Optimist Midlands Traveller Series Open at Barnt Green Sailing Club
by Debbie Smith 6 Sep 2021 18:32 NZST
4 September 2021
Main fleet start in the Barnt Green Optimist Open © Debbie Smith
The second event of the Midlands Traveller Series for Optimists was held on Saturday 4th September.
With just enough time since lockdown ended for some new sailors to learn enough to join the racing, the turnout of new sailors was great with 19 in the regatta fleet and ten in main fleet. On the water coaching was provided for the regatta fleet by Steph Harding (RYA Racing Coach) assisted by Finley Moss.
A nice consistent breeze greeted the sailors for the morning racing with race leaders changing frequently and even the newest sailors completing the large figure of eight course. After a hot lunch and cakes provided by visiting sailors from Cardiff Bay, to raise money for Macmillan, the sailors returned to the water to face very light conditions - testing the tactics of the more experienced racers and introducing the newer sailors to the skill of roll tacking. A fouth race was abandoned and the fleets headed ashore.
Prizes were awarded to Thomas Kelsall - Staunton Harold SC 1st overall; Will Moss - Barnt Green SC 2nd overall; Theo Smith - South Staffs & Draycote SCs 3rd overall; Jack Hodgkins - South Staffs SC 1st junior in main fleet; Oscar Smith - South Staffs & Draycote SCs 1st regatta fleet; Lochlyn Grant - Leigh & Lowton & West Kirby SCs 2nd regatta fleet; Oscar Johnson - Blithfield SC 1st sailor sailing in their first event and Anila Atkins - Barnt Green SC 2ndsailor sailing in their first event. There were also prizes for all the sailors competing in their first event and awards to nine sailors for exhibiting great examples of the British Youth Sailing values and behaviours.
Overall Results:
| Pos | Sail No | Name | Club | Prize Category | R1 | R2 | R3 | Pts |
|---|
| Main Fleet |
|---|
| 1st | 6600 | Thomas Kelsall | Staunton Harold SC | | ‑3 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| 2nd | 6342 | William Moss | Barnt Green SC | | 1 | ‑2 | 2 | 3 |
| 3rd | 6575 | Theo Smith | South Staffs SC & Draycote SC | | 2 | 3 | ‑4 | 5 |
| 4th | 6365 | Jack Hodgkins | South Staffs SC | Junior | ‑8 | 4 | 5 | 9 |
| 5th | 6548 | Seb Lyttle | Datchet SC | Junior | 4 | ‑6 | 6 | 10 |
| 6th | 6418 | Tristan Shaw | Banbury SC | Junior | ‑10 | 8 | 3 | 11 |
| 7th | 6344 | Jacob Bennett | Glossop SC | | 6 | 5 | ‑8 | 11 |
| 8th | 5722 | Will Cowley | Midland SC | | 5 | ‑9 | 9 | 14 |
| 9th | 6395 | Meg Thomas | Cardiff Bay YC | Junior | ‑7 | 7 | 7 | 14 |
| 10th | 6196 | Niamh Epstein | Cardiff Bay YC | Junior | 9 | ‑10 | 10 | 19 |
| Regatta Fleet |
|---|
| 1st | 5483 | Oscar Smith | South Staffs SC & Draycote SC | | 1 | ‑2 | 2 | 3 |
| 2nd | 6013 | Lochlyn Grant | Leigh & Lowton SC & West Kirby SC | | 2 | 1 | ‑3 | 3 |
| 3rd | 5391 | William Shaw | Banbury SC | | 3 | ‑6 | 1 | 4 |
| 4th | 3613 | Oscar Johnson | Blithfield SC | First Event | ‑4 | 4 | 4 | 8 |
| 5th | 5611 | Tom Cowley | Midland SC | | 5 | 5 | ‑13 | 10 |
| 6th | 4173 | Anila Atkins | Barnt Green SC | First Event | 6 | ‑7 | 5 | 11 |
| 7th | 5288 | Oli Cowley | Midland SC | | ‑16 | 3 | 11 | 14 |
| 8th | 5962 | Lerming Wang | Barnt Green SC | First Event | ‑8 | 8 | 6 | 14 |
| 9th | 5086 | Saoirise Smith | Barnt Green SC | First Event | 7 | 9 | (DNF) | 16 |
| 10th | GBR | Hansen Wang | Barnt Green SC | First Event | 11 | ‑15 | 7 | 18 |
| 11th | 1314 | Roisin Epstein | Cardiff Bay YC | | (DNF) | 11 | 8 | 19 |
| 12th | K3913 | Kaitlyn Tiffany | Barnt Green SC | First Event | ‑14.5 | 12 | 9 | 21 |
| 13th | 1192 | Joshua Garratt | | First Event | 9 | 13 | ‑15 | 22 |
| 14th | 4821 | Florence Croft | Barnt Green SC | First Event | 12 | ‑14 | 10 | 22 |
| 15th | 2913 | Luca Johnson | Blithfield SC | First Event | 13 | 10 | ‑14 | 23 |
| 16th | 3913 | Shay Moran | | First Event | 14.5 | (DNF) | 12 | 26.5 |
| 17th | 2674 | Luke Hodgetts | | First Event | 10 | (DNF) | DNC | 31 |
| 18th | 508 | Beatrice Croft | Barnt Green SC | First Event | (DNF) | 16 | 16 | 32 |
| 19th | 5609 | Hugo Thomas | Cardiff Bay YC | | (DNC) | DNC | DNC | 42 |
| 19th | 4021 | Stefan Claridge | Midland SC | | (DNF) | DNF | DNC | 42 |
