Rooster North Region ILCA UK Youth Series starts off at Delph Sailing Club

Rooster North Region ILCA UK Youth Series at Delph © DSC

The 18th April 2026 saw the first of the North Region ILCA UK Youth Series - the GP event kindly offered to host this as part of their event and we would like to thank both the GP and Delph Sailing Club. There was an amazing turn out for an early season regatta with some great sailing.

The day began with a briefing at 11am with the race officer Ali Wood where she made the decision to split the fleet into two, 3-minute starts consisting of 7s going off first and 6s and 4s following shortly after, this was done to the fleet size being 42 boats on a relatively small reservoir.

Race one began just after a rainy squall had passed through leaving behind 13-17 knots with the average wind direction being westerly, however over the hills and trees huge shifts would hit you at any angle especially near the top of the beat by the first windward mark.

The ILCA 7 fleet set off first with Tom Bates rounding the windward mark in first place where he led the whole race until Lewis Bacon overtook him at the end to claim victory with Billy Morris pushing both sailors closely. When the ILCA 6 fleet set off, Ava Harris-Scott took the lead round the first mark with Molly Haslam leading the ILCA 4 sailors around the mark. A long six lap race followed with positions shifting constantly through the fleets but Ava took the win with Tristan Shaw closely behind. Molly Haslam maintained her position in the ILCA 4 fleet followed by Lochlyn Grant and Poppy Bedwell.

Races two and three were back-to-back after lunch where Lewis Bacon took the honours in the youth category in the ILCA 7 fleet on both occasions but was pushed hard by Will Taylor in race two and Billy Morris in race three. In the ILCA 6 fleet Ava Harris-Scott led to the windward mark on both times but eventually lost her lead in the final stages to Tristan Shaw in race two and Henry Blades in race three. Molly Haslam led all races for the ILCA 4 fleet to take home the win.

All races were difficult throughout the day due to large shifts and big pressure difference on places such as the reach after mark one and the run down to mark three, but good competitive racing occurred throughout the whole of the day where sailors were never content to maintain their positions.

The ILCA UK Regional Youth Series has four events in the North region with a great opportunity to sail at different Northern venues, in the 4, 6 and 7 rigs. Each region has four suchlike events with all information on the ILCA UK website. Each of the events is sponsored by Rooster whom have provided some great prizes!

The next Northern event is a two-day event at Yorkshire Dales Sailing Club on the 9th and 10th May 2026.

Ava Harris-Scott wins overall - Rooster North Region ILCA UK Youth Series at Delph - photo © DSC

Overall Results: