West Sussex Schools and Youth Sailing Association Regatta 2023
Roger Belton from the association takes up the story:
From my vantage point of the Tally Station it looked like our young participants had a great two days, despite the lack of wind and a strong tide. We had a wonderful welcome from Itchenor Sailing Club and thoroughly enjoyed their picturesque location in Chichester Harbour in the sunshine.
The racing
The racing was very close at the top as the results testify
The tide in the main channel was strong enough to beat the weak wind on Sunday so the Fast and Medium races from Saturday qualified as the race series. The other two fleets managed a race on Sunday but it was a big challenge and not all finished.
Race Officers Ryan and Peter did a great job trying to get the most from the conditions, and Sue in the Race Office did a sterling job with admin, race results, radio calls, general help and first aid! Fine Designs were on site selling branded hoodies & shirts.
Jack Miller and Tim Hulse helped with the coaching and 61 participants signed up to the WhatsApp group that Jack set up.
The stats
- 86 dinghies entered from 11 clubs/schools from across the county.
- 118 young people participated, 34 in two handed dinghies.
- 8 organisations/individuals brought RHIBs to help with safety and coaching, supplementing the Itchenor team, and Chichester Yacht Club lent their committee boat Cyclone.
- 19 different classes of dinghy were represented, from 29er to Optimist.
- Besides the podium places for each of the four fleets, a further 62 class trophies were presented, and each participant went away with a participation certificate and a medal.
Hidden behind the statistics is the fun that participants had with their friends, and also for many it was their first experience sailing in a big fleet in a different location from their home club. Well done to those on the podium places, and a bigger well done to those who had their first regatta experience this weekend.
Thanks to……
The safety fleet had a hard job bringing boats back against the ebbing tide and they worked extremely hard in hot conditions. So thank you to all of them and to the many clubs and individuals that brought along a RHIB to help make the event safe for everyone. Thanks also go to the many who helped with launching, recovery, trolley sorting and also those hidden from view on the safety boats, committee boats etc., and of course to Itchenor SC.
From the RYA
Steve Mitchell (RYA Regional Development Officer London and South East) dropped by on Sunday morning to lend his support to the event, and talk to parents and team managers. Steve said: “This was another well organised event by the WSSYSA, bringing together a very impressive number of junior and youth sailors from West Sussex sailing clubs and centres. A great response also from the network of clubs and centres who get behind this event and work tirelessly to support their sailors, many of whom are sailing away from their own club for the first time to join a team regatta.”
Find out more
…… about WSSYSA and Itchenor Sailing Club