Youth & Masters Championships Race Report

The sailing season has officially started with Poole Yacht Club hosting the Youth and Master Championships last weekend. Six youths competed along side 21 masters each with competitive racing. (Results below)

Youth Champion Nick Devereux returned with some new competition from three boats that had been training all week at the Howard Davis Memorial week, just along the coast in Weymouth.

The Masters’ fleet was no less competitive with Nick Craig, Graham Flynn and Richard Instone all entered, along with some strong competition from home boats.

Three great races were achieved on the Saturday, with only 1 abandoned race.

In the Masters Championship Nick Craig got off to a strong start winning the first race with Graham in second. A protest was soon resolved after all were ashore resulting in Graham Flynn and Keith Dutton taking the overnight lead for the Masters.

In the youth fleet, Ciaran Keogh and Amy Street won the first race, followed by the youngest competitor of the weekend Oliver Hale (13). The second race was won by Nick Devereux and Will Taylor, leaving the third race to decide the overnight winners. Nick and Will took the win in the third race to leave the results at Nick and Will 1st, Ciaran and Amy 2nd and Joel and Poppy James 3rd.

A BBQ was in full swing when the sailors came off the water which was enjoyed by all.

Unfortunately, the wind was not on our side for Sunday. Drizzling and not a puff of wind in sight, racing was cancelled at 1pm and boats were packed away. Many were hoping for two more races, but this could not be the case and the overnight results stayed as they were.

One of those wanting another race was Nick Craig, but none-the-less he still enjoyed the event:

“I really enjoyed the masters, despite having to lie about my age to enter as I am really only a haggard looking 29! The racing was very very close, every inch counted at the windward mark and the standard is high. We were pleased with our speed but useless at boat handling so much to learn but really enjoying the learning curve, great racing and friendly dinghy park. We were hoping for at least one race on Sunday to have a crack at the event but Graham & Keith sailed really well and the race officer made the right call, it isn’t often it is completely windless at sea!”

Our Youth National Champion, Nick Devereux, had a front line view of the action on the water:

“With a forecast of building breeze, the 6-boat youth fleet launched in light winds from Poole Yacht Club. The first start got away smoothly with all boats clear, however a big wind shift up the first beat meant that the race had to be abandoned. The restart of race one was also all clear with Ciaran Keogh and Amy Street taking the lead by the windward mark. A close battle ensued with the top four boats jostling for position along the reaches.”

A small mistake from Devereux and Taylor in second allowed Keogh and Street to open their lead. Local boat Oliver Hale and Corla Consolos put their knowledge of the harbour to good use managing to climb into second by the windward mark. The top two stayed the same on the downwind with Joel and Poppy James taking third in a close finish.

The second race got underway with building wind. A close windward mark rounding between all 6 boats saw Devereux and Taylor lead. Joel and Poppy kept Devereux and Taylor under pressure around the race course but couldn’t do enough to get past. Keogh and Street managed to claim third.

The final race of Saturday saw similar winds of that to the second with gusts reaching 20 knots. Around the windward mark it was the same top three as the second race in the same order. Devereux and Taylor extended their lead with Keogh and Street putting pressure on Joel and Poppy for the entire race. Overnight there was one point separating the top 3 boats.

Sunday looked like it was going to be all to race for. Unfortunately, light winds and mist covered the harbour for the entirety of the day, and after some chilli for lunch the race officer called off racing for the day.

Overall Devereux/Taylor (Budworth/ Plymouth Uni) won, with Keogh/Street (Welsh Harp) winning the tie break to finish second ahead of Joel and Poppy James (Southport). Oliver Hale won first U16 helm in 4th overall.

Thank you to all the competitors who travelled from near and far to support the event and to Poole Yacht club for hosting an excellent start to the season.

Congratulations to Master Champions Graham Flynn and Keith Dutton, and Youth Champions Nick DeVere and Will Taylor.

Results: Youth Championship

Results: Masters’ Championship