IOCA Optimist Winter Championships at Draycote Water Sailing Club
by Stephen Wright 1 Dec 2023 03:04 PST
25-26 November 2023
After enjoying the warmest November on record north of the border, Scottish Optimist sailors arriving at Draycote Water Sailing Club for the IOCA Winter Championships were in for a shock. With low temperatures all weekend it certainly felt like winter but as Andrew Perratt from Helensburgh Sailing Club and overall winner of the event said, "It was freezing cold but despite the conditions we all had lots of fun and laughs."
It is eighteen months since the Optimist Class were last at Draycote and it was good to remember what a fine venue it is both on and off the water - plenty of space for trailers and campervans, slick launching of RIBs and a warm bar at the end of the day. The club accommodated over a hundred Optimists with ease and made everyone feel very welcome.
Saturday dawned icy cold but by registration time there was a gentle north westerly breeze and the low, winter sunshine added a little warmth. After a briefing by PRO Imogen Gibb, and some wise advice from Class Judge Sian Reynolds, delta flag was raised and the fleets launched.
The first Main Fleet race got under way cleanly. Jonny Rogers from Royal Lymington YC led round the windward mark and kept the lead until the finish. While in the Intermediate Fleet, Zoe Green from Netley SC, enjoyed some close racing and took the win in their first race. The race committee got the second races away quickly, with Andrew Perratt taking the win in Main Fleet and Zoe her second win of the day in Inters.
Towards the end of the second race the breeze dropped and veered north, making it a beat to the finish line for some. Imogen repositioned the committee boat, while the mark layers, glad of the chance to warm up, lifted all the marks and re-laid the course ready for the third race of the day.
In such a competitive class as the Optimist it must be pretty special to win a Main Fleet race at a national event, to win one as a ten year old even more so. Congratulations to Charlie Holland of Hayling Island SC who described his win in the third race, "I had a good start off the pin, tacked onto port, got lifted up into the mark and it all just clicked into place from there." He makes it sound so simple...
In the intermediate fleet, Felix Palmer-Ward of HISC/Emsworth SC, took the third race leaving him in second place, just two points behind Zoe with it all to play for on Sunday.
By now the sailors had been on the water for around four hours and Imogen made the sensible decision to bring them in. Almost all were satisfied; only the unlucky few with 101 points from a U-flag in their score were left wishing for another race!
Hot chocolate and flapjacks with lots of golden syrup were just what the sailors needed and after changing, everyone gathered in the bar. By popular demand and with thanks to our sponsors Gill, our prize give-away, 'In It To Win It!' was back for the Winters, compered by Sarah Rennard.
After much excitement, it was time for medals, as we took a moment to recognise the commitment shown by the 29 Optimist sailors who had competed in all five IOCA Championship weekends and the Nationals in 2023. (The irony of receiving a sustainable, wooden medal for travelling the length and breadth of the country wasn't lost on the parents!)
Sunday morning felt colder again with a heavy frost and low cloud. Well done to the whole fleet for being rigged and ready on time, despite some sailors having to defrost their mainsheets in bailers of hot water and others having to chip ice out of their boats. After a race committee meeting, racing was postponed for one hour, waiting for wind.
While waiting, some sailors stayed in the club house and kept warm, others hung about in the boat park, lifting sheets of ice off the boat covers and shattering them harmlessly on the ground. Those of you who remember Jacob Jull's expert piano playing at Parkstone YC would have enjoyed it when Ewan Hamilton, who heads up the rock band Triangulation Station pulled out his guitar and, perched on the gunwale of his Optimist, played a quick rendition of 'Here Comes the Sun' to chase away the winter drizzle and fog. He must have had cold fingers but it worked!
Out on the water, Imogen and her committee boat crew had been waiting for over an hour, reminiscing/hallucinating about summer days on the water in shorts and a t-shirt. By midday they were satisfied that there was sufficient breeze across the race course and, after consulting with the Safety Officer, Sailing Officer and Child Welfare Officer, delta flag was displayed and the Main Fleet launched.
The south westerly breeze was a light but steady 4 knots and Main Fleet managed two fair races back-to-back, with the second and final race finishing at the windward mark of the outer loop, allowing a quicker sail home.
With impeccable timing the Intermediate Fleet arrived in the race area and were in sequence and racing with a minimum of hanging around. The fleet included some quite young sailors and it remained bitterly cold - one being caught on camera doing star jumps in her Oppie to keep warm! After one good race the Intermediate fleet also headed ashore, to a bowl of warm pasta, a change of clothes and prize-giving.
Andrew Perratt sailed very well on Sunday with two race wins, taking the lead back from Charlie Holland who finished a very credible second overall. Eliana Edwards sailed consistently well, finishing third overall and the first girl.
Intermediate fleet continued to provide close racing with five sailors having top three finishes in the weekend's races. In the end, Zoe Green, who was fifth in Inters at Parkstone, won the event and said, "It was one cold event with not much breeze on either day but very competitive in Intermediate Fleet, so it was a huge shock to go and win it. It was much closer than the results made it look."
As ever, the young sailors were amazing and showed great spirit and resilience to sail and compete in such wintery conditions - every sailor sailed on both days. Here's to a warmer weekend at the Spring Championships and until then, I'll leave you with a Haiku, written by Nick O'Donnell, father of Darcy (GBR 6512)...
Volunteers we thank,
New parents join, values guide.
Sailing's life we teach
More photos available
Intermediate Fleet Results:
Pos | Sail No | Name | R1 | R2 | R3 | R4 | Pts |
1 | 5961 | Zoe Green | 1 | 1 | ‑2 | 1 | 3 |
2 | 5813 | Felix Palmer Ward | ‑3 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 6 |
3 | 6350 | Charlotte Davis | 2 | 8 | ‑14 | 4 | 14 |
4 | 5556 | Finn Neal | 7 | 3 | 5 | ‑21 | 15 |
5 | 5908 | BUDDY HUNT | 10 | ‑13 | 3 | 5 | 18 |
6 | 6354 | Hugo Thomas | 5 | 6 | ‑12 | 8 | 19 |
7 | 6334 | Cara Lynch | 9 | 5 | 7 | ‑19 | 21 |
8 | 4508 | JACOB RICHARDSON | 11 | 7 | ‑15 | 6 | 24 |
9 | 5754 | Phoebe Phillpot | ‑12 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 24 |
10 | 6571 | Fraser Smith | ‑17 | 4 | 6 | 17 | 27 |
11 | 6393 | Cameron Ritchie | 4 | 10 | ‑22 | 13 | 27 |
12 | 6507 | Sam Bourke | (NSC) | 16 | 13 | 2 | 31 |
13 | 6552 | Amelia Browne | 8 | 14 | 9 | ‑18 | 31 |
14 | 6555 | Eleanor Hughes | 15 | ‑19 | 4 | 14 | 33 |
15 | 4273 | Leon Grundy | 6 | ‑20 | 18 | 9 | 33 |
16 | 6246 | Oscar Stephens | ‑18 | 12 | 11 | 15 | 38 |
17 | 4581 | Robby Mayo | 16 | 15 | ‑17 | 11 | 42 |
18 | 5881 | Tamsin ROWNTREE | 14 | 11 | 20 | ‑22 | 45 |
19 | 5916 | Clarissa Jackson | ‑24 | 18 | 19 | 10 | 47 |
20 | 5988 | Camilla Garlick | 20 | ‑22 | 10 | 20 | 50 |
21 | 6501 | Ayla Griffiths | 13 | 17 | 21 | (DNC) | 51 |
22 | 5708 | Elsie Munro | 21 | 21 | ‑23 | 16 | 58 |
23 | 6212 | Maxim Lucas | 22 | 23 | 16 | (DNC) | 61 |
24 | 6365 | Martha Hughes | 23 | (DNC) | DNC | 12 | 63 |
25 | 4630 | Jake White | 19 | (DNC) | 24 | 23 | 66 |
26 | 5687 | Charlotte McGaughey | (NSC) | 24 | 25 | 24 | 73 |
27 | 6196 | Daisy Abney‑Hastings | 25 | (DNC) | 26 | 25 | 76 |
Main Fleet Results:
Pos | Sail No | Name | R1 | R2 | R3 | R4 | R5 | Pts |
1st | 6624 | Andrew Perratt | 5 | 1 | ‑11 | 1 | 1 | 8 |
2nd | 6451 | Charlie Holland | 3 | 8 | 1 | 3 | ‑43 | 15 |
3rd | 6632 | Eliana Edwards | 4 | 4 | 7 | ‑8 | 2 | 17 |
4th | 6611 | Jonny Rogers | 1 | 9 | ‑18 | 10 | 8 | 28 |
5th | 6316 | Patrick Di Salle | 13 | 3 | 4 | 13 | ‑19 | 33 |
6th | 6606 | Noah Mathers | 7 | 12 | 3 | ‑28 | 11 | 33 |
7th | 6531 | Hugo Fletcher | 2 | 2 | 15 | 18 | ‑30 | 37 |
8th | 6444 | Pippa Shepherd | 22 | 10 | 5 | ‑39 | 6 | 43 |
9th | 6298 | Thomas Knight | 20 | 7 | 25 | 2 | ‑59 | 54 |
10th | 6628 | Harry Draper | 6 | 11 | ‑26 | 16 | 23 | 56 |
11th | 6610 | Nia Byrne | 11 | 13 | (UFD) | 25 | 9 | 58 |
12th | 6374 | Freddie JONES | 26 | ‑37 | 10 | 9 | 18 | 63 |
13th | 6553 | Finn Ramus | ‑37 | 6 | 13 | 34 | 16 | 69 |
14th | 6349 | Felix Garlick | 9 | 17 | ‑41 | 32 | 13 | 71 |
15th | 6631 | Alex Saunders | 14 | 21 | (UFD) | 14 | 22 | 71 |
16th | 6636 | Isla Hutchinson | 30 | 20 | 2 | ‑40 | 20 | 72 |
17th | 6529 | Henry Cruse | 19 | 14 | ‑30 | 29 | 10 | 72 |
18th | 6546 | Wilbur Palmer Ward | 8 | 24 | 17 | ‑30 | 25 | 74 |
19th | 6311 | Sean Di Salle | ‑34 | 15 | 31 | 26 | 7 | 79 |
20th | 6515 | Rupert Garlick | 35 | 28 | 16 | ‑55 | 3 | 82 |
21st | 6163 | Stella Davey | ‑40 | 23 | 32 | 27 | 4 | 86 |
22nd | 6595 | Lizzie Hudson | ‑46 | 26 | 12 | 33 | 15 | 86 |
23rd | 6618 | William Moss | 25 | 27 | 33 | 5 | ‑35 | 90 |
24th | 6621 | Hector Davies | ‑50 | 16 | 28 | 24 | 24 | 92 |
25th | 6639 | Rory Armstrong | 10 | ‑40 | 40 | 35 | 14 | 99 |
26th | 6242 | Jacob Jull | 12 | 25 | 34 | ‑66 | 29 | 100 |
27th | 6593 | Fraser Hakes | 17 | 33 | ‑53 | 23 | 27 | 100 |
28th | 6622 | Laszlo Drummond | 24 | ‑51 | 23 | 21 | 33 | 101 |
29th | 6563 | Rupert Purnell | 18 | 42 | ‑44 | 6 | 36 | 102 |
30th | 6352 | Chloe Davis | 43 | 43 | 6 | 11 | ‑52 | 103 |
31st | 6270 | Harry Ramshaw | 28 | 19 | 37 | 20 | ‑42 | 104 |
32nd | 6472 | William Shaw | 29 | 5 | 21 | 56 | ‑58 | 111 |
33rd | 6644 | Tom Keegan | 68 | 31 | 8 | 7 | ‑94 | 114 |
34th | 6355 | Robin Wright | 39 | 18 | (UFD) | 31 | 32 | 120 |
35th | 6453 | Alice Atkin | 16 | (SCP) | 9 | 43 | 53 | 121 |
36th | 6605 | Gughi Ceccatelli | 31 | 45 | 42 | 4 | ‑70 | 122 |
37th | 6594 | Finn Byrne | 58 | 35 | (UFD) | 15 | 17 | 125 |
38th | 6147 | Gracie Allsopp | 15 | 29 | ‑51 | 42 | 41 | 127 |
39th | 6516 | Callum Marshall | 38 | 22 | 27 | 41 | ‑44 | 128 |
40th | 255 | Jai Mutreja | ‑55 | 32 | 35 | 19 | 46 | 132 |
41st | 6600 | Niamh Epstein | 32 | 49 | 24 | ‑71 | 31 | 136 |
42nd | 6454 | Freddie Pank | 23 | 34 | (UFD) | 17 | 73 | 147 |
43rd | 6572 | Oscar Hoyle | 21 | 41 | 29 | 59 | ‑77 | 150 |
44th | 4940 | Rachel Elms | 33 | 61 | 47 | ‑64 | 12 | 153 |
45th | 6449 | Harry Whelan | 36 | ‑54 | 39 | 36 | 49 | 160 |
46th | 6231 | Ewan Hamilton | 48 | 47 | ‑59 | 46 | 28 | 169 |
47th | 6523 | William Fuller | 44 | ‑77 | 19 | 60 | 48 | 171 |
48th | 6640 | Pippa Knights | ‑69 | 44 | 61 | 63 | 5 | 173 |
49th | 6500 | Henry Blades | ‑53 | 53 | 46 | 37 | 40 | 176 |
50th | 6480 | Natalie Ayling | 52 | ‑74 | 57 | 52 | 21 | 182 |
51st | 6190 | Felix Gladman | 49 | ‑89 | 20 | 48 | 66 | 183 |
52nd | 6446 | Sam Machell | ‑73 | 69 | 14 | 69 | 34 | 186 |
53rd | 6476 | Joshua Ayling | 54 | 59 | 22 | 54 | ‑68 | 189 |
54th | 6430 | Isla Hill | 51 | 46 | 43 | ‑70 | 50 | 190 |
55th | 6617 | Finley Browne | 27 | 67 | ‑79 | 44 | 54 | 192 |
56th | 6576 | Arthur Pattison | 47 | 48 | 50 | ‑92 | 47 | 192 |
57th | 6381 | Carwyn Parry | ‑67 | 63 | 38 | 57 | 38 | 196 |
58th | 6512 | Darcy O'Donnell | 61 | ‑70 | 36 | 45 | 55 | 197 |
59th | 6558 | Roisin Epstein | ‑81 | 52 | 75 | 38 | 37 | 202 |
60th | 6505 | Guy Kent | ‑56 | 55 | 54 | 53 | 51 | 213 |
61st | 6578 | Ruby Coster | 71 | 39 | 48 | ‑80 | 62 | 220 |
62nd | 6313 | Alanna Starkie | ‑86 | 38 | 73 | 58 | 56 | 225 |
63rd | 6368 | Merryn Wealthy | 66 | 36 | 49 | ‑76 | 76 | 227 |
64th | 6484 | Isabella Deas | 41 | 62 | 63 | 62 | ‑83 | 228 |
65th | 6317 | amelie fairhead | 42 | 72 | 55 | ‑81 | 60 | 229 |
66th | 6039 | Jacques Kent | 64 | 79 | ‑89 | 67 | 26 | 236 |
67th | 6342 | Amelie Renard | 80 | 82 | ‑91 | 12 | 63 | 237 |
68th | 6434 | Will Keys‑Batson | 62 | 58 | 78 | ‑89 | 39 | 237 |
69th | 6282 | Finlay Ritchie | 84 | 90 | 45 | 22 | ‑97 | 241 |
70th | 5500 | Alex Welfare | ‑76 | 57 | 60 | 74 | 57 | 248 |
71st | 6404 | Edward Taylor | 70 | 76 | 56 | 47 | ‑85 | 249 |
72nd | 6514 | Kate Charlesworth | ‑83 | 60 | 58 | 72 | 61 | 251 |
73rd | 6483 | Edie Rogers | ‑82 | 68 | 66 | 51 | 67 | 252 |
74th | 6013 | Lochlyn Grant | 63 | ‑92 | 68 | 83 | 45 | 259 |
75th | 6107 | Rory Luddington | ‑93 | 56 | 52 | 75 | 82 | 265 |
76th | 6569 | Charlie Knights | 72 | ‑88 | 67 | 49 | 80 | 268 |
77th | 6395 | Meg Thomas | ‑85 | 50 | 65 | 79 | 75 | 269 |
78th | 6432 | Oscar Coates | 60 | ‑91 | 69 | 82 | 64 | 275 |
79th | 6439 | Jack Ward | 65 | 75 | ‑80 | 73 | 65 | 278 |
80th | 6360 | Emily Leary | ‑79 | 65 | 74 | 68 | 74 | 281 |
81st | 6424 | Beth Llewellyn | 45 | 85 | 62 | ‑94 | 91 | 283 |
82nd | 5370 | Oscar Manning | ‑91 | 64 | 64 | 78 | 78 | 284 |
83rd | 6460 | Monty Levell | 75 | 81 | 71 | 65 | ‑84 | 292 |
84th | 6570 | Charlotte Self | ‑89 | 71 | 72 | 77 | 72 | 292 |
85th | 6418 | Tristan Shaw | ‑90 | 78 | 88 | 50 | 81 | 297 |
86th | 5970 | Tomos Martin | ‑94 | 73 | 86 | 61 | 86 | 306 |
87th | 6551 | Elvi Coates | 57 | 87 | ‑90 | 87 | 79 | 310 |
88th | 6615 | Meri Greenaway | 78 | 84 | ‑85 | 85 | 71 | 318 |
89th | 5997 | Isaac Thomas | 59 | 97 | 70 | ‑98 | 93 | 319 |
90th | 6343 | Molly Martin | 74 | 83 | 77 | 86 | ‑99 | 320 |
91st | 6591 | Hector Jackson | 87 | 66 | 81 | ‑90 | 88 | 322 |
92nd | 6027 | Hugh Walker | 92 | ‑94 | 82 | 84 | 69 | 327 |
93rd | 6464 | Ryan Surguy | 88 | 80 | 76 | ‑95 | 89 | 333 |
94th | 6229 | Kit Bentall | 77 | 96 | 83 | ‑99 | 87 | 343 |
95th | 6382 | Jack Harding | ‑96 | 86 | 87 | 88 | 95 | 356 |
96th | 6344 | Finlay White | ‑95 | 93 | 84 | 93 | 90 | 360 |
97th | 6643 | Finnian Keegan | 98 | ‑99 | 92 | 96 | 92 | 378 |
98th | 6638 | Lexa Taylor‑Green | 97 | ‑98 | 94 | 91 | 98 | 380 |
99th | 6306 | George McCormick | ‑99 | 95 | 93 | 97 | 96 | 381 |
100th | 1665 | Gemma Brady | (DNC) | DNC | DNC | DNC | DNC | 404 |
Medal winners:
Amelia Browne
Andrew Perratt
Beth Llewellyn
Callum Marshall
Charlie Holland
Charlotte Self
Clarissa Jackson
Darcy O'Donnell
Emily Leary
Finlay White
Finley Browne
Finnian Keegan
Harry Draper
Harry Whelan
Hector Jackson
Hugo Thomas
Jonny Rogers
Lizzie Hudson
Meg Thomas
Molly Martin
Merryn Wealthy
Niamh Epstein
Robin Wright
Noah Mathers
Roisin Epstein
Ruby Coster
Stella Davey
William Fuller
Tom Keegan