IOCA Gill Early Summer Optimist Championships at Derwent Reservoir Sailing Club

by Stephen Wright 26 May 11:01 BST 13-14 May 2023

IOCA Gill Early Summer Optimist Championships at Derwent Reservoir © Stephen Wright

After a six-year absence it was excellent to see the Optimist fleet back at Derwent Reservoir Sailing Club (DRSC) for the 2023 IOCA Gill Early Summer Championships on 13-14 May 2023.

Seventy-four sailors arrived from around the UK, with some travelling from as far north as Aberdeen and as far south as Dorset. For those who arrived late and spent a night under canvas at the club, the bright sunshine and fine scenery on Saturday morning was a rewarding sight. An hour's postponement while the wind filled in gave everyone time to rig, catch up with friends and grab a bacon sandwich from the galley.

With a light south easterly breeze, PRO Imogen Gibb led her race team towards the dam and set a course with an outer loop for Main Fleet and a shorter inner loop for the Intermediate Fleet. Racing got under way around noon, with both fleets completing two races before the wind dropped off altogether. In the first race, left seemed to pay with DRSC club member, Olivia Coady, heading out to the port lay line and reaping the rewards with a 2nd place to Will Moss, of Barnt Green SC.

In Intermediate Fleet, Charlie Holland, of Hayling Island SC, got off to a fabulous start, winning both races on Saturday and setting up a lead that would be impossible to catch. Charlie had come third place in the Regatta Fleet at the IOCA Spring Championships and made the step up to Intermediate Fleet with ease. Similarly, Roisin Epstein from Cardiff Bay SC, who had come fifth in Regatta Fleet at the Springs, came second in Intermediate fleet this weekend. Well done to them both for moving up to this new fleet for the Class and for sailing so well.

IOCA Gill Early Summer Optimist Championships at Derwent Reservoir - photo © James Self

Meanwhile, Regatta Fleet Race Officer Calum Polwart led his fleet through six short races, with Finnian Keegan winning five of them and going on to win comfortably overall on the Sunday. Well done to all the regatta fleet sailors in particular those for whom it was their first regatta - local sailor Johnnie Tellez received an endeavour prize for really enjoying the racing and giving it his all.

On Sunday the wind had moved to West and built a little. Main and Intermediate Fleet headed down to the dam and found a nice breeze, which rewarded those who could read the shifts and make good decisions. Will Moss had a great weekend, went on to win two more races on the Sunday and the regatta overall. Freya Hutchinson sailed consistently all weekend, finishing first girl and 6th overall.

Intermediate Fleet came in after three good races and Main Fleet stayed out longer for a fourth, completing a six-race series. Calum again set the Regatta Fleet race course on the water in front of the club giving parents a great view of the racing from the balcony - another six races completing a 12-race series. Full results are available via links on the Class racing calendar: www.optimist.org.uk/racing/events-calendar

It's lovely to see kids being kids - IOCA Gill Early Summer Optimist Championships at Derwent Reservoir - photo © Stephen Wright

Many thanks of course to all our Race Officials, including Nick Rusbridge, National Judge, for overseeing fair racing. Three club members put many hours of planning into making the event a success - Deborah Waggett, alongside her role as Training Officer for the Class, Carol Ellen Starkie and David Shilling - and deserve a special thank you.

The Club were very generous hosts, with a galley serving breakfast rolls and lunches, plenty of hard standing for campervans and a huge field for camping making life very easy for those who chose to stay on site. Many people commented how nice it was for the Class to hold a summer event where families were able to camp at the club and the relaxed feel that gave to the weekend. The fine, early summer weather certainly helped, and families were able to barbecue food, have a drink in the bar while the children hung out or played together in the grounds of the club.

We are looking forward to the IOCA Late Summer Championships at Pwllheli, on 9-10 September 2023, which with sea sailing off the beach and plenty of space to camp on site we expect will be another excellent event.

IOCA Gill Early Summer Optimist Championships at Derwent Reservoir - photo © David Shilling

Main Fleet Results:

Pos	Sail No	Name	R1	R2	R3	R4	R5	R6	Pts
1st	6618	William Moss	1	2	1	1	2	‑4	7
2nd	6611	Jonny Rogers	3	‑10	2	2	9	2	18
3rd	6624	Andrew Perratt	7	6	6	5	3	‑15	27
4th	6517	Thomas Saunders	6	‑19	12	7	7	3	35
5th	6628	Harry Draper	4	17	‑25	3	4	8	36
6th	6635	Freya Hutchinson	9	4	4	(UFD)	13	6	36
7th	5080	Olivia Coady	2	13	7	‑27	12	11	45
8th	6242	Jacob Jull	8	14	‑27	13	11	1	47
9th	6636	Isla Hutchinson	‑28	11	5	16	8	10	50
10th	6612	Dirk Rogers	17	1	13	‑19	14	12	57
11th	6495	Leo Gosling	(DSQ)	7	3	15	17	17	59
12th	6410	Amelia Kent	5	28	19	9	1	‑34	62
13th	6622	Laszlo Drummond	‑25	12	8	4	22	18	64
14th	6572	Toby Waggett	15	3	24	18	‑27	5	65
15th	6430	Isla Hill	11	5	26	6	26	‑30	74
16th	6450	Rory Armstrong	10	15	10	20	19	‑28	74
17th	6516	Callum Marshall	16	9	(UFD)	21	16	14	76
18th	6400	Tom Keegan	13	(UFD)	22	14	20	13	82
19th	6606	Noah Mathers	18	39	18	(UFD)	6	9	90
20th	6313	Alanna Starkie	‑42	27	11	26	15	16	95
21st	6586	Sebastian Bailey	(RET)	8	9	RET	21	7	97
22nd	6529	Henry Cruse	14	22	(UFD)	8	24	35	103
23rd	6163	Stella Davey	19	‑24	15	24	23	23	104
24th	6360	Emily Leary	12	‑41	31	30	5	36	114
25th	6558	Niamh Epstein	22	‑36	14	36	18	25	115
26th	6490	Pippa Knights	21	31	20	22	‑37	21	115
27th	6522	Ruby Coster	32	26	23	17	‑33	22	120
28th	6500	Henry Blades	‑38	21	17	28	35	20	121
29th	5844	Elizabeth Hudson	27	33	29	10	‑36	24	123
30th	4940	Rachel Elms	‑39	38	33	25	10	19	125
31st	6355	Robin Wright	34	20	16	(UFD)	32	26	128
32nd	6591	Dougal Jackson	20	23	32	31	25	‑33	131
33rd	6449	Harry Whelan	‑40	16	34	29	29	32	140
34th	5243	Alex Welfare	30	18	30	35	‑41	40	153
35th	6282	Finlay Ritchie	37	44	36	12	31	‑49	160
36th	6013	Lochlyn Grant	31	35	21	38	‑39	37	162
37th	6368	Merryn Wealthy	35	25	(UFD)	34	30	39	163
38th	6464	Ryan Surguy	33	29	35	23	44	‑48	164
39th	6527	Logan Brown	‑47	37	37	37	34	29	174
40th	6343	Molly Martin	29	34	39	‑46	46	27	175
41st	6395	Meg Thomas	24	46	28	45	38	‑47	181
42nd	5527	Kate Charlesworth	23	32	‑47	40	SCP	45	184
43rd	5464	Hector Jackson	45	47	43	11	42	‑50	188
44th	6569	Charlie Knights	26	‑45	45	32	43	42	188
45th	6230	Finley Browne	‑48	30	41	43	47	31	192
46th	6424	Beth Llewellyn	46	40	40	33	‑48	43	202
47th	6523	William Fuller	41	42	‑46	39	45	38	205
48th	6397	Darcy Odonnell	43	‑49	38	44	40	41	206
49th	6503	Angus Millar	36	48	42	41	‑50	44	211
50th	6570	Charlotte Self	44	43	44	42	‑49	46	219
51st	4844	Leo Ayna	(DNC)	DNC	DNC	DNC	DNC	DNC	260

Intermediate Fleet Results:

Pos	Sail No	Name	R1	R2	R3	R4	R5	Pts
1st	6451	Charlie Holland	1	1	1	‑2	1	4
2nd	6277	Roisin Epstein	2	‑4	3	1	2	8
3rd	6206	Rose Versey	‑3	3	2	3	3	11
4th	6105	Sam Wealthy	4	2	4	5	‑6	15
5th	5370	Oscar Manning	6	‑7	6	4	4	20
6th	5519	Blythe Brown	5	5	‑7	6	5	21
7th	6571	Fraser Smith	‑8	8	5	7	7	27
8th	6344	Finlay White	7	6	‑8	8	8	29

Regatta Fleet Results:

Pos	Sail No	Name	R1	R2	R3	R4	R5	R6	R7	R8	R9	R10	R11	R12	Pts
1st	6302	Finnian Keegan	2	1	1	1	1	1	2	‑3	1	1	1	‑4	12
2nd	6354	Hugo Thomas	1	‑6	3	4	4	‑5	1	1	2	3	2	1	22
3rd	5961	Zoe Green	‑9	7	4	5	2	4	3	‑9	3	2	3	2	35
4th	6420	Isla Macleod	4	3	6	‑7	3	‑7	5	4	4	4	4	3	40
5th	5916	Clarissa Jackson	5	4	5	‑8	‑9	8	4	2	5	5	7	5	50
6th	6552	Amelia Browne	3	‑9	8	3	5	2	7	6	8	‑11	8	7	57
7th	4630	Jake White	6	2	2	9	‑13	3	‑13	11	10	9	6	9	67
8th	6543	Sebastian Vials	‑10	5	9	‑11	10	9	9	5	6	7	5	6	71
9th	5955	Annabelle Kent	8	‑11	7	6	6	6	8	7	‑9	8	9	8	73
10th	11	Henry Jones	‑13	10	10	2	7	11	11	‑12	7	6	11	10	85
11th	6625	Cameron Ritchie	7	8	‑12	10	8	10	6	8	‑11	10	10	11	88
12th	5526	Johnnie Tellez	12	‑13	‑13	12	12	12	12	10	12	12	12	12	118
13th	5687	Charlotte Mcgaughey	11	12	11	‑13	11	‑13	10	13	13	13	13	13	120