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Harken Youth Classes Regatta 19th-20th September

Over 60 young sailors entered the Harken Royal Lymington Youth Classes Regatta 2009, which was hosted by the Royal Lymington Yacht Club over the weekend of 19-20 September.  The majority were in 420’s, which have seen a terrific boost in popularity and numbers joining the Class this year and this weekend drew a strong fleet from as far afield as Wales.  Also taking part were 10 Lasers (Radial and 4.7) and 5 Cadets, predominantly local sailors.1

After weeks of strong winds, Saturday dawned warm, sunny and…very still!  With the light airs ranging in direction between north west and east and a strongly ebbing tide to contend with, after several optimistic attempts to start in impossible conditions top prize of the day has to be awarded to Race Officer Pete Bell and his team: they finally managed to get a race in by moving the entire fleet inside Pylewell Lake to the east of Lymington River, and setting multiple laps on a very short trapezoid course.  What little wind there was finally settled from a south easterly direction and remained relatively steady at approx 3-4 knots, just about enough to fill a sensitively managed spinnaker, for the duration of what turned into something of an epic of an agonisingly slow 3 laps!

By the time the 420s got away two pairs had fallen foul of the Z flag but the 20% penalty meant that they could still race whereas a black flag would have meant even more hanging around and no experience gained, so this was another welcome decision on the part of the Race Officer!  Not having checked the final flags one boat also set off to leave marks to starboard and didn’t realise their error until they’d rounded the wing mark instead of the windward!  Meanwhile however Tim Gratton and Ed Riley (Warsash) led from the start and steadily extended their lead into clear air at which stage there was no catching them - by the end of the race, sailing beautifully, they were some half a leg in the lead.  Behind them the front half of the fleet remained closely packed leading to some interesting incidents at marks 2 and 3, and a lot of shouting!  Jess Lavery and Georgie Mothersele from Emsworth gained two places on the last leg to take 2nd, and Craig Dibb also from Warsash with Lymington’s Charlie Cox, came in 3rd .  Matt Wallis and Tarra Gill Taylor (Lymington) who had to perform a 720 which took them back from 2nd to 4th then discovered that they’d been OCS anyway!  Thus 4th place went to Annabel Vose (Royal Southern) and Megan Brickwood (Hayling Island).2

The front four Radials reached the windward mark closely together, from which point onwards leaders Lymington’s Tom Britz and Olly Porter became inseparable!  Olly managed to get past Tom by the end of the first lap and the two having extended their lead from the others used a number of tactics from the match racing directory, providing an engaging spectacle including some astonishingly close synchronised gybes, until the final short beat to the finish with Olly holding on to take first place.

From a spectator perspective the Cadets were somewhat buried on their slightly shorter course within the main course and their progress was thus more difficult to follow, but local pair James Dodds and Max Crowe won  convincingly with fellow Lymington sailors Will Davis and Jack Collings in second.                    .

The 4.7’s had been scheduled to race the same shorter course as the Cadets but because of the low turnout they were included with the Radials.  They fell a long way behind over the 3 laps, and separated from each other as well.  Stephanie Harding from Northampton won from David Pain (Cardiff Bay).

As the last of the water ebbed out of Pylewell Lake, the fleet crept homewards through the marshes.  Finally the wind went right through south to the southwest and frustratingly a decent breeze kicked in – distinctly too late!

Sunday’s forecast promised a stronger breeze and began positively with an easterly 8 knots.  In Race 2 (the first of the day) the whole 420 fleet was  close as far around the course as mark 3, and the front 4 Radials rounded the mark virtually as one.  With the Radials still on their second beat however it backed and dropped…and with Race 3 underway it effectively died, at the same time that the strong ebb tide kicked in.  Several boats gained places especially between marks 3 and 4 by using their transits effectively.  Fighting the tide with less and less wind was very challenging for everybody and safety boats were deployed to rescue a number of competitors drifting towards the Needles. 3

In a re-run of Saturday the whole fleet made its way into the relatively tide-protected Pylewell Lake for the final race.  However this time with the tiny course set in the opposite direction with marks to starboard, the tide was strongest at the start and finish – which made for some interesting variations in fortunes for the unwary, notably 420 leaders Tim Gratton and Ed Riley!  Counting that race their discard, they were still convincing champions with two 1st places and a 2nd.  James Hayward and Tim Carter - also from Warsash – finished a deserving 2nd counting a 1st, a 2nd and a 5th. Two girl pairs took the next two places:  Joanna Freeman from Parkstone sailing with Hannah Mitchell from Hollingworth came 3rd, with Jess Lavery & Georgie Mothersele 4th.  Behind them Craig Dibb & Charlie Cox finished 5th.

One of the highlights of the day was to overhear Cadet sailors James and Max helpfully pointing out the correct course to Martha Haslam (South Cerney) and Alice Henery (Lymington) who’d rounded mark 3 ahead of them and were heading the wrong way…one might say the boys could afford to be generous since they still won all 4 races and had to discard a 1st!  Meanwhile 4.7 sailor David Pain was on the course at the start of the first Laser race and had to go back to cross the line, but easily overtook his 2 competitors to win that race by a big margin, and the subsequent 2 races as well.  The Radials were always close but Tom Britz had the edge today and managed to win all 3 races.  4

RLymYC’s Captain of Youth Sailing Ros Urwin thanked Harken for their support of both the Youth Classes Regatta event and the Lymington Optimist Open earlier in the summer.  With the Boat Show finishing today Andy Ash Vie of Harken was unable to present Harken’s generous prizes personally, but Annie Lawrence of RLymYC gallantly stepped in.

Results and prizes: Cadets: 1st James Dodd & Max Crowe,  2nd ,1st girl helm & crew and1st U14 helm Katie Kinver & Gina Hearth (Exe),  3rd Will Davies & Jack Collins, youngest  sailor Henry Marsh.  Laser 4.7: 1st David Pain, 2nd and 1st girl Stephanie Harding, 3rd 4.7 Henry Clark (Lymington).  Laser Radial: 1st Tom Britz, 2nd Olly Porter, 3rd Robbie Urwin (Lymington).  420:  1st Tim Gratton & Ed Riley, 2nd James Hayward & Tim Carter, 3rd (and 1st all girl helm & crew) Joanna Freeman & Hannah Mitchell, 4th Jess Lavery & Georgie Mothersele, 5th Craig Dibb & Charlie Cox, 6th Charlotte & Isabel Fitzgerald (Itchenor), 1st Lymington helm & crew Andrew Wishart & Liam Garrison, youngest crew Sarah Jarman, youngest helm Josh Sparks.

More information and high res photos if required from Jane Porter: 

e-mail  jane@bartleymarketing.co.uk