Cadet and Club Weeks 2025 at Blackwater Sailing Club
by Gay Ayton 9 Sep 2025 16:13 BST
The Blackwater Sailing Club is proud to celebrate another wonderful season on the water with two of the Club's most anticipated events in the calendar, the Cadet and Club Weeks that bring its members together in a celebration of exhilarating sailing, fierce competition and memorable camaraderie for sailors of all ages and abilities.
Cadet Week - a fabulous week to remember
The Club is registered as an RYA British Youth Training school and Cadet Week held this year from 5-10 August has long been key in its development programme for young sailors. Over 153 cadets took part in a packed week of sailing, coaching, adventure and fun with first time sailors learning the ropes on the Club's training lake to experienced cadets honing their racing skills out on the river Blackwater.
Sailing in a variety of dinghies from Optimists, Toppers, RS Feva, 420s, Lasers, as well as Club cruisers, even Thames Barges and the Oyster Smack 'Hyacinth, the cadets showed resilience, skill and enthusiasm as good winds picked up throughout the week culminating in a breezy Saturday - then 100 boats enjoyed a sunny Sunday sail to Maldon for ice cream.
Osea Evans and Katherine Carver, Cadet Committee members, said: "What a fantastic and memorable week it was and many thanks to all the dedicated volunteers and organisers under the leadership of our enthusiastic Cadet Skipper, Jonny Garlick. With great sailing there was plenty of onshore activity too from roller skating, traditional tractor pull contest, curry night to the Ceilidh and fancy-dress competition with 'O' as the theme.
We are also thrilled to have raised over £1800 from an amazing raffle for our four charities Cardiac Risk in the Young, Thames Barge Sailing Trust, Heritage Marine Foundation and the Farleigh Hospice. Farleigh Hospice was also the charity being supported by the BSC member Richard Marshall's Swim Across the Channel which took part over the last two days of Cadet Week."
Club Week - shifty winds, sea shanties and a Celebration of the Sea!
Due to tide times, this year's Club Week kicked off mid-week with a good steady force 4 breeze and over 80 boats enjoyed two thrilling back-to-back races. The northerly wind continued to challenge throughout the week, with either too much which made for some tactical and exciting racing, or too little resulting in shortened courses and boats struggling to get over the finish line due to the tide.
Two very plucky cadets - Victor Iszatt (aged 10) in his Optimist and Amelia Gilbert (15) in her Topper - stayed out 2 half hours to finish their race resisting offers to be towed back by the ribs!
To finish the week, the winners of all the different classes race against each other in the single-handed Zest dinghy in a hotly contested Cock of the River race, won this year by Mike Iszatt.
The week's social calendar was just as packed and highlights included the Quiz Night, Commodore's supper 'A celebration of the Sea' with imaginative fancy-dress and entertainment from The Motley Crew Shanty Band from Brightlingsea.
Sheena Berney, Commodore said: "Congratulations to all our winners, we've had some fantastic racing over these two weeks. As a Club largely run by its members, it's huge thanks to everyone - volunteers, race officers, safety boat crews and onshore teams who make it happen. With the success still fresh, planning has already started for next year. As always new members are warmly welcome."
Cadet Week Winners:
Optimists: 1st Oliver Keeble, 2nd Matthew Marshall, 3rd Victor Izatt
Toppers: 1st Amelia Gilbert, 2nd Ben Crawford, 3rd Isabelle Miller
RS Feva: 1st Amelie Fairhead & Bonnie Marshall, 2nd Natasha Adkins & Esme Thomas,
3rd Hattie Garlick & Freddie Diddams
Lasers Overall: 1st Jess Welch, 2nd Austin Edwards, 3rd Hugh Andrews
General Handicap: 1st Bella Elderton & Hermione Cook, 2nd Flo Evans & Katherine Carver,
3rd Olivia Adkins & Henry Louis
Cock of the Cadets:
1st Jess Welch, 2nd Amelie Fairhead, 3rd Bella Elderton
Club Week Winners:
Optimists: Victor Iszatt
Mirror: Mirror Goblet & Gilbert Trophy - Kevin Dowley
Short Course: Trebor Topper Salver and Sinclair Tankard: Esme Thomas & Iola Thomas/ Florence Fenton
Fast Handicap: Mike Iszatt
Fireball: Goldhanger Trophy: Steve Jarred & Jack Bernard; Blobs Trophy: Mark Maskell & Luca Batley
Medium Handicap: Committee Trophy: Dan Dixon; Osea Handicap Trophy: Jon Simpson;
Firefly Trophy: Ist Solo: Mark Osborne; Silverdene Cup: 1st 420: Sam Glover & Dom Carver
Laser: Laser Pot Tankard: Jessica Welch;Broken Mast: Matt Bernard
Wayfarer: Brown Tankard: Graham Hoy & Rob Haigh; Tom-Tom Trophy & Pippin Trophy: Alan & Janet Hoy
Sprite: Terry Cup, Thursday Cup, David Marlow Salver & Bunting Trophy: Marcus Gallo & Gill Callander
Fast Cruiser: Mike Sargeant & crew
Club Cruiser: Harry Coday & Duncan Clark
Cock of the River: Mike Iszatt
For information about visiting and joining the Club, contact:
Blackwater Sailing Club, Heybridge Basin, Maldon, Essex CM9 4SD
www.blackwatersailingclub.org.uk