Solway Yacht Club Cadet Week 2023

by Ian Purkis 24 Jul 2023 12:12 BST 16-21 July 2023

After a weekend of near gales that forced the cancellation of the Hestan Island Race and the final races in the Spring Series, the wind dropped, the sun came out and fifty-five smiling young faces from 8 to 21 arrived to join the annual Cadet Week in Kippford.

As now well established, participants were split into complete beginners, improvers groups, coached racers, and the hot-shot racing fleet. Joanne Harris, the Club's Cadet Officer, launched the week, briefing the cadets, parents, and volunteers with the plans for the days ahead.

Monday morning and first call was to collect their brunch munch bags from the team of galley volunteers led by Hilary O'Dwyer, before tuition started for the beginners, while the experienced were rigging their boats, ready for launching. Racing got under way and first win went to the Tamsin Wallace / Keiran Ganeri crew (RS Feva) and Race 2, Finn Harris (ILCA4 Laser 4.7) in the fast handicap 1 (HCP1) fleet, with Toby Iglehart winning both handicap 2 (HCP2) races.

Low tide in early evening and the traditional "mud larks" had the cadets, the Cadet Officer, joined by Training Officer Emma McRobert, and a few other intrepid parents, take to the mud for the annual Tug-o'-War, and other fun and games, getting covered in the sticky stuff.

An advance adult party carrying out the Risk Assessment had identified unsafe soft mud further out, so sliding down the far mud bank into the water was out of bounds; nevertheless, joined by several more very young ones at the edge, now sixty odd cadets had a great time in mud, glorious mud! Ending the day being hosed down on the pier before warm showers and an early night had them all back on Tuesday morning ready for day 2.

Tuesday started dry with a light wind, but the rain soon started bringing occasional strong gusts catching out several beginners enjoying their first capsizes before learning how to recover. Out in the bay the racing fleets were making steady progress with the Race Committee, led by Stewart Biggar managing the fleets. The coached racers now joined the other fleets, starting separately under Pip Benson's skilled guidance. Wins in the HCP 1 fleet went to Tamsin and Keiran in their RS Feva XL and a first win for Anastasia Yaoyao and Breagha Johnstone in a similar boat while Thomas McKendrick and Toby Iglehart had wins in the HCP 2 fleet, both in Toppers. With the rain persisting, everyone, including the many volunteers, were getting cold and very wet but hot chocolate all round in the Clubhouse soon revived the grateful crowd.

Wednesday was the day of the one long distance, "Scauronian" race and the younger beginners got a trip in various RIBS to see the start, their introduction to competitive sailing. The sun shone and another win for Finn (HCP1) and Thomas (HCP2). Then, an early finish had the cadets changed into their party gear for the Cadet Dinner and Ceilidh (strictly no parents allowed!) led by caller and DJ, Ross Kennedy. As these events go, the cadets definitely "out-danced" anything parents might have managed!

Thursday and back to a two-race format for the HCP fleets plus the coached racers. With the wind shifting through ninety degrees, the Race Officer and Assistant RO, Willie Patterson had a tricky time setting a fair course but after a few minutes positioning buoys, the racing started. Katie Harris and Sally Mackay (RS200) were first at the windward mark, closely followed by the ILCA6 (Laser Radial) of Katie Bishop, then Finn's ILCA4 (Laser 4.7). At the finish it was Katie and Sally with line honours but the win after handicap corrections went to Finn. The HCP 2 fleet was won again by Toby. Race 2 and this time Katie Bishop was first to the windward mark and gradually built a big lead to win. Katie and Sally were having a torrid time getting bogged down in mid fleet before capsizing and turning turtle, then struggling to right the boat with the asymmetric spinnaker full of water. Eventually recovering, they bravely set off to give chase but soon after were over again. Recovering slightly quicker this time didn't help; tired and waterlogged, they retired and gratefully accepted a tow home.

Friday, last day, and the established pattern continue, Finn rounding off a great week in HCP1 with Anastasia and Breagha second overall, while Toby won again in HCP2 with Thomas second. In the coached racers fleet, the Toppers of Katie Brown, Jess Brown and Ida Iglehart held the first three places with James Colbeck (ILCA4 Laser 4.7), Murray McKendrick and Connor Rennie in their Toppers completed the top six, Elise Reilly and Frazer McFadzean completing the fleet in the RS Feva XL, all having made great progress over the week.

Throughout the week the "Red Caps" training and improver fleets were making great progress, with the young sailors gaining in both their sailing skills and confidence as the days passed. Next year, they will take the next steps along the progression pathway with many joining the coached racers. "Most Improved" awards went to Katie Gascoigne, Darcy Gibson, Arthur Hampton, and Niamh Watson.

With the clubhouse full to capacity, prize-giving was a great celebration of everything the young sailors had achieved while the Sportsmanship Trophy was well deserved by Tamsin and Keiran with the Topsy Turvey trophy going to Elise and Frazer who got more than their fair share of capsize practice!

Overall Results:

Handicap 1 Fleet
1st, the Commodore's Cup and the Almorness Cup: Finn Harris (ILCA4 Laser 4.7)
2nd, the Merrick Cup: Anastasia Yaoyao and Breagha Johnstone (RS Feva XL)
3rd Tamsin Wallace and Keiran Ganeri (RS Feva XL)
4th Callum McRobert (Byte C1)
5th Katie Bishop (ILCA6 Laser Radial)
6th Maria McMiken and Hannah O'Dwyer (RS Feva XL)
7th Katie Harris and Sally Mackay (RS200)

Handicap 2 Fleet
1st, the Crombie Cup: Toby Iglehart (Topper)
2nd, the Cadet Cup: Thomas McKendrick (Topper)
3rd Jack Vivers (Topper)
4th Lucy Leyshon (Topper)

Coached Racers
1st, and the SYC Tankard: Katie Brown (Topper)
2nd Jess Brown (Topper)
3rd Ida Iglehart (Topper)
4th, and "Most Improved", James Colbeck (ILCA4 Laser 4.7)
5th Murray McKendrick (Topper)
6th Connor Rennie (Topper)
7th Elise Reilly and Frazer McFadzean (RS Feva XL)