P&B Northamptonshire Youth Series at Banbury Sailing Club

by Norman Byrd 11 Jul 2023 07:17 BST 8 July 2023

The travelling P&B NYS sailors were greeted by the smell of bacon rolls as we arrived at Banbury Sailing Club. The club is based at Boddington reservoir, perhaps equidistant between Banbury, Daventry and Southam.

The weather was set to be, well, changeable. We were ready for anything. The briefing included a very formal thunder and lightening health and safety assessment (we'll get you off the water well in advance of anything happening) and a less formal instruction for the day (have fun). We were fortunate to have 3 sets of fantastic coaches on the water led by Rachel Heggs. Despite the reservoir being reasonably sizeable, the wind appeared to blow only in one corner of the lake. A wind shadow was firmly planted on the far shore, good job, it was lined with grumpy looking fishermen, we avoided them.

There was enough wind for some capsizes, and at least one incredibly graceful dive out of an almost capsizing (it didn't) Middle Nene sailed Tera. Sailors of all levels of experience practised starting, short beats, and sailing backwards. I know this not from watching, but by hearing the enthusiastic instructions from inside the club, some distance away, whilst sorting out the entries!

I had pre-booked the rain for lunch time, and more or less exactly on time, and for the correct amount of time, it drizzled. As soon as the last mouthful was eaten the rain stopped and the race briefing took place. We're particularly keen to encourage sailors new to racing, or indeed new to travelling, and so the briefings are never terribly serious. We launched for the racing. Sun cream and splash tops were required.

The course was a simple figure of eight. Despite some of the sailors being reasonably new to racing the sailing was fantastically close. There were many different race leaders in the Toppers causing the race officers (thank you Hannah and Julie) to be on their toes recording race times. Keali, Draycote (we double checked) won the first race whilst William, Hollowell, took the second. The last race was a little longer, Peter, Draycote led for the first few laps only to be overtaken. The Toppers finished with Keali winning from William and Charlie (Northampton).

The slow fleet, Optimists, Teras and Topper 4.2 was the largest fleet. Noah, Draycote, won the slow fleet in his Optimist from Finn, Hollowell, also in an Optimist. Henry, Draycote took third overall. Hari, Draycote, had a great afternoon improving in every race in his Topper 4.2 finishing second in the last race.

The sailors wolfed down a great tea (thank you all!) before the prize-giving.

Emily, the Northants NSSA team manager awarded the prizes. As ever, the most important prizes were awarded first, the first time medals. For some of the first timers this will be their first ever race, or their first ever trip away from their home club. Hopefully they all enjoyed it, 3 medals were awarded, Esme, Isaac and Emmeline, great job!

Overall, third prize went to William, although he was tied for points with Keali in second. Noah won. I failed to deliver such fantastic trophies as Middle Nene had awarded, but I think the sailors enjoyed the celebrations!

The first timers' series award looks highly likely to go to a Middle Nene sailor. But who will it be? It is scored based on the number of races started, then races completed if tied, and then points if still tied.

Next up is Northampton, 15th July. All junior sailors are welcome whether they are new to the series or not, and from any club. Be rigged and ready at 09.15 for another top day of coaching, racing and cake consumption!

Overall Results:

Pos	Sail No	Class	PY	Fleet	Club	Helm	First Event	R1	R2	R3	Pts
1st	6376	OPTIMIST	1635	Slow	Draycote Water SC	Noah Byrd		‑1	1	1	2
2nd	48907	TOPPER	1369	Topper	Draycote Water SC	Keali Rhodes		2	‑4	3	5
3rd	14961	TOPPER	1369	Topper	Hollowell SC	William Clarke		3	2	‑4	5
4th	5556	OPTIMIST	1635	Slow	Hollowell SC	Finn Neal		6	3	‑12	9
5th	42830	TOPPER	1369	Topper	Northampton SC	Charlie O'Neill		4	6	‑7	10
6th	45370	TOPPER	1369	Topper	Draycote Water SC	Peter Astley		5	‑19	5	10
7th	47533	TOPPER 4.2	1420	Slow	Draycote Water SC	Hari Clark		‑9	8.5	2	10.5
8th	3263	RS TERA PRO	1364	Slow	Draycote Water SC	Henry Byrd		‑7	5	6	11
9th	1906	RS TERA SPORT	1445	Slow	Middle Nene SC	Esme Hatsell	Yes	8	8.5	‑11	16.5
10th	46364	TOPPER	1369	Topper	Hollowell SC	Edward Croxton		‑11	10	9	19
11th	29519	TOPPER	1369	Topper	Middle Nene SC	Joshua Gilson		‑15	7	13	20
12th	3	RS TERA PRO	1364	Slow	Middle Nene SC	Harry Jarvis		12	‑15	8	20
13th	32542	TOPPER	1369	Topper	Draycote Water SC	Jasper Nicholls		10	11	‑14.5	21
14th	1	RS TERA PRO	1364	Slow	Middle Nene SC	Frank McAuley		13	‑16	10	23
15th	46971	TOPPER 4.2	1420	Slow	Draycote Water SC	Ed Whiitaker		14	12	‑14.5	26
16th	47762	TOPPER	1369	Topper	Hollowell SC	Thomas Croxton		‑18	13	17	30
17th	4540	RS TERA SPORT	1445	Slow	Middle Nene SC	Jameson Trollinger		17	14	‑18	31
18th	2	RS TERA SPORT	1445	Slow	Middle Nene SC	Athena Trollinger		16	17	‑19	33
19th	43526	TOPPER 4.2	1420	Slow	Draycote Water SC	Isaac Foulds	Yes	20	(DNF)	16	36
20th	47181	TOPPER 4.2	1420	Slow	Draycote Water SC	Emmeline Astley		19	18	‑20	37