International Cadet class World Championship 2023 in Nieuwpoort, Belguim - GBR team report

International Cadet class World Championship 2023 in Nieuwpoort © Jordan Roberts

Nineteen British Cadets made the short trip to the continent to take part in the Cadet World Championships (seven in the Worlds fleet and twelve in the Promotional regatta).

Nieuwpoort and the Belgian Cadet class didn't disappoint. This had the makings of an epic Worlds, with a formidable sailing area and an absolutely first class organising team behind it. A tented village had been erected (think Lawrence of Arabia combined with a Munich bierkeller) alongside the Belgian Airforce Yacht Club's facilities. Major strings had been pulled, for the Opening Ceremony saw a parachute display by the Belgian military and the Deputy Prime Minister present as guest of honour.

The Belgian navy provided four RIBs as safety cover throughout the event. Hats off to Patrick Schoonooge, the mastermind behind the event, and himself a Cadet sailor in his youth. Our Race Officers would be Peter Van Den Bossche and Bob Leclercq.

Those that arrived early trained on the unique waters of Nieuwpoort, getting an idea of the waves and swell - lots of advantages to be had for those willing to go surfing. Our coaches Alex Page for the World Team, and Will Shepherd and Toby Bush for the Promotional fleet, were excellent throughout and it was wonderful to see sailors grow in confidence under their tutelage during the week.

International Cadet class World Championship 2023 in Nieuwpoort - photo © Jordan Roberts

A day before the opening ceremony, and the first hint of drama emerged. A handful of Team GBR had succumbed to gastrointestinal problems. Was this food poisoning? Or something else? As cases mounted across all nations it became clear it was a bad stomach bug; for the rest of the week WhatsApp groups would buzz with news of latest casualties, with most families and boats having at least one victim.

Strong winds on the Saturday meant that the practice race was called off; a relief for several but frustrating for those eager to get started.

Sunday brought strong winds and the traditional deep swells. The first start showed the sailors' competitive intent, with a general recall. The restart showed Race Officers' intent, with a black flag flown to restore order. Team GBR coped well with the waves whipped up by 20kt base winds, but the Argentinians and Australians were already looking like forces to be reckoned with; ARG9988 sailed by Tomas and Vincente winning all three races.

The second and third races saw more of the same, with a few capsizes creeping in and slowing boats down as the teams grew tired. George Little and Hugh Voysey (GBR8533) managed to secure a ninth in race 3.

International Cadet class World Championship 2023 in Nieuwpoort - photo © Jordan Roberts

Despite a few retirements and no-shows, Team GBR fared much better in the promo fleet, with Elouise Mayhew and James Vellacott (GBR9400) securing a fourth in Race 1, a sixth in Race 2 and a seventh in Race 3. Rhona Enkel and Sophie Ringland (GBR9982) scored a seventh in Race 1 and a fifth in Race 3. Oscar Bush and Emily Krailing (GBR10003) bounced back from a BFD in Race 1 to secure a third in Race 3, and Zachary Windibank and Alice Boddy (GBR9673) similarly recovered from a dismasting to secure a fourth in Race 3.

Day 2 brought lighter winds, much to the relief of tired sailors, with some still fragile from sickness. The Race Officer continued in the same businesslike manner as yesterday, whilst hoping for enough breeze to kick in (seven knots seemed to be the minimum to progress against the tide). Team GB changed gears continuously but never quite found the top one, with Amelie Whitehouse and Maddy Sherwood (GBR10076) scoring a fifth in Race 4 and Sam Nee and Audrey Giumali (GBR9028) getting an eighth in Race 5.

In the Promo fleet, Race 4 saw Alex McEwan and Amber Giumali (GBR10092) take second, with Hettie Thorogood and Clementine Denny-Pickess (GBR10032) in third. In Race 5, Rhona and Sophie took first and Hettie and Clementine fourth.

The breeze really wasn't playing ball by the end of Race 5, and after waiting for a bit it became clear that it wasn't going to improve. Anchors up and back to the marina.

International Cadet class World Championship 2023 in Nieuwpoort - photo © Jordan Roberts

Day 3 promised similar conditions, but we were a race behind the schedule and the forecast for the lay day was for 30kts. No pressure on the committee boat, then! Races 6 and 7 were sailed in 7-10 kts, with a slight shift in the wind direction part-way through.

In Race 6, Sam and Audrey secured a fourth and Sophia Sfaxi and Evie Boddy (GBR9964) a fifth as they managed to get the hang of big fleet starts and mark-roundings. In the Promo fleet, in Race 6 Zach and Alice took third; Alex and Amber took fourth and Rhona and Sophie took fifth. In Race 7 Alex and Amber upped their game to take an excellent first place, with Oscar and Emily joining them on the podium in third place and George Cox-Olliff and George Letts (GBR10094) fourth.

The Race Team was clearly keen to get a third race in to save the Lay Day, especially with the forecast winds. With occasional hints of breeze, and the promise of something decent to come, the fleet milled around for several hours.

Finally a good wind arrived, building rapidly to 16+kts, and bringing a deep swell almost immediately. With rig tensions rapidly being tightened, the game was on. Tomas and Vincente from Argentina won again, clearly relishing the big stuff. Amelie and Maddy scored an eighth for Team GB.

In the Promo fleet, Kemel Thorogood and Georgina Loader in GBR10001 secured fourth, Elouise and James fifth, Alex and Amber sixth, Rhona and Sophie seventh and Oscar and Emily eighth.

Thursday saw a welcome rest day, with trips to Bruges for some and trips to the Protest Committee for others.

International Cadet class World Championship 2023 in Nieuwpoort - photo © Jordan Roberts

The final day brought a solid 12-16kts and the rolling sea state that typifies a Nieuwpoort regatta. A final chance for some personal and team achievement? Sam and Audrey seized the opportunity in Race 9, with a great first beat to claim fourth (bumped up to third with a boat ahead later knocked out). In the Promo fleet, Hettie and Clementine came first with a superb race, with Rhona and Sophie fifth and Daniel Ringland and Joshua Booth in GBR9241 in sixth.

Races 10 and 11 had the same wind conditions, although with a 20 degree shift part-way through Race 10, turning downwind legs into one-sided affairs. Sophia and Evie scored two sevenths (overtaking four boats on the last reach by sailing very smart angles) and Tom Shepherd and Joe Mycroft in GBR9994 secured an eighth in Race 10.

In the Promo fleet in Race 10, Zach and Alice took third, Rhona and Sophie took fourth, Elouise and James fifth and Hettie and Clementine sixth. In Race 11, Rhona and Sophie got on the podium with a second, Hettie and Clementine scored a fourth and Daniel and Joshua showed their continuing form with a sixth.

And that was that. Cadets back to shore, packing up for the journey back to the UK. Team kit swapped between former adversaries on the water, and friendships cemented during the evening ahead.

The prize-giving saw the Argentinian duo Tomas Fernandez Jardon and Vicenti Carloni Bohl crowned World Champions, with Vicenti making a speech that pulled at the heartstrings of everyone present. Second place was the Polish team of Franciszek Massalski and Wojcichek Szarynski, with the Australians Evie McDonald and Jack Jones third. Sophia Sfaxi picked up most improved helm.

In the final analysis, success was found more in the Promotional Fleet than the World Team. This gives confidence for the future health of the UK Cadet class. But all our sailors will have gained a massive amount of experience from our ten days in Nieuwpoort - sailing against the world's best in tough conditions, pushing boats and crews to new levels of performance.

Those sailors in the World Team are young, most competing in their first Worlds, and all will want to go forwards to the 2024 Worlds in Plymouth. And they will be challenged for places by up-and-coming talent. Now is the time to build a first-class training programme over the next 12 months to make sure we dominate the scoreboard in our own waters.

International Cadet class World Championship 2023 in Nieuwpoort - photo © Jordan Roberts

Promo Fleet Results:

Main Fleet Results: