Sailingfast Thames Valley Grand Prix ILCA Open at Papercourt Sailing Club

Papercourt ILCA Open © Peter Snow

Bright, blustery, and cold - the conditions set the stage for a testing ILCA class event at Papercourt Sailing Club, Surrey, on Sunday, 21st April. The event is part of the Sailingfast, Thames Valley Grand Prix ILCA series. With 21 competitors including 8 in ILCA 7 and 13 in ILCA 6, there were visitors from Wembley, Fairlop Waters SC, Reading and elsewhere, braving the elements.

Breezy conditions and unpredictable gusts made for a test of skill and strategy on the water. The wind tracked left in the afternoon, which opened up opportunities for some gains on the larger shifts. In both the ILCA 6 and ILCA 7 fleets, the competition was tight, with leading positions changing hands multiple times in each race.

In the morning in the ILCA 7 fleet, Simon, who was clearly still revved up from landing that morning from an internation flight, took poll position for the first race. Then Bruce gathered himself from an earlier messy start to take first place for the second race.

In the afternoon, most of the ILCA 7 sailors took a turn at the front, but Bruce held onto the habit of coming out ahead at the finish line, with a selection of others taking second.

Papercourt ILCA Open - photo © Peter Snow

A tasty and welcome hot lunch provided much-needed sustenance, fuelling the competitors for the races in the afternoon. Many thanks to Jill, Cathy, Colin and Sue for pulling together a great spread.

The ILCA 6 fleet was evenly spread with women and men and we saw rare appearances from club sailors Lauren Irons, who was fresh back from her 4th at the Youth Nationals, and Kaitlyn Wyatt, with her first sail back after a very recent appendix surgery.

Race 1 consisted of gusty and shifty conditions and quickly became a tussle between Lauren and Kaitlyn, the lead was constantly changing, with Lauren snatching the win on the finish line. Race 2 was a battle between Lauren and Andrew with Kaitlyn closely following in 3rd, Lauren was able to take her second victory of the morning.

During Race 3 we saw a close match between Christopher and Kaitlyn during the first lap, with Kaitlyn able to break away and secure her first win of the day. Race 4 began with a messy congested line, sending half the fleet off into the bank. This resulted in the fleet staying very bunched up, Kaitlyn managed to break away from the pack, leaving five fighting for room at the gate marks. This was particularly entertaining for those watching from the clubhouse although they missed taking photos. This resulted in Kaitlyn winning, Christopher 2nd and Lauren in 3rd.

In the ILCA 7 fleet, the winners were all from Papercourt SC. It was Bruce Ramshaw who emerged triumphant, with Simon Hamment finishing in second place and Andrew Hill-Smith from claiming third. He was very pleased.

Special mentions need to go to some open meeting first timers. Joe took time out from looking after his newborn, to chase the 7s around the lake. Russ completed all four races in the 6s and has definitely earned his ILCA stripes. Shirley came in a commendable 5th despite the tough conditions. And a final mention to Andrew Boyce, who has sailed a lot, but stepped across from his Solo to remind us that he knows what he is doing on Papercourt lake.

Race officers Martin and Ann played a pivotal role in ensuring the smooth running of the event. Their expertise in setting a course that maximized the usage of the lake, coupled with getting all races under way in good time, was commendable.

Many thanks go to the rescue crews. Their vigilance and quick response ensured the safety of the competitors throughout the day.

As the day drew to a close and the sailors returned to shore, there was a sense of satisfaction and accomplishment in the air. Despite the cold winds and challenging conditions, the ILCA Open had been a resounding success, showcasing the skill, determination, and camaraderie of all the sailors. This last bit was AI generated so apologies if you think it is a bit cheesy!!

We had fun.

And thank you to Sailingfast for their role as lead sponsor for the Grand Prix Series.

The next event in the Thames Valley series is at Fisher's Green on 4th May. Other future events are on the ILCA events page: portal.ilca.uk/events

ILCA 7 Results:

ILCA 6 Results: