Cadets at the Waldringfield Sailing Club Easter Egg 2023

Cadets at the Waldringfield Easter Egg © Alexis Smith

Nine Cadets arrived at Waldringfield on Easter Sunday for the annual Easter Egg open. Day one of racing started off with very little wind despite the forecast, so in an attempt to get all three races completed race 1 was started. With a struggle to get to the line due to the flooding tide the start was postponed.

A helping hand was given by the rescue fleet to get the dinghies closer to the course and the 3 minute sequence began again. With LouLou & Clara making it first across the start line, as the rest of the fleet were drifting backwards in the tide, the abandonment flag was displayed. Lunch was the order of the day as the waiting game for wind started.

After lunch, a course change, more wind and still lots of tide, it was back out onto the water for race 2. A clean start and Lulu & Clara led the pack again to be first at the windward mark. Confusion then ensued with the lead two boats not 100% sure of the next mark; this led to George & George taking the lead with Alex & Jude and Lulu & Clara dropping back down the fleet. A long downwind leg and another beat let Oscar & Emily take the win with Tom & Ella in second.

Race 3 gave the fleet a second chance to sail the course with a bit more wind and a slack tide. Alex & Jude took the win with LouLou & Clara in second, closely followed by Kali & Clementine in third.

Cadets at the Waldringfield Easter Egg - photo © Alexis Smith

Day 2 started with James & Jasper and Imogen & Jemima missing, but with a new addition of Freddie & Rory.

A breezy day with strong gusts got race 3 off to a start with LouLou & Clara and Alex & Jude battling it out, with Alex taking the win. The call was taken for lunch and the fleet returned to shore.

Race 4 was then started using the same course further down river, leaving the fleet to concentrate on managing the gusts. Alex & Jude took an early lead closely followed by LouLou & Clara. After a swim by Alex & Jude, LouLou & Clara took the win followed by Kali & Clementine and George & George.

After a review of the points Alex & Jude won the event on countback with LouLou & Clara in second and Oscar & Emily in third, and for his first event helming James Vellacott & Primrose finished in eighth place after a long two day battle with wind and gusts, proving himself a promising and resilient upcoming helm.

Well done to Rory & Freddie for their first event and to Jemima for stepping in and crewing for Imogen. We look forward to seeing more of them on the water soon. Thanks to Alexis Smith for the photos.

Cadets at the Waldringfield Easter Egg - photo © Alexis Smith

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