Derbyshire Youth Sailing Peak Dinghy Spares 2014 Series Rounds 1 & 2
by Mike Haynes 29 Apr 2014 11:01 BST
5 & 12 April 2014
The first two events in the 14th Derbyshire Youth Sailing Peak Dinghy Spares Series have been won by 12 year old Daniel Wellbourn Hesp from Bonsall, who is a member of Carsington Sailing Club.
Daniel who attends Anthony Gell School and is an accomplished Optimist class dinghy sailor, is currently leading the series ahead of the reigning Derbyshire Youth Sailing Champion from 2013, Josh Haynes (15) of Matlock who is a member of Trent Valley Sailing Club and sails a Laser 4.7 class dinghy.
The first two events at Burton Sailing Club and Toddbrook Sailing Club, have delivered some really exciting close racing in the fleet, with just seconds splitting the racers after the calculation of corrected times. A number of new sailors have also joined the racing events and are gaining experience and confidence further down the fleet.
Daniel is already a two time winner of the Ellen MacArthur Trophy, which is awarded by DYS to the leading Junior sailor in the annual racing series and in 2013 he was also awarded the Peak Dinghy Spares Trophy as the most improved sailor. Daniel is now eligible in the 2014 series Intermediate age range competition and is targeting to secure the Ben Ainslie Trophy, as well as the overall winners Derbyshire Shield and his two event wins at Burton and Toddbrook have got him off to a great start.
Des Luxton, DYS volunteer from Burton Sailing Club, commented "Daniel has had some great racing in these two events and has really deserved to win and beat the older sailors. He is always working hard all the way around the courses and he has every reason to be very pleased with his success. All of the sailors enjoyed the events and the weather has provided tough tests for them all, as they come out of their winter training and start into the racing season." Des continued. "It's really great to see fresh faces at these events too as the DYS series gives them the chance to race against their peers from other sailing clubs in Derbyshire. They are a very friendly group in the club house and dinghy park, and they thoroughly enjoy their racing too."
The Burton overall results were Daniel Wellbourn Hesp in first, with Toby Woodings (16), a member at Carsington Sailing Club sailing in a Laser standard, in second and Josh Haynes in third. At Toddbrook, Daniel was first, Josh Haynes was second, and brothers Richard and Bryn Abendstern, members at Toddbrook Sailing Club, were third in their Graduate dinghy. Full results can be found on the website at www.dysailing.co.uk
The Derbyshire Youth Sailing Peak Dinghy Spares Series is ten events from April to September and competitors best six event results are used to decide the overall series prizes. The calendar of events and lots of other information is available on the Derbyshire Youth Sailing website www.dysailing.co.uk
Derbyshire Youth Sailing events provide a great, fun opportunity for youth sailors from any of the ten sailing clubs in Derbyshire to compete together and learn from each other to take their racing sailing onto the next stages. Novice youth racers aged from 6 to 18 are welcome to come along and give it a go. Supportive coaching can be provided to those sailors at the back of the fleet to help keep them in reach of the rest and allow them to develop their skills. In time, the novices soon gain experience and will one day be challenging as front runners.