IOCA UK Gill Optimist End of Season Championships at Royal Torbay Yacht Club

by Debbie Smith 21 Oct 20:05 BST 16-17 October 2021

IOCA UK Gill End of Season Championships at Torbay © Debbie Smith

Exactly 100 of the UK's top young Optimist sailors enjoyed two days of glorious autumn sunshine, last weekend, on the English Riviera as the IOCA UK Gill End of Season Championships returned to Torbay for the first time in five years.

With wind significantly lighter than forecast, competitors had to wait for racing to get under way on both Saturday and Sunday. On Saturday, the breeze slowly and inconsistently filled in - giving the mark layers significant challenges in setting a course - before it settled to a steady Force 3, enabling Principal Race Officer Ian Bullock to deliver three races to get the regatta under way for Main Fleet.

The tricky conditions led to a first start general recall where most of the fleet were over the line, but settled down after further starts with the black flag, leading to plenty of movement on the leader board at the races progressed.

On the near side of the bay, Regatta Fleet race officer Imogen Gibb fared slightly better, with the breeze settling down sooner - enabling her 23-strong fleet of youngsters to enjoy five races on the opening day of the event.

The glorious sight of the 77-strong main fleet returning to shore, after almost six hours afloat and as the sun began to set across Torbay, provided plenty of picture perfect moments for parents as the first day's racing came to a close.

Similar conditions greeted the sailors on Sunday morning, with an almost two-hour postponement passed on the water by the fleets before the wind showed up. Principal Race officer Ian skilfully managed to secure a further three races for Main Fleet, with the final orange flag being raised minutes before the time limit. The Regatta fleet also made the most of the day, securing a further four races.

IOCA UK Gill End of Season Championships at Torbay - photo © 50 North Photography

Hot pasta and a warm welcome from Royal Torbay Yacht Club Commodore Phil Rumbelow at their cliff top gardens greeted competitors as the weekend concluded with a prize-giving that recognised not only the top performers from the weekend but the achievements of some of the IOCA British team at international events too.

In the End of Season Championships, Henry Camm from Warsash SC took the top spot in Main Fleet, as first boy and the overall winner, with Lila Edwards from Parkstone Yacht Club the first girl and fifth overall. Top Junior was Joe Wimpory, representing both Bewl and Hayling Island Sailing Clubs.

The Regatta Fleet was won by Felix Howe of Royal Lymington Yacht Club, who secured five first place finishes across the nine-race series with club mate Isla Hutchinson securing first girl and fourth overall. Royal Lymington took home the top performing club trophy for the Regatta Fleet, having secured the top seven positions, while Warsash SC triumphed as top performing club in Main Fleet and Parkstone YC were recognised for delivering ten top performers to the event.

IOCA would like to thank event sponsors Gill for their support, Royal Torbay Yacht Club and its members for hosting the event, Principal Race Officer Ian Bullock and Regatta Fleet Race Officer Imogen Gibb, along with their busy teams, for delivering a great series in challenging conditions - and all of the parent volunteers for making the event possible.

To find out about upcoming Optimist class events please visit: www.optimist.org.uk/all-events

IOCA UK Gill End of Season Championships at Torbay - photo © 50 North Photography

Regatta Fleet Results:

Pos	Sail No	Helm	Club	R1	R2	R3	R4	R5	R6	R7	R8	R9	Pts
1	5892	Felix HOWE	Royal Lymington YC	9	4	3	3	1	1	1	1	1	11
2	6245	William HUTCHINSON	Royal Lymington YC	7	1	1	6	2	4	5	4	2	19
3	6051	Laszlo DRUMMOND	RLymYC	4	2	6	2	3	6	4	6	3	24
4	6289	Isla HUTCHINSON	RLymYC	5	9	16	1	5	5	3	2	4	25
5	5995	Ben MCEWEN	Royal Lymington YC	15	8	18	4	4	3	2	5	7	33
6	6480	Natalie AYLING	RLymYC	2	5	15	13	10	2	22	3	9	44
7	5468	Oscar WINGATE	RLymYC	6	16	5	16	11	7	6	8	8	51
8	5931	Callum MARSHALL	Blackwater SC	11	13	7	7	14	11	7	7	5	55
9	6275	Ryan SURGUY	Corinthian Otters	17	7	8	9	6	13	10	13	19	66
10	6601	Oliver RATCHFORD	BEWL	12	3	11	8	7	15	11	18	16	67
11	5915	Ruby COSTER	RLymYC	3	17	10	11	12	21	12	10	10	68
12	6145	Charlotte SELF	CBYC	14	6	12	12	8	8	14	11	12	69
13	6320	Caedon FAULKNER ‑ LEASK	Rsrnyc	18	18	9	5	13	12	18	14	6	77
14	6476	Joshua AYLING	RLymYC	1	10	23	OCS	15	16	8	15	17	82
15	6167	Josh PICKARD	Bowmoor SC	21	19	2	15	16	10	13	19	11	86
16	6147	Gracie ALLSOPP	CBYC	19	14	13	10	9	14	19	17	13	90
17	5559	Beth LLEWELLYN	HISC	10	11	19	17	18	17	9	12	20	94
18	5483	Oscar SMITH	South Staffs & Draycote	13	12	17	DNF	DNF	20	17	9	14	102
19	6393	Kit LESTER	Royal Harwich YC	20	22	4	18	20	18	21	21	18	119
20	5609	Hugo THOMAS	CBYC	8	23	22	14	21	22	16	16	22	119
21	5796	Abi LLEWELLYN	HISC	22	20	20	21	19	9	15	22	15	119
22	5238	Eliza HOLLEY	Restronguet SC	16	21	14	20	17	19	20	20	21	126
23	6259	Matthew WIMPORY	Bewl & HISC	23	15	21	19	22	23	23	23	23	146

Main Fleet Results:

Pos	Sail No	Helm	Club	R1	R2	R3	R4	R5	R6	Pts
1	6412	Henry CAMM	WSC	1	12	11	8	6	1	27
2	6600	Thomas KELSALL	Staunton Harold SC	8	5	8	1	5	39	27
3	6306	Oliver MCCORMICK	Parkstone	5	11	3	5	8	17	32
4	6593	Archie MUNRO‑PRICE	Castle Cove	23	36	2	3	3	3	34
5	6520	Lila EDWARDS	Parkstone YC	7	1	15	4	9	15	36
6	6342	William MOSS	Barnt Green SC	18	9	6	14	4	4	37
7	6481	Sabine POTTER	Warsashsc	34	2	7	13	7	14	43
8	6592	Jack DONOVAN	Datchet Water SC	2	6	9	23	28	12	52
9	6574	Noa MOSKOVITCH	RLYM	6	3	32	15	11	21	56
10	6549	Tabitha DAVIES	Royal LYM YC	10	8	23	18	20	5	61
11	6516	Hugh ANDREWS	Blackwater SC	22	19	1	9	42	22	73
12	6518	Will MEARS	Corinthian Otters	4	38	36	11	2	20	73
13	6603	Ciara MURPHY	Royal Burnham YC	19	4	33	35	14	8	78
14	6598	Joe ARMSTRONG ROWLAND	RSYC	9	45	21	24	18	7	79
15	6456	Joe WIMPORY	Bewl & HISC	16	20	13	48	15	18	82
16	6163	Thomas DAVEY	Royal Hospital School / RHYC	17	29	10	34	17	11	84
17	6464	Ralph SURGUY	Corinthian Otters	BFD	30	14	2	10	35	91
18	6470	Charlie GATEHOUSE	BEWL	36	10	35	12	43	6	99
19	6129	Will WEBSTER	Parkstone YC	14	39	50	17	12	25	107
20	6429	Patrick BROMILOW	WKSC	BFD	16	5	OCS	1	9	109
21	6527	Joseph JONES	Burghfield	33	67	12	7	38	19	109
22	6414	Luke ELLIOTT	Guernsey YC	15	44	26	10	25	36	112
23	6144	Arthur GREAVES	Datchet Water / HISC	11	34	46	6	33	29	113
24	6548	Seb LYTTLE	Datchet	49	15	19	29	74	2	114
25	6271	Jonny ROGERS	Royal Lymingyon	25	26	30	19	22	23	115
26	6411	Zac SHEPHERD	Bosham SC	32	18	27	33	13	27	117
27	6459	Hennie BURLTON	Royal Southern YC	56	7	25	27	19	41	119
28	6582	Angus MCEWEN	Royal Lymington YC	12	17	18	44	50	49	140
29	6301	Will HAKES	Parkstone YC	20	32	37	25	26	47	140
30	6519	Freya HUTCHINSON	RLymYC	29	28	24	50	24	37	142
31	6410	Dirk ROGERS	Royal Lymington YC	3	50	45	20	48	30	146
32	6512	Oliver MEANS	Royal Harwich & Horning	65	14	38	38	45	13	148
33	6583	Eliana EDWARDS	Parkstone YC	BFD	61	20	36	16	16	149
34	6328	Harry DRAPER	Parkstone YC	38	23	28	42	32	38	159
35	6530	Tom HAKES	Parkstone YC	BFD	27	4	OCS	21	32	162
36	6517	Thomas SAUNDERS	Warsash / Royal Southern	28	63	70	26	37	10	164
37	6080	Cinar ege DORTBAS	Draycote Water SC	27	42	34	28	36	40	165
38	6453	Ollie ATKIN	CYBC	42	37	48	22	47	26	174
39	6331	Robbie HUDSON	RLYC	24	24	62	52	29	48	177
40	6570	Merle NIEUWLAND	CBYC	47	33	40	30	27	53	177
41	6575	Theo SMITH	South Staffs & Draycote	26	31	29	72	39	54	179
42	6495	Leo GOSLING	Royal Lymington YC	13	46	55	16	57	50	180
43	6558	Laragh EPSTEIN	CBYC	41	35	65	37	35	33	181
44	6584	Matthew MASON	Burghfield / HISC	21	47	22	49	51	45	184
45	6292	Hugo FLETCHER	Royal Southern / Hrsc	63	25	49	41	49	34	198
46	6506	Dilara SOYER	Draycote Water SC	BFD	49	47	31	30	44	201
47	6007	William MCEWEN	Royal Lymington YC	30	55	41	32	65	51	209
48	6505	Barney BROMILOW	Parkstone YC	54	48	59	21	75	28	210
49	6416	Harry FRANKLIN	Parkstone	61	56	44	46	34	31	211
50	6258	Oliver TRUDGEON	Guernsey YC	39	54	17	51	55	66	216
51	6311	Fraser HAKES	Parkstone YC	31	22	57	47	59	71	216
52	6561	Ella JONES	HISC	BFD	41	31	43	44	57	216
53	5894	Andrew PERRATT	Helensburgh SC / RNCYC	62	53	39	39	67	24	217
54	6531	William FLETCHER	Royal Southern YC / Hrsc	37	13	16	DNS	DNS	DNC	222
55	6152	Nicola RICHARDS	Castle Cove SC	40	21	51	67	53	61	226
56	6533	Jessica WATSON	Guernsey YC	51	68	52	56	31	43	233
57	6360	Emily LEARY	Tata SC	50	66	60	40	23	64	237
58	6404	Madeleine GREAVES	Datchet Water SC / HISC	55	60	54	53	40	55	257
59	6336	Sam ARMSTRONG ROWLAND	RSYC	46	57	61	57	41	58	259
60	6444	Pippa SHEPHERD	Bosham SC	45	43	66	58	63	56	265
61	6424	Sam ROMER	St Catherines SC	BFD	59	42	59	64	42	266
62	4940	Rachel ELMS	HISC	35	64	68	65	58	52	274
63	6586	Sebastian BAILEY	Burghfield SC	53	58	43	60	DPI	65	274
64	6343	Ella MARTIN	CBYC	52	73	58	45	60	60	275
65	6572	Toby WAGGETT	Teesdale SWC / DRSC	44	51	63	62	73	63	283
66	6451	Sienna MORDAUNT	Royal Lymington YC	60	40	77	54	68	62	284
67	6272	Hector DAVIES	Royal LYM YC	43	62	56	61	62	67	284
68	6313	Alanna STARKIE	Derwent Reservoir SC	57	69	64	66	56	46	289
69	6346	Alex BREESE	RLymYC	48	52	74	73	54	69	296
70	6253	Adam CRAIG	Burghfield	69	72	53	63	66	74	323
71	5350	Barnaby WATSON	Guernsey YC	67	76	76	70	52	59	324
72	5627	Molly MARTIN	CBYC	59	74	72	55	69	72	327
73	6334	Isabella BARNES	Draycote. SC	58	65	71	71	72	73	337
74	6196	Niamh EPSTEIN	CBYC	68	70	75	69	61	70	338
75	6398	Zara GATEHOUSE	BEWL	70	77	69	68	71	68	346
76	6395	Megan THOMAS	Cardiff Bay YC	66	75	73	64	70	75	348
77	6501	George SELF	CBYC	64	71	67	DNC	DNS	DNC	358