Welsh Youth and Junior Championships at Pwllheli Sailing Club
by Hamish Stuart 6 May 2015 09:18 UTC
25-26 April 2015
Toppers during the Welsh Youth Junior Championships © Alan Dop /
www.sportsimages.wales
Welsh sailors performed strongly up against more than 100 competitors from all round the UK in the Welsh Youth and Junior Championships at Pwllheli.
That included a clean sweep of the podium places in the optimist class of boat, led by Ciaran Jones of Port Dinorwic, with Cardiff Bay's Hannah Robert-Straw in second place and top girl.
There was a home club one/two in the 29er class with Burwain's James Grummett and Pwllheli crew Daniel Buden edging out Pwllheli pair Rowan Edwards and Daniel Blight to claim victory.
With competitors travelling from as far away as Norfolk and Loch Tumel in Scotland, the Welsh weather kept everyone on their toes in a variety of conditions, for the event backed by Pwllheli company Firmhelm Chandlery.
"There was a lot of excellent sailing in conditions that varied from testing to perfect, at the fantastic facilities at the sailing academy in Pwllheli," said RYA Cymru-Wales performance director Alistair Dickson.
"A special mention must go to the youngest sailor, Edward Roberts-Straw, of Cardiff Bay, seven-years-old, who also competed in the Regatta fleet.
"Overall, the Championship was thoroughly enjoyed by all parents and competitors and we look forward to next year's championship in the new Academy building. A big vote of thanks goes to all our volunteers and for the sponsorship from Firmhelm Chandlery, Pwllheli."
The racing was extremely close in the Optimist class. Port Dinorwic's Jones won three races outright to take a firm grip on the optimist class, Roberts-Straw claiming a win and two second places to finish second ahead of RYA intermediate squad sailor Callum Davidson-Guild of Trearddur Bay/Shotwick Lake who won two of the six races but could not finish as strongly in the others.
In the 29er fleet, Grummett and Buden won five out of the six races for a perfect score, including the discard, while Edwards and Blight claimed victory in the fourth round of racing. Cardiff Bay's Alaric Bates and Bristol Corinthian Ryan Bush claimed third overall.
In the Topper fleet, Penarth's Alex Whitfield won the first race with Teifi's Tom Renny in second. However, both boys were overcome with the speed of the Scottish sailor, Niamh Harper who won four of the next five races, with one second, to claim the championship overall.
Renny scored three second places and was second overall and first Welsh competitor. Whitfield did enough to remain on the podium in third ahead of Harry Pulford of Llyn Brenig in fourth.
Dan Jones of Tata Steel sailing club claimed the top prize in the general handicap class, thanks to wins in the third and fourth races while he never finished outside the top three until the last discarded result.
Pwllheli's Gethion Owen also won two races to finish second, with club-mate Christopher Jones winning one race to come third overall.
The consistency of Norfolk's Grace Pank proved too strong for the rest in the regatta fleet, Thomas Willet of Llangorse winning three races to finish second, Rhys Walker of Cardiff Bay in third, ahead of Georgia Phillips of Llangorse who was the top girl.