Zhik Cadet Worlds Qualifier at Stone Sailing Club
by Ian Harris 5 May 2016 08:30 BST
30 April - 1 May 2016
Harry and Faye Chatterton during the Stone Cadet Open © Chris Dawson
Stone SC on the beautiful Blackwater hosted the 2nd Cadet World Qualifier, racing for the Alf Simmonds Trophy, this weekend in challenging conditions; challenging for the race officers as the wind shifted and gusted, and certainly challenging as a result for the 80 sailors taking part.
Saturdays racing was held in a shifty gusty northerly that ran across the tide. With the first start of the weekend underway in a fickle breeze, the fleet split across the river. It was slow progress, with Ellie Wootton and Jamie Harris leading on the south bank and Megan Ferguson and Harry Chatterton trying to cross the tide on the right. The first of the days "it could be you" gusts came in from the right and lifted Megan and Harry into a huge and unassailable lead. The rest of the fleet scrambled for position as consistency and patience was going to be the key in this 6 race event.
With race 2 underway, the first pressure lifted the left hand starters into the middle of the course. They looked good for a few minutes, but on the north bank a planning 420 gave the clue as to where the real breeze was coming from. In the right place at the right time were Bettine Harris and silver fleets Hazel Whittle. These two took a commanding lead, Bettine sailing without nerve to extend her lead to the finish, Hazel chased by the pack was caught on the final run to finish 5th behind Isobel Speirs, Harry Chatterton and Jamie Harris.
Race 3 started and again a little local pressure propelled one boat to the fore. This time Cara Bland took the first gust to lead almost from start to finish. The chasing pack could get nowhere near her. Jamie Harris 2nd Isobel Speirs 3rd. Harry Chatterton did well to save 8th after being chosen as the wind gods target for a localised hurricane which slammed him upside down whilst those around him drifted to the leeward mark.
Sunday dawned with the river mirror calm. A lengthy wait allowed the breeze to build from the south east as the fleet set out. Megan Ferguson's excellent start put her in the lead at the windward mark race 4, she held this as the wind swung slowly to the right and died. The 1st reach became a run, the 2nd close hauled. Bordering on a race cancellation, Megan lost her lead to a succession of different boats Finbarr Wormwell led for a minute or two, as did Jamie Harris, but it was superb light wind sailing that gave Ellie Wootton the win; Harry Chatterton so nearly made 2nd, but he just couldn't make the line, tacked and suffered as Hattie Collingridge, Jamie Harris and Erin Marks slipped past him. Bea Green and Daisy Nunn finishing 8th led silver fleet with an excellent result.
Katie Sparks pin end start put her into a strong lead in race 5, chased by the pack she held firm to finish with a dominant win from Jamie Harris, Megan Ferguson and Isobel Speirs.
Race 6 started with a proper hiking breeze settling in. At the top Megan Ferguson led from Katie Spark and Jamie Harris. The 2nd beat was intense as the top 6 boats battled hard for the lead. Taking the shifts and a 100m lead was Jamie Harris from Katie, Isobel and Megan. Jamie then sailed a text book loose cover final beat to extend his lead whist shepherding the fleet behind to take the win with Isobel 2nd and Megan 3rd.
And that was how they finished on the podium. With 6 separate race winners and shifty conditions it was Jamie Harris's consistent results that gave him the title by 5 points from Isobel Speirs and Megan Ferguson. Cara Bland, Hattie Collingridge, Katie Spark, and Finbarr Wormwell should be credited for top 10 placings in tough conditions. Silver fleet winners Bea green crewed by Daisy Nunn sailed well to win from Ellie Watling and Rosie target.
The final 2016 Cadet Worlds team qualifier is to be held at RCYC Burnham-on-Crouch - 28/29 May 2016, home of the Cadet Nationals for many years it is fitting that on this 50th Worlds year the final selector should be held at the spiritual home of the Cadet dinghy.
Thanks to Mike King for on-board footage: