27th Broadland Youth Regatta at Norfolk Broads Yacht Club

Some of the 100 competitors, Broadland Youth Regatta at Norfolk Broads Yacht Club © Robin Myerscough

100 youth and junior sailors in 93 boats from seven Broadland Clubs took part in the 27th Broadland Youth Regatta on 4th September at Wroxham Broad, hosted by Norfolk Broads Yacht Club (NBYC) on behalf of the Norfolk and Suffolk Boating Association (NSBA).

All four races were sailed in a gentle to moderate north-easterly breeze. Top honours in the fleet racing went to NBYC's Will Pank sailing his Laser Radial in the Fast handicap fleet, Norwich Frostbite SC's Sam and Olivia Archer in their Norfolk One Design in the Slow Handicap fleet, Snowflake SC's Ellie Thwaites in the 27 strong Topper fleet and NBYC's Zoe Barnes in the 30 strong Optimist fleet.

Will Pank, winner of the fast handicap fleet at the Broadland Youth Regatta - photo © Robin Myerscough

The large entry - 86 single handed dinghies and 7 double handed dinghies making 100 sailors in all, is a twenty year record for the event. Warm sunshine, the first sunny day for almost a month, helped make the day memorable for the throngs of families and team coaches also at the event. 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 18, with some younger competitors very new to racing and making their "open regatta" debut.

The inter-club competition for the NSBA Centenary Salver was won by Norfolk Broads Yacht Club. Snowflakes Sailing Club were second, Horning Sailing Club were third. Hickling Broad Sailing Club came fourth, Beccles Amateur Sailing Club came fifth, and Waveney and Oulton Broad Yacht Club sixth.

The Whelpton Cup, for the most successful double handed boat, was awarded to Norwich Frostbites SC's Sam and Olivia Archer in their expertly sailed, loaned traditional Norfolk One Design dinghy. However, being their club's only entry, they didn't qualify for the Centenary Salver.

As in previous years, the Centenary Salver results were not closely related to team size, but depends upon good fleet racing places. Size of team varied from the largest, the host club NBYC's 35 boats, through Horning SC's 19 boats, Beccles Amateur Sailing Club's 11 boats and Hickling Broad SC also bringing 11 boats, Waveney and Oulton Broad YC's 9 boats to the smallest qualifying team of Snowflakes Sailing Club with 7 boats. As in 2019 when the event was last sailed, the host club used the RYA recommended "Sailwave" results software, and for this event the results from all four races of the best six boats from each club were used, potentially putting small teams at a smaller disadvantage. The NSBA continues to invite comments from affiliated clubs on how best to score the inter-club Centenary Salver trophy!

For the first time in the history of the event, the largest fleet was of Optimist dinghies, with 30 entries, almost matched by the Topper fleet, with 27 competitors. The slow handicap fleet included five RS Feva XLs, one Splash, two Laser 4.7s, one Topper 4.2, one RS Tera Pro and a Norfolk One Design, the latter having the distinction of being the only wooden boat in the event. The fast handicap fleet reflected the recent resurgence on the area of Laser sailing and comprised almost equal numbers of full rig Lasers (11) and Laser Radials (12), along with one 420.

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 Isaac Thomas from the Waveney and Oulton Broad Yacht Club in his Optimist dinghy. Isaac impressed the on-the-water judges with his personality whilst approaching a windward mark on Port by persuading two Starboard hand boats to give way to him, then hit the mark, then honourably performed his exoneration turn. He is expected to go far in Broads sailing!

NBYC were supported in the running of the event by sponsorship from Norfolk Marine, Larking Gowen, Expert Print Management, Reids of Norwich and Norfolk Broads Direct. Grateful thanks to these local businesses for their valued support.

Ben Falat, at the presentation and on behalf of the Norfolk and Suffolk Boating Association, thanked Norfolk Broads Yacht Club's large management team, which included Commodore Elysia Ferrier-Hangar, Vice Commodore Robert Payne, Rear Commodore and event lead Ruth Knight, Race Officer Paul Barker and his dedicated team of timekeepers, beachmasters etc and safety boat crews from various participating clubs.

Overall Results: