR1R2R3R4Pts
1st6506Dilara SoyerDraycote Water SCMain ‑21214
2nd6575Theo SmithSouth Staffs SC & Draycote SCMain 12‑436
3rd6365Jack HodgkinsSouth Staffs SCMainJunior3‑4328
4th6418Tristan ShawBanbury SCMainJunior5‑61410
5th5391William ShawBanbury SCRegatta 63‑7615
6th6334Isabella BarnesDraycote SCMainJunior476‑817
7th5483Oscar SmithSouth Staffs SC & Draycote SCRegatta ‑755717
8th6020Mia HateleySouth Staffs SCRegatta ‑888521
9th6441Pippa TimminsSouth Staffs SCRegatta 999‑1027
10th4885Stanley SawleMidland SCRegatta ‑1110101131
11th2Luca JohnsonBlithfield SCRegatta ‑121112932
12th5403Amy FarmerSouth Staffs SCRegatta ‑1412111235
13th21Oscar JohnsonBlithfield SCRegatta ‑1313131339
14th5092Mabel SawleMidland SCRegatta 10(DNC)DNCDNC40

Related Articles

Chichester Yacht Club Optimist Open Preview
Registration is open and visitors are very welcome Registration is open for this year's Chichester Yacht Club Optimist Open on Sunday the 13th of July. Visitors are very welcome to come and enjoy the clubs facilities while watching the racing from CYC's lawns. Posted on 3 Jul
Mirpuri Foundation Sailing Trophy 2025 Preview
International sailing & ocean conservation unite in Cascais From July 4 to 6, Cascais hosts the biggest sailing regatta of the year with a strong focus on sustainability. The Mirpuri Foundation Sailing Trophy celebrates six years of diversity, competition, and environmental commitment. Posted on 30 Jun
2025 International Classes Regatta preview
The ICR has earned a stellar reputation as an outstanding lead-up regatta for competitors The Royal Freshwater Bay Yacht Club (RFBYC) is proud to announce that the 2025 International Classes Regatta (ICR)—the Club's premier annual dinghy event—will take place on Saturday 29 and Sunday 30 November 2025. Posted on 27 Jun
South and Southwest Regional Junior Championship
Exciting, high-quality competitive racing for 5 classes at Weymouth There were 145 sailors competing in Topper 5.3 and 4.2, Optimist, RS Feva XL, RS Tera Pro and Sport and ILCA 4 classes. The excellent race team led by PRO Paul Kimmens delivered exciting, high-quality competitive racing for all classes. Posted on 26 Jun
NEYYSA Championship at Ullswater
They had it all: heat, sun, torrential rain, wind, calm, thunder and lightning We had it all at Ullswater, heat, sun, (torrential) rain, wind, calm, thunder and lightning but nothing switched the smiles, sailing and socialising off at the North Region Youth & Junior Championships at Ullswater. Posted on 25 Jun
Welsh Regional Junior Championships
74 boats have a glorious weekend alongside a number of Welsh Sailing initiatives The event was hosted with Dale Yacht Club, Celtic Sea Watersports and Windswept Watersports and attracted a total of 74 entries, including 18 sailors keen to develop their racing skills in the coached regatta fleet. Posted on 25 Jun
All set for NEYYSA Championship at Ullswater
Youth and juniors from all over the NE and Yorkshire will battle this weekend With less than 24 hours until the first warning signal at the North Region Youth & Junior Championships organised by North East & Yorkshire Youth Sailing Association (NEYYSA) and hosted by Ullswater Yacht Club final preparations are in hand. Posted on 20 Jun
Gill Optimist Early Summer Championships
Brightlingsea delivered a thrilling test of skill and adaptability The IOCA Early Summer Championships at Brightlingsea SC delivered a thrilling test of skill and adaptability for the Optimist Fleet, with sailors battling extreme variations in wind speed and direction over two days of racing. Posted on 19 Jun
Cambridgeshire Youth League at Grafham Water
33 sailors took part in windy conditions The second leg of the Cambridgeshire Youth Sailing League took place at Grafham Water Sailing Club on Saturday 14th June. Despite the forecast for strong winds, 33 intrepid young sailors set sail in gusty conditions. Posted on 18 Jun
Tyson Tops 32nd International Optimist Regatta
Getting good starts and sailing fast led to the win at St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands Getting good starts and sailing fast led the USA's Daniel Skutch Tyson to win the 32nd International Optimist Regatta (IOR), hosted at the St. Thomas Yacht Club (STYC), June 13-15, 2025. Posted on 16 Jun