Grey skies and a fresh north‑westerly breeze met twelve junior sailors for our Junior and Novice Regatta on Saturday 18th July. Spectators, who had grown used to the recent hot spell, quickly retreated to the clubhouse as intermittent drizzle buffeted the picnic benches!
Competitors were divided into ‘Gold’ and ‘Silver’ fleets according to experience, producing a lively mix of ages and classes. Toppers dominated the entry list, with the smaller sailors opting for the 4.2 sail plan, while the ever‑reliable Optimist and a lone Splash added variety to the fleet.
Race 1 for the nine‑strong Gold Fleet began with Dalton (Topper) launching cleanly off the line, chased by Henrietta (Optimist) and Harvey (Splash). With the fastest boat in the fleet, Harvey surged ahead on the downwind legs, while Dalton and Hattie engaged in a Topper duel behind. The chasing pack traded positions constantly as Rollesby’s trademark gusts caused drama, boats were knocked flat and others spun helplessly into irons. Despite being first boat home, Harvey was knocked off the podium on corrected-time, with Henrietta staying in close for a comfortable handicap victory. In last minute excitement, Dalton almost got pipped to the line by Hattie, with them taking second and third respectively.
The Silver Fleet tackled a shorter, simpler course but faced equally testing conditions. Angus and Victoria battled, but both were pushed off the top spots by Noah (Optimist) who took the win on handicap, with Angus in second and Victoria third.
Race 2 arrived with stronger wind and sharper shifts. Capsizes became more frequent, and frustration grew as sailors fought to stay upright. Dalton again led the Topper charge, breaking clear of the fleet, but Henrietta’s Optimist once more proved unbeatable on corrected time, giving her a second win. Josh (Topper) headed the remainder of the pack and secured third.
Silver Fleet fortunes followed a similar pattern and Noah took his second win, this time finishing first on the water as well. Angus and Victoria shifted their focus from duelling each other to battling the gusts, with Victoria staying upright to take second, leaving Angus third.
After lunch the sailors returned to a Broad whipped by even fiercer gusts. Although the overall winners were already decided, the remaining podium places were still wide open. The Gold Fleet sailed a shortened course as the boats spread out. Hattie seized an early lead and converted it into a decisive win. Stanley (Topper 4.2), less overpowered thanks to his smaller sail, handled the conditions superbly to finish equal second on corrected time with Henrietta, while Dalton completed the top three.
The Silver Fleet continued to wrestle with Rollesby’s unpredictable gusts. Noah once again mastered the conditions, securing his third win of the day just ahead of Angus on handicap, with Victoria in third.
The final race proved decisive across both fleets. Dalton and Hattie ended the day tied on points, but Henrietta’s dominant morning form meant she had already secured the Gold Fleet trophy before lunch, leaving the tie‑break to settle only the remaining podium places. In the Silver Fleet, Noah completed a clean sweep with three straight wins, while Angus held onto second overall and Victoria finished third. All sailors handled the challenging day superbly and results were very tight – see below.
That concludes the main Junior events at Rollesby before the ‘summer break’ when Block 3 resumes in September, but the fun is not over yet! We have a Summer Social and Open Regatta coming up in two weeks on Sunday 2nd of August (more details to follow later). If you enjoyed racing this weekend, why not join us every Sunday throughout the year? Keep up to date with the sailing in the Club WhatsApp group and our Flickr Page – https://www.flickr.com/photos/rollesbybroadsc/albums/72177720333396576/. Hope to see you back out the water again soon!
Report By – Ellie Edwards