The RYA North West Junior Travellers Trophy 2004
West Lancs Yacht Club 2nd October 2004
Leigh
& Lowton Juniors went travelling -
Someone got some Silverware!
6
Leigh & Lowton Juniors braved the elements at West Lancs Yacht Club
on Saturday 2nd October for the last event in the 2004 North West Junior
Travellers Trophy series.
Race 1 started shortly after 10:30 on a course which was perhaps biased
to the more experienced sailors, it being complex & difficult to navigate
without prior knowledge of the water (marks with no identifying numbers
on them). The juniors found the wind conditions on the edge of what they
could manage, with many spills & incidents the majority managed to
finish the 1½ hr race, they came ashore exhausted & ready for
the promised lunch. The galley had other ideas - the lunch was still in
the oven & the 2nd race was speedily started in strengthening wind
conditions. Many boats decided to stay ashore - possibly the correct decision
as it was on the 1st run that a squall gusting F5/F6 sorted the wheat
from the chaff, a large percentage of the fleet was knocked flat and kept
the rescue crews at full stretch. Only 5 of 21 Handicap & 1 of 10
Optimists finished the 2nd race with a very similar number of finishers
in the 3rd race after lunch when the conditions at the start could be
described as "survival", the experienced sailors were having
fun. Most of the junior sailors were seen sneaking off to the Ice-cream
van further down the prom rather than risking themselves out on the water.
The event was followed by the prize-giving for the NWJTT series at which
awards were made to those that had sailed at least 5 different events
in 2004, Gideon Slayen came second overall and first U14 in the handicap
fleet, he was awarded a silver trophy and plaques. Sarah Yeates was 2nd
in the Optimist fleet. Full
report to follow.
REDESMERE 3rd September 2004
Leigh
& Lowton Juniors went travelling -
Someone got all the Chocolates at Redesmere!
It
was the turn of Redesmere SC to host the RYA North West Junior Travellers
Trophy event on a warm & sunny Saturday 3rd September. There was
the customary warm welcome from the host members with free Tea &
Toast on arrival which, with the legendary Redesmere BBQ lunch, paved
the way to a very enjoyable days entertainment for the parents - I think
the sailors enjoyed themselves into the bargain.
7 Juniors from Leigh & Lowton were in attendance (once again the
biggest fleet of visitors) including Gideon Slayen, Sophie Stott, Daisy
& Alice Murphy and Andrew Price in Toppers, Sarah & Lucy Yeates
took their Optimists. A total of 30 boats were in the handicap fleet
with a further 5 in the optimist fleet.
Sarah won in her Optimist closely followed by Lucy 2nd & Elliot
Hanson of Redesmere in 3rd. The handicap fleet was closely contested
& Redesmere sailors took the placings however, all our sailors enjoyed
completing the course in the testing light airs that were the order
of the day. It was Daisy who won all the chocolates this time, for coming
12th & being one of the highest under 12 yrs old, she was more than
happy to share her haul with the others. Andrew Price seemed to enjoy
his first Junior Travellers & we hope to see him at a few more events
next season.
The event was a credit to the host club & whilst the courses where
perhaps a bit more complex than necessary, no one seemed to sail the
wrong way this time.
The last of the 10 event series is on October 2nd at West Lancs Sailing club.
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