WALDRINGFIELD CADET WEEK
RACE REPORT
DAY ONE
Race 1
Day one at Waldringfield Cadet Week saw 46 Cadets and Lasers from six different sailing clubs meet on the sunny banks of the River Deben for an action packed week of racing and social activities.
With highly variable winds of around 10 knots changing by up to 90 degrees, the race officers were challenged as they set a windward/leeward course in the Rocks area. Facing a strong incoming tide, all the Gold Fleet Cadets were line-shy except for Alex Page and Aaron Chadwick (Alton Water and Fishers Green Sailing Club) in Gnat 8521, who were over and had to go back. Faye Gosling and Conner Line (Waldringfield Sailing Club) in Cool Runnings 9041 and Megan Ferguson and Annabella (Frensham Pond Sailing Club) in Crisis had great starts at the pin end.
The fleet split across the course, with Faye leading on the left hand side of the course and Ed Harris and Faye Chatterton (WSC) in Mostly Harmless 8514 leading on the right. Despite being in the lee of the trees on the beach, the left hand side paid off significantly putting Faye in pole position at the first mark, followed by Gus Cooney and Sean Woodward (WSC) in Wild Thing 9289.
On the run, Faye opened up a huge lead, with Gus also significantly ahead of the rest of the fleet – both looked untouchable. Emma White and Josh White (WSC) in Zest 9876 turned in third. Having seen the left hand side advantage, all of the fleet opted to round the starboard leeward mark and head into the shore. The wind became increasingly flukey, often dying almost completely inshore, but the inshore advantage remained and Faye’s lead increased even further, despite her having been facing almost backwards at one point in one of the major lulls.
Despite hitting the windward mark and doing turns, Faye‘s lead was unassailable and was maintained for the rest of the race. A massive lift on the last beat enabled Daisy and Angus Collingridge (WSC) in No Regrets 9877 to overtake several of the frontrunners, putting her in second place, followed by Emma in third.
In the Laser fleet, pre-start nerves resulted in a minor collision between Maddy Penn (WSC) and Issy Everitt (WSC). Charlie Linsell (WSC) and Ollie Jones (WSC) had good starts at the pin end while Maddie Harris (WSC) was first off at the committee boat end.
Having watched the fortunes of the Cadets ahead of them, the entire fleet headed for the left hand side of the course and at the first mark it was Adam Leat (FGSC), in the only boat with full rig, who rounded first, followed by Ollie and Maddie. The first two boats extended their lead on the run but by playing the increasingly flukey wind shifts and by hugging the shore, Maddie was able to overtake Ollie. She continued to overhaul Ollie, who wasn’t helped by a breakage, which then also allowed Annie Knott (WSC) to move into third place. Annie and Maddie then battled it out with Annie eventually crossing the line in second, behind Adam.
Race 2
After a delicious lunch provided by the inimitable Sigi, the fleet headed out to the Tips area of the River for Races 2 and 3. Race 2, a triangle sausage course was delayed for some time as the wind continued to shift and meanwhile the tide had turned and started to ebb. When the race officer was finally able to start the Gold Fleet Cadets, Megan, Zest and Faye were all over the line while the rest of the fleet was well bunched up. Ali Goodhead and James Minchin (WSC) in Bashful 9406 set off on port tack with everyone else on starboard. Once again, the fleet split across the course.
With a significant leebow effect on the right hand side of the course, it was Daisy Collingridge who rounded the windward mark first, followed by Emma Spark (WSC) in Lift Off 9321 and Ed Harris. The rest of the fleet bunched up around the mark and then once again at the leeward mark enabling Daisy to open up a huge lead on the second beat. Rounding the windward mark with a two minute advantage over the rest of the fleet, she was followed by Sam Yale and Harry Chatterton (WSC) in Out of the Blue 9369 and then Ed.
The clear advantage of taking the right hand side of the course made the rest of the race somewhat processional although Faye Gosling was able to come through the fleet to finish in third behind Ed.
Meanwhile, Jo Chadwick (FGSC) and Charlie Linsell were over the line in the laser start with Charlie taking his time to turn back. At the windward mark Christina Allen (FGSC) rounded first followed by Adam Leat and Maddie Harris . As the wind eased a bit on the next two legs, Adam took advantage of his full rig to get to the front of the fleet, followed by Maddie and Annie Knott. Adam then continued to extend his lead and Annie overhauled Maddie.
Some two minutes behind Adam, the rest of the laser fleet continued to jostle for position and thanks to an excellent reaching leg, Ollie Jones edged Maddie out of the front pack to finish in third behind Adam and Annie.
Race 3
Thanks to the ever present wind shifts, the start of Race 3 proved once again to be somewhat elusive, as was the pin end flag which was removed by Suzie Gosling and Luke Minchin (WSC) in Road Runner 9042, risking the wrath of the RO. Suzie was warned, Ben Ainslie style, of the dangers of making the RO angry and the start sequence commenced.
Several boats were over at the start but Sam Yale, and Cam Goodhead and Anna Vincent (WSC) in Optimus Prime 9301, had good starts at the pin end. The entire fleet chose to take the right hand side of the course, with Alice Dearlove and Hugo Passmore (WSC) in Hippy Hippy Shake 9001 rounding first, followed by Sam and then Alex Page. The rest of the fleet arrived at the mark en masse with Ed Harris being forced onto the mark and then hitting it again as he did his turns.
By the leeward mark super-light Alex and crew Aaron had overhauled Sam and Alice to round in pole position, which he then maintained for the rest of the race. On the second run Gus Cooney overtook Alice, gybed to get clean air and then went round inside her at the buoy to move into third position behind Alex and Sam.
With two minutes to go to the laser fleet start, Maddy Penn (WSC) capsized, but quickly recovered to get to the start. Although most of the boats were lined up ready for a good start, close to the line, Maddie Harris hung back and then used her superior boat speed to come storming through to gain the best start. The whole fleet followed the Cadets over to the right hand side of the course.
At the windward mark it was Annie Knott who rounded first, after an excellent first beat, followed by Maddie Harris and then Charlie Linsell, who then had a very good run and overtook Annie. The leading lasers went into the bottom mark in a huge scrum with the cadets – but Annie emerged on top again, with Charlie second.
From then on the race became processional allowing Annie to cross the finishing line in first place, Adam Leat, who had a great second leg, in second and Charlie in third.
As the sun went down and the barbeque was lit, all the sailors agreed it had been a fantastic first day of racing.