HCC Optimist East Coast Championships 30 Jul 2007
What an amazing weekend!
Thank you sailors, parents for bringing your courageous children, safety and race crews, doctors, all administrators, reporters, photographers, chefs, sandwich makers, beach handlers and trolley dollies. The feedback has been tremendous so I can safely say we all enjoyed ourselves. I’d like to answer the one question I have been asked most this week;
YES, we will do it all again next year!
For those of you who can make Otter Week
18th-23rd August,
I look forward to seeing you then but if not next year.
Gemma Cahalane
Fleur Page, the new East Coast Champion, wrote this report for us.
On the 14th and 15th of July, the Corinthian Otters and the BSC joined together to run an open meeting, the Optimist East Coast Championships The event was really successful with 88 Oppies turning up to compete, travelling from 17 different clubs. I sailed in the Main Fleet.
There were 54 boats and we raced near the Horse Shoal from the Corinthian. John Hardy was our Race Officer and he set some good, challenging courses for the weekend, considering the strong tidal conditions.
Saturday morning bought strong winds of about 20- 25 knots, which eventually died to about 15 knots after lunch when the tide had turned.
At the end of four races Josh Crisp (BSC) was leading, followed by Charlotte Alderton (Hayling ISC) and I was in third position.
For all sailors on Saturday evening, there was a barbeque, a disco and a magician and everyone seemed to have enjoyed themselves.
It was Sunday morning and I knew I had to put 100% effort and concentration into the day’s racing, if I wanted to gain top place or even stay in the top three! The wind strength was about 12- 13 knots, which was about what I wanted.
During and after the first race, I began to work out my tactics on the course, as the wind had turned 180 degrees since the Saturday. In the final two races out of three, the racing was normally very close between Roo Clark (Aldeburgh SC), Ross Williams (Grafham SC) and myself, but after many tense moments in both races I managed to win the final two races of the day, which gave me first place overall with Josh second and Ross third and Lucy Goldklang, second Otter in 7th place!
I also found out that the Regatta fleet (33 boats) had done really well considering the tough conditions. Their Race Officer was Rupert Brown.
Well done to Joe Girling, the winner and Stirling Taylor and Henry Boyce close behind on points.
The prize giving was held at the Corinthian and it was really good.
We also received some lovely prizes and everyone received goody bags thanks to the event sponsor “Nick Hutton- Penman” and HCC. Everyone really enjoyed the weekend and would definitely be coming back.
Thanks!