UK Optimist Selection Trials 2022 at the Weymouth & Portland National Sailing Academy
by Jane Saunders 16 May 2022 10:48 BST
29 April - 2 May 2022
UK Optimist Selection Trials 2022 at the WPNSA © Richard Edwards & Jane Saunders
The UK Optimist selection trials took place at Weymouth & Portland Sailing Academy over the May Bank Holiday weekend. This was an invitation only event, with sailors being selected from the Spring Championships which had taken place at Draycote Water at the start of March.
A fleet of 80 keen young sailors arrived at Weymouth to compete in the selection trials to choose the GBR teams for 2022. It was a busy weekend for the UK Optimist fleet, with the less experienced sailors in the fleet also on the water, competing at the Eric Twiname Junior Championships at Rutland Water.
Unfortunately it proved to be an extremely light and tricky 4 days on the water, and despite the best efforts of Adrian Stoggall and his excellent committee boat and mark laying team only 5 shifty and challenging races were possible over the first two days of the competition. After an early start on Sunday, the sailors had a long hold ashore which unfortunately resulted in no sailing for the day.
The final day dawned as light and shifty as the previous couple of days, and unfortunately, despite everyone willing the wind to make an appearance, and the Race Committee getting everyone out on the water so they were poised in case a race was possible, the wind declined to play ball and the results of the first two days stood, without a discard in the series.
Despite the difficulties with running racing, many friendships were made and cemented, both on and off the water, and everyone's patience, ball games and skateboarding skills improved over the weekend (although the parents weren't totally convinced by the new sport of 'dog skateboarding').
Given the conditions, it was fantastic to get at least five races completed, and this was due to the hard work of Adrian and the race committee and the mark laying team! Finally, a huge thank you once again to our class sponsors Gill, xtremity.net and Noble Marine Insurance for all their support.
The teams which have been selected to represent GBR over the summer are as follows. Congratulations all!
Worlds Team - heading to Bodrum, Turkey
Archie Munro-Price
Arthur Greaves
Eliana Edwards
Joe Wimpory
Lila Edwards
European Team - heading to Sønderborg, Denmark
Cinar Ege Dortbas
Dylan Creighton
Freya Hutchinson
India Eastwood
Luke Elliott
Tabitha Davies
Will Mears
Venice Team Racing Team
Archie Munro-Price
Lila Edwards
Tabitha Davies
William Fletcher
Development 1 Team - heading to the Costa Brava Spring Cup, Spain
Dirk Rogers
Hennie Burlton
Joe Armstrong Rowland
Laragh Epstein
Noelle Delin
Pippa Shepherd
Platon Khodykin
Seb Lyttle
Will Hakes
William Webster
Zac Shepherd
Development 2 Team - heading to the French National Championships
Adam Craig
Amelia Kent
Andrew Perratt
Barney Bromilow
Ben Welfare
Ella Jones
Emily Leary
Harry Draper
Hector Davies
Hugo Fletcher
Lola Saunders
Ollie Atkin
Sebastian Bailey
Thomas Saunders
Toby Waggett
Tom Eastwood
Irish Senior Team - heading to the Irish National Championships
Alanna Starkie
Finlay Davidson
Hugh Andrews
Theo Smith
Irish Junior Team (12 and under) - heading to the Irish National Championships
Alex Saunders
Ben McEwen
Callum Marshall
Ewan Hamilton
Felix Garlick
Felix Howe
Finn Ramus
Harry Whelan
Isla Hill
Isobel Sandow
Jonny Rogers
Kit Lester
Laszlo Drummond
Niamh Epstein
Noah Byrd
Rachel Elms
Sam Armstrong Rowland
Thomas Knight
Wilbur Parmer Ward
Will Hutchinson