Junior Spring Championship
Published 17:33 on 2 Jun 2025
The club and terrace once again buzzing with excitement, with the Sprint Junior Championship alongside a number of training courses.
Getting off the terrace was again a challenge with the number of boats so once again, we delayed the 1st start with AP to get boats out to the starting area.
With the main fleet first race in start sequence it was now gusting 20 knots, whilst the regatta fleet held ashore, the Open and Feva fleets were away on a TL course configuration, followed 5 minutes later by the Tera and Oppi fleets on Trapezoid Inner and Outer loops. Shortly after the start the wind dropped back to a more manageable 12-14 knots, with fleets sailing 3 course configurations, they still managed to come over to finish in a tightly packed order.
Sadly, for the Regatta fleet the decision was made to abandon the days racing.
With a quick turnover between races, races 2 and 3 completed with a few retiree's and the minimal equipment failures. Big smiles seen all round; apart from the slightly less smily crew of the 420 with a broken boom!
Day 1 - leaders, each with two wins; in Open fleet Harry, Feva fleet Issac & Kipp, Tera fleet Felix and Oppi fleet Jack
Day 2 - forecast sadly forced an early decision to abandon any racing for the day.
Day 3 - With the wind further round to the south the course was set as a triangle, sausage, triangle configuration with a long beat for the Open and Feva fleet, with an inner course for the Tera fleet. The wind for both fleets was a stable 15 knots with occasional gusts, flat water and glorious sunshine.
A total of 3 races were completed in quick succession, the first race being the longest averaging out at about 25 minutes. The second race and third races progressively shorter, with the last race a quick fire one lap in order to get back ashore at the designated time. The fleets were all reasonably bunched, particularly the Teras, which is a testament to the ever improving standard in what was the largest class, bolstered by a number of boats from Frensham.
The safety boats worked well to be on standby for the odd capsize, and a Tera that required a tow back to shore during the last race.
Matt lead a strong team to deliver 7 races in the Regatta Fleet, in what was a busy stretch of water off the pontoon, great development for progression for those sailors to Little Deep in the future.
Overall leaders for the week were Jonny in the Open Fleet, Isaac and Kip in the Fevas, Felix in the Tera Fleet, and Jack in the Optimists. Henry Holden topped the leader board in the Regatta Fleet.
Many thanks to all those who supported, both on water and ashore, a special mention to those who stepped in at short notice to fill a vacant duty spot as Race Officer Pontoon.
We look forward to seeing you all at the next Junior Championship event, commencing 26 August.
Ian, Rob, Hailey, Matt & Brian