Optimist 'Not The Late Summer Championships' at Plas Heli Welsh National Sailing Academy
by Debbie Smith 2 Sep 2020 18:06 AEST
Optimist 'Not The Late Summer Championships' at Plas Heli © Richard Smith
A group of six experienced Midlands Optimist sailors from South Staffs and Glossop sailing clubs, together with three younger siblings just starting their racing careers took to the sometimes stormy seas at Plas Heli in late August for the inaugural (but hopefully never needing to be repeated!) 'Not The Late Summer Championships'.
They were joined by a couple of guest sailors from Burghfield SC and Teesdale SC to make a group of 12. The informal series of races was organised by parents to make up for the unfortunate cancellation of the IOCA Late Summers due to COVID restrictions in Wales.
The informal racing was preceded by two training sessions, with coaching tips from multiple world and national champion Nick Craig, in the swell that was left behind by Storm Francis. Conditions ranged from balmy sunshine and almost no wind at all to grey skies and the sudden arrival of 34mph gusts that sent the fleet heading back in from the bay sharpish!
With the focus firmly on fun, and within current restrictions, each sailor was presented with a souvenir mug for their own personal achievements - and the overall regatta winner was Glossop's Eddy Reid.