The Manx Youth Sailing Squad competed in the RS Tera National Championship at Netley Sailing Club on 26th & 27th June.
Hoping to repeat last year’s results and bring home the National Team Champions Trophy again Amie Shute, Greg Kelly and Ffinlo Wright sailed in the Sport class. Also sailing in the Sport class was new Squad member Matthew Petts experiencing his first national championship. This year saw a record entry of 52 boats in this class.
The Manx sailors had some excellent results during the weekend’s six races. Greg Kelly finished 5th in Race 3 and 6th in Race 5, Ffinlo Wright came 5th in Race 6 and the best result in an individual race was from Amie Shute in the final race of the regatta. She had an excellent start leading the fleet round the windward mark she held her position near the front of the fleet throughout the race and finished an impressive 3rd in Race 6.
In the Pro fleet Hannah Howitt, Izzy Sharpe and James Kelly had some tough racing during the weekend. The light breezes were not ideal for the Manx sailors who have been training most of the winter in wind and waves! James Kelly found the conditions particularly difficult and struggled to work away from the middle of the fleet. Izzy and Hannah finished 6th and 7th respectively in Race 2 and then both sailed consistently just outside the top ten in the remaining races. Overall Hannah finished 11th, Izzy 13th and James 17th.
The team have trained hard during the winter with local coaches. GBR RS Tera Squad Coach Jonathan Lewis has visited the Island three times and the team attended a full GBR Squad training weekend at Draycote Water last March. The thirty Tera sailors who make up the GBR Squad in the UK have also received coaching during the winter, so the level of competition in the top half of both fleets has been raised considerably. Greg Kelly can be very proud of his 10th place overall, Ffinlo Wright, improved from 30th overall in 2009 to an impressive 14th place, Amie Shute 16th and Matthew Petts 34th.
Overall the Manx Youth Sailing Squad achieved some respectable results in difficult conditions and a very big fleet. Jonathan Lewis said the team “all displayed the professional attitude needed at events like this while still having fun and are a National Squad that the Coaches, Parents, Class Association and the Isle of Man can be very proud of.”
This competition has given them a taste of what to expect when they sail with the RS Tera GBR Squad at the World Championships in Carnac later this month. The team will now continue to train at the Isle of Man Yacht Club and at 7th Wave in the run up to the World Championships.
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| From MYSS Feb 2010 |
Amie Shute, finished 3rd in Race 6 and 16th overall at the RS Tera National Championships
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| From MYSS Feb 2010 |
Greg Kelly finished 10th overall in the RS Tera Sport Class
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| From MYSS Feb 2010 |
Hannah Howitt, 11th overall in the Pro fleet.