Like previous years I am keen to provide daily updates for parents and families back at home so that they can see how the sailors are getting on at the NSSA regatta. Thanks to the help of webmaster Tony, fingers crossed this page should be updated every evening.
Becka
See this site for results when available
Saturday
We've had reports that the beach is beautiful, camping field clean and flat and weather lovely. Rod and myself are travelling up this afternoon and I can't wait to get up there. Looking forward to getting the team together tomorrow.
Sunday
A very busy day! We got the boats down to the beach this morning and grabbed a great spot next to the path down there. The water goes a long way out so it's a long trail to launch and recover at low tide!
Most people arrived at lunch time and we got the team together for a briefing. Of our 15 sailors, 7 are rookies so quite an age range this year. Jon and Adam are proving a great asset as team captains. We have quite a number of parent helpers, who are going to be a great help launching and recovering the boats.
This afternoon there was chance for the most experienced to get out on the water. The wind was blowing up to force 5 so we deemed it unsafe for those with less experience to go out as there wasn't full safety cover. However, all benefited from watching launching and recovery in the swell.
We played team games this evening before a full event briefing. The general feeling is that excitement runs high, though there are some nerves about the sea too. It's going to be tricky getting everyone to bed tonight!
Becka and Rod
Monday
Monday saw the first day of racing. A very windy day but better in the afternoon than the morning when Adam suffered some boat damage. Everyone got sailing in the afternoon and all returned with big grins.
The team attended a racing master class in the evening, finishing the day off with rounders on the beach.
Well done to Cheryl and Jordan for taking 3rd and 4th in the Rookie race (Fleet of 14).
Tuesday
Another very windy day, force5 a lot of the time.
Most of the rookies went out over lunch time, despite the strong winds and returned with big grins once again. The rest of the sailors went out in the afternoon. Jordan snapped his mast but by the end of the day repairs had been made to get him back into the racing.
In the Laser Radial Adam had 2 top 20 results and John 1 (Fleet of 40). Andrew is 22nd in Toppers (fleet of 58). Cheryl and Jordan are currently 3rd and 4th in Rookie fleet with Sam 13th. At the time of the report being phoned back the sailors are in a Racing master class, following some games on the beach. After that it will probably be into the tents as it's pouring with rain!
Wednesday
Unfortunately the weather stopped play today. Everyone went swimming in a big pool in the morning and there was a trip to the cinema later in the day.
See this site for results when available
Thursday
All sailors except rookies got launched in the morning for racing. However, quite a dramatic thunderstorm was tracked heading accross towards us so everyone was brought off the water quickly later in the morning. After lunch in the marquee trying to stay dry, the weather improved and there was some sailing in the afternoon for those that could handle the conditions.
Better weather in the evening allowed entry in the beach games. Our 5 a side football team was knocked out early on, but the vollyball team got all the way to the final.
Friday
The last day held the best weather of the whole week, sunshine and comparatively light winds.All fleets were trying to catch up on the total number of races, with rookies being made priority. It was still tough going though, particularly for the Topper sailors who were out on the water for 4 hours, then after a very brief lunch break were out again for the single handers race. This was one of the additional races postponed from Wednesday.
Packing up boats took up most of the afternoon, huge thanks to everyone that helped. Jon and I had the experience of a protest arbitration which had a good outcome in the end.
The presentation of tropies was held in the evening, with Leicestershire coming home with a number of awards. Cheryl won third place in the Rookie fleet and Jordan fourth. The Leicestershire trophies were awarded as follows:
Hayward Tankard for highest placed Leicestershire Sailor - Jon Cooper
Triumph Trophy for seamanship - Ryan Maloney, due to his outstanding contribution to the team this week.
The President's Award - Luke Rayner, for sailor of the week.
The sailors who didn't head home went to the disco and Tom J's dancing was a sight to be seen.
Saturday
Sadly all the tents had to be packed up and everyone left to head home. I think I speak for everyone, helpers and sailors, that we've all had a thoroughly enjoyable (if exhausting!) week. The weather at times wasn't the kindest for sailing, but all the sailors performed to the best of their ability and I'm really proud of all of them. Colin and Richard covered some of the safety of the Rookie fleet and gave very positive feedback. We also had compliments from the catering staff on the team's manners!
Finally, many thanks to all the sailors for their efforts, all the helpers without whom there is no way we could have launched all the boats, Rod for being a brilliant assistant team manager and to the organisers of the NSSA for a great week.
Becka Sharpe
LRYSA Team Manager
