On the 30th of August 2025, Rollesby Broad Sailing Club hosted the 31st Broadland Youth regatta. The event brought together eight sailing clubs across Norfolk and Suffolk, providing the youth sailors with the opportunity to showcase their skills in a day of racing and competing with each other.
For the first time ever, Rollesby Broad hosted the regatta, providing a safe, enclosed, and welcoming environment for the event. The Rollesby Broad Sailing Club has been a hub for sailing for the past 53 years, taking pride in the racing opportunities and competitiveness it offers its members, from grassroots to the present day. By hosting the Broadland Youth Regatta, the club showcased the valuable experience and racing cultivated at Rollesby.
Despite the earlier threat of Hurricane Erin, the day turned out to be filled with uninterrupted sunshine and steady south-westerly winds, creating perfect racing conditions on Rollesby Broad.
Ninety competitors turned out on the day, with a fleet of 80 boats taking to the water in a series of 16 races. As with previous Broadland Youth Regattas, there was a wide range of experience and skill levels of the competitors, varying in age from 7 to 19, with some younger competitors very new to racing and making their “open regatta” debut.
The boats were split into four fleets. Toppers took to the water first, tackling the strong breeze with Oppies and RS Tera chasing them after 5 mins. Once the first two races were complete, it was the lasers’ turn, with the fast fleet at their heels. Taking advantage of their spinnakers the RS Fevas were flying, the brightly coloured sails soaring forward as they ran down the broad towards the clubhouse. Cheers of over 200 spectators greeted the sailors as the bell rang out as each boat crossed the finish line.
As the afternoon progressed, gusts of wind caused chaos on the water, leading to synchronised capsizes involving RS Fevas and Lasers, all met with cheers from the crowd at the clubhouse. Even with death-rolls and capsizes littering the broad, the young sailors’ spirits were high as the day drew to an end.
The Number 6 buoy off of a downwind run posed challenging with the competitors, with the Rollesby Woods shielding the mark, the strong winds dropped as the sailors hardened up towards following buoys and the finish line. Capsizes across the site kept the rescue teams busy, with entanglements with the buoy flags happening more than once.
Another incident occurred at number 6, when the unfortunate crew of a RS Feva fell overboard. Swimming after their boat, a fellow RS Feva team, seeing the accidental swim, rescued the stranded crew, returning them safely to the jetty. This act of sportsmanship led to Rollesby awarding the Feva an award for embodying the spirit of Rollesby Broad Sailing Club, which emphasises supporting one another and fostering a friendly racing atmosphere.
5:30 brought the day to an end with free hotdogs for competitors and the ice cream van providing dessert, the clubs gathered in front of Rollesby clubhouse for thanks to the competitors, volunteers and sponsors prior to the prize-giving.
The inter-club competition for the Centenary Salver was won by Snowflakes Sailing Club, Waveney and Oulton Broad Yacht Club were second, and Horning Sailing Club were third. Hickling Broad Sailing Club came fourth, Norfolk Broads Yacht Club came fifth, Beccles Amateur Sailing Club came sixth, Norfolk Punt Club came seventh, and Rollesby Broad Sailing Club came Eighth.
The Whelpton Cup, for the most successful double-handed boat, was awarded to Beccles’s Sam and Freya in their expertly sailed traditional Norfolk One Design dinghy.
The Lady Mayhew Trophy for endeavour, “applying the greatest effort in a spirit of sport determination and fun without necessarily achieving a winning position,” was awarded to Joly Brewster & Henry Long from Beccles in their RS Feva.
An absolutely brilliant day for all competitors and volunteers who’s time and energy went into making it a memorable and excellent experience for all sailing at rollesby broad sailing club.
Rollesby Broad SC was supported in the running of the event by sponsorship from Cox’s boatyard, Marine Tech and many other local businesses.
Ben Falat, at the presentation and on behalf of the Norfolk and Suffolk Boating Association, thanked volunteers from Rollesby Broad sailing Club, which included Commodore Rhiannon Alger, lead Race Officer Tamsin Highfield, race officers Roger Wilson & Phil Highfield and their dedicated team of timekeepers, beachmasters, caterers and safety boat crews.
Fancy having a go at sailing for free? Come to Rollesby any time between: 10:00—15:00 on the 26th April A club member will take you for a sail. Ages 6—99 Snacks and refreshments available
Rollesby Broad Sailing Club, Burgh Wood Rd, Ormesby St Margaret, Great Yarmouth NR29 3LT
Following the death, last year, of our friend Dennis Manning the club has revived the Wayfarer Trophy as a memorial . This is to be awarded to the best scoring Wayfarer team over several series combined.
First presented in 1995, we have decided to reinstate the RBSC Wayfarer Trophy in memory of our good friend Dennis Manning. The trophy is to be presented each year to the most successful Wayfarer competing over the Autumn, Winter and Frostbite series. Dennis had won the trophy on many occasions in the past and wishing to promote more class racing within the club it seemed appropriate that we reinstate the trophy.
We have extracted the Wayfarer results from Race 1 and 2 morning Multi-sail starts so far and published them separately here:- Wayfarer Trophy
The winners of the 2024-2025 series over the winter period were David Houghton and John Symonds. A presentation was made at the Spring Regatta on 6 th April 2025.
Wayfarer Trophy is to be reinstated in Memory of Dennis Manning
First presented in 1995, we have decided to reinstate the RBSC Wayfarer Trophy in memory of our good friend Dennis Manning. The trophy is to be presented each year to the most successful Wayfarer competing over the Autumn, Winter and Frostbite series. Dennis had won the trophy on many occasions in the past and wishing to promote more class racing within the club it seemed appropriate that we reinstate the trophy.
We have extracted the Wayfarer results from Race 1 and 2 morning Multi-sail starts so far and published them separately here:- Wayfarer Trophy
The weather hasn’t been so kind this winter so the number of boats currently qualifying in the series is low, but with the potential of a further 12 races still to go until the end of the Frostbite Series there is still plenty of opportunity for more Wayfarers to try and qualify. We have always had a very strong Wayfarer fleet at Rollesby so it would be great to see as many boats take to the water for the remainder of the Frostbite series to try a qualify. Good luck!
24 Boats turned out for the first races of the Frostbite series on Sunday 9th Feb 2025. The day was cool and overcast. The forecast easterly wind however turned out to be more northerly with a moderate breeze blowing down the Broad.
The first race was four laps of a figure of eight course. Only four boats actually started in the multi sail fleet. Dave Houghton and John Symonds in their Wayfarer took an early lead and held on to win in front of Tony Fulford’s Comet with the other two boats not far behind. In the single sail fleet seventeen boats took part. There was close racing throughout the fleet. Mike Gower took the win in his Solution a few seconds in front of Roger Wilson’s Streaker. Dan Bull crossed the line with Wilson but was third on handicap . These first three boats followed by Chris Barker in a Laser were well ahead of the fleet.
At the break between races trophies were presented for previous series. A presentation was also made to Clive Wells on his retirement from the committee after serving fourteen years as Secretary and the past two years as Commodore
In the next race mark number 3 was included in the course to give a long run down the broad. In the multi sail fleet Dave and John flew their spinnaker with great affect to take a substantial lead and win in front of the Vareo of Howard Astley Jones.
The long four lap race was a bit of a work out for the single sail boats with the fleet spacing out and a few capsizes in the gusts. Ellie Edwards in the Splash won the race with Dan Bull 2nd, Roger Wilson 3rd and Kevin Edwards in his Solo 4th.
