Leigh & Lowton Junior Fun Day 27th August 2007

Another August Bank Holiday Monday at Leigh & Lowton SC & the stage was set for our annual Junior Fun Day - a whole day of lighthearted sailing, BBQ & onshore games. The expected fleet was reduced by the Topper World Championships where many of our racing group are competing, however, the enthusaism of those that were left more than made up for the lower numbers.

The days events started at 11:00am with the 1st of 2, 1/2 hour personal handicap races where the inexperienced helms set off on the triangular course first with the racers having to wait on the banks for their turn to start which was staggered according to experience & skill. Celine let the dogs out by being first off the mark, she was also a close 2nd to Matthew when the 1/2 hour timegun was sounded in the 1st race - great sailing Celine. James came in 3rd in the 1st race but managed a win in the 2nd race, followed by Jamie, Megan & Brogan.

Such was the enthusiasm to get on with the racing, one junior launched his boat but only realised at the 10second warning that he had not got his rudder, a Launch Control Assistant was despatched & he got on his way with the minimum of delay.

The BBQ coals were lit by the shoreside team & were ready for the juniors when they came off the water for lunch, a mix of Sausages, Burgers, Chicken wings, Salad & Juice was consumed with relish & the kids were duly prepared for the afternoons events - a mix of shore based games & sailing Toppers as a team. Howard took the role of MC for the games as usual & kept the kids (& parents) entertained in style - The Hip Lunge Swing Potato Croquet game started the onshore games - the big cheaters were duly reprimanded, no hands allowed(Sarah)!! this was followed by the Tyre Step Egg & Spoon Obstacle race where Morgan showed the big chaps how to go - Lucy managed to Scramble one of the eggs which Howard was mean't to be having for Tea - sorry Howard!!

A tug of war without any cheating at all(!!!!!) followed which split the teams into 2, both with average height contestants - absolutely NO outside help was witnessed, not even from Mark Atherton!!! - After an Eggthrowing competition which was skillfully won by James & Andrew with Jamie and Martin as runners up - the juniors headed to the beach for the afternoon sailing.

The Juniors were split into 3 teams of 4 for the afternoon sailing, they had to set off from the shore, 2 per boat with a tennis ball which was to be used as a baton, the 1st pair had to sail round a Dan buoy a few hundred metres away, return & hand over the ball to the 2nd pair who then sailed the course - great fun was had both during the changeover & the sailing - plenty of cheering & encouragement from those left onshore. After doing a similar excercise with all 4 team members in the Toppers the juniors set about the serious scientific research element of the day - how many juniors can get into (or onto) an Oppi before it sinks? Check out the video on Youtube!

The final event of the day was the now traditional jumping off the jetty competition. This is taken more seriously every year with valued prizes at stake. This year we had 3 separate heats for Highest, Longest & Silliest jumps - all had a go & some of the jumps were caught on camera - Subcategories such as biggest splash, smallest splash, most spectacular jump, loudest scream, highest pitch squeal & makeup still intact were introduced by the panel of high powered judges that watched intently from the shoreline..........

.............. Great fun was had by all - roll on next year!