Craig and Lewis defy Storm Daragh at the Sailing Chandlery Datchet Flyer
by Andy Rice 13 Dec 02:49 NZDT
7-8 December 2024
While Storm Daragh deterred most sailors from getting on the water last weekend, a small weather window saw 23 intrepid sailors in 17 boats get on the water for the Sailing Chandlery Datchet Flyer. With winds gusting close to 30 knots at times, there were 13 finishers.
This was the first opportunity for sailors to take part in the nine events of the Seldén Sailjuice Winter Series, and an opportunity for Nick Craig and Toby Lewis to test themselves in the RS400.
Meanwhile, the next event in the Series is fast approaching, this weekend's Robline UK Polar Chase at Chase Sailing Club. There are already 80 entries, close to the maximum limit of 90.
Enter at www.sailjuiceseries.com
Multiple champions across many classes, including former winners of the Seldén Sailjuice Winter Series, Craig and Lewis were delighted to see the event go ahead despite the doubts about Storm Daragh. "We had a fantastic blast - the mighty 400 is so well mannered in big breeze, yet exhilarating," said Craig, who later this month flies to Sydney to compete in the B14 World Championship.
"We did have a dodgy moment during the pre-start when we capsized on a gybe after Toby missed his toestraps. Every manoeuvre had to be inch perfect to stay upright, which Toby nailed in all three races."
The team at Datchet Water have built a reputation for keeping going with scheduled events even when the easier option would be to cancel. DWSC was one of the first clubs back after Covid lockdowns, and principal race officer Seb Camisuli and his team were keen to make the 12th edition of the Sailing Chandlery Datchet Flyer go ahead as planned. While Saturday was too strong, a brief window of opportunity on Sunday made it possible to hold three back-to-back races, with just minutes of waiting in between races so the sailors didn't get too cold.
There were some phenomenal demonstrations of grit and determination, including Datchet's Dan Goodman who might have only completed one race in his Waszp, but showing great courage to get out there in the first place aboard such a high-performance foiling machine.
Nick Craig gave credit to the organisers. "I was so pleased the event went ahead, a lot of clubs would have canned it," said the Frensham Pond sailor. "It frustrates me that so many events get canned early based on a changeable forecast. My favourite sailing is high winds, but we give in too easily to the Health & Safety busybodies! Good on Datchet Water for running it, and huge respect to the other competitors, especially the fast charging youths. There are some names to watch in the future."
Youth Sailors on the charge
Top performing youth was Jess Powell in an ILCA 4 singlehander. Already proven as a serious talent in the Topper class, where the 14-year-old has won the GJW Direct Topper National Championships and the YJA Young Sailor of the Year Award. The Draycote Water sailor finished second behind the winning RS400 and just ahead of Paignton's Ben Flower, one of the top ILCA 7 sailors in the country and an Olympic campaigner.
Joseph Warwicker and Adam Aziz put in a solid performance in their 470 to come fourth overall ahead of next youth sailor, Cornielle LePrince in an ILCA 4. Aged 16, LePrince was one of two representatives from Greig City Academy, the other being Max Guiget-Belcher who was competing in a 24-year-old ILCA 4 dinghy.
Finishing on equal points with Guiget-Belcher was 15-year-old Finlay Cochrane who made the trip from Yorkshire Dales to compete in his ILCA 6 dinghy. Further back in 12th was Bartley Sailing Club's Sophie Forbes who battled her Topper round the track in all three races despite very limited experience of racing, let along in breeze gusting close to 30 knots.
Getting new sailors on the water
While 13-year-old Sophie was tacking her Topper around the race course, her mum Rachel was crewing for Series regular Paul Young for a non-racing blast around Datchet Water. "Rachel only started sailing in April this year, when I took her out in an Enterprise at Midland SC on a friends & family day," explained Young. "Rachel was keen to find out what sailing was like and is one of the many people who crew for me. I do not have the same crew all the time as no one is available to crew for me all the time."
One of Young's other young crews was away sailing in the Southern Ocean. "Nathan is about to go around Cape Horn on a tall ship to celebrate finishing his apprenticeship. Lauren who you saw last year at times is crewing for me at Chase next week, and I'm sailing with others two during this winter." Young says he currently is without a crew for the Yorkshire Dales Brass Monkey or the re-run of the Fernhurst Books Draycote Dash but says he's working on it.
Co-organiser of the Seldén Sailjuice Winter Series, Simon Lovesey, was greatly encouraged by the efforts of Datchet Water SC, the participating sailors as well as those who came to watch and soak up the atmosphere. "Even when racing didn't happen it was great to see over a 100 people in the clubhouse having a great time.
"Thank you to Simon Horsfield for running our Plan B and the GJW Direct Coaching Workshop on heavy weather survival.Also, to RYA Rules Guru Chris Simon, for bringing us up to speed on the new Racing Rules of Sailing (RRS), that come into force 1st January 2025.
"It was great to have some of our sponsors present and able to help with their specific areas of expertise, notably to Andrew Dowley of Sailing Chandlery and Andy Tarboton of Seldén Mast."
GJW Direct Coaching Debrief with Simon Horsfield
Even if you stayed at home and didn't come to Datchet you can still get some great insights and go-faster tips from watching the GJW Direct sponsored Coaching Debrief by sailing coach and multiple champion Simon Horsfield at www.facebook.com/SeldenSailJuiceWinterSeries/videos/872475731634906
Next Event
Now the Series moves on to the Robline UK Polar Chase this Saturday, 14 December.
Enter at www.sailjuiceseries.com
Prizes:
Fastest (sustained speed over 20 seconds) - Nick CRAIG, RS400 - 13.6 kts
Fastest, corrected to handicap - Tom AHLHEID, RS200 - 13.0 kts
CFbyLandL Youth Rankings (£75 voucher) - Jess POWELL, ILCA 4
Zhik Old Boats - Max GUIGUET-BELCHER, ILCA 4, Greig City Academy
1st Junior (under 14) - Sophie FORBES, Topper, Bartley SC
All finishers:
| Pos | Class | Sail No | Helm | Crew | GL | Club | R1 | R2 | R3 | Pts |
|---|
| 1st | RS400 | 1500 | Nick CRAIG | Toby LEWIS | 948 | Frensham Pond SC | ‑2 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| 2nd | ILCA 4 / Laser 4.7 | 211078 | Jess POWELL | | 1208 | Draycote Water SC | ‑5 | 3 | 2 | 5 |
| 3rd | ILCA 7 / Laser | 26 | Ben FLOWER | | 1104 | Paignton SC | 1 | 5 | (DNC) | 6 |
| 4th | 470 | 891 | Joseph WARWICKER | Adam AZIZ | 973 | Bough Beech SC | 4 | 2 | ‑5 | 6 |
| 5th | ILCA 4 / Laser 4.7 | 203527 | Cornielle LePrince | | 1208 | Greig City Academy | ‑6 | 4 | 3 | 7 |
| 6th | RS200 | 1237 | Tom AHLHEID | Tristan AHLHEID | 1046 | Frensham Pond SC | 3 | ‑8 | 4 | 7 |
| 7th | Devoti D‑Zero | 328 | Thomas SOUTHWELL | | 1043 | Lee On Solent SC | ‑8 | 7 | 6 | 13 |
| 8th | ILCA 4 / Laser 4.7 | 204005 | Max GUIGUET‑BELCHER | | 1208 | Greig City Academy | ‑10 | 6 | 8 | 14 |
| 9th | ILCA 6 / Laser Radial | 224683 | Finlay COCHRANE | | 1145 | Yorkshire Dales SC | 7 | ‑9 | 7 | 14 |
| 10th | RS Aero 7 | 4228 | Andrew BARNETT | | 1069 | Island Barn RSC | 9 | 10 | ‑11 | 19 |
| 11th | RS200 | 1436 | Bridgitte NEE | Sam NEE | 1046 | Frensham Pond SC | ‑12 | 11 | 9 | 20 |
| 12th | Topper | 45772 | Sophie FORBES | | 1369 | Bartley SC | ‑13 | 12 | 10 | 22 |
| 13th | Waszp | 2928 | Daniel GOODMAN | | 740 | Datchet Water SC | 11 | (DNC) | DNC | 65 |