RYA WINTER 2020
RACING UPDATES British Sailing Team / Regional Juniors
Young sailors compete again
54 M
British Sailing Team back in action in Europe
Impressive medal haul marks UK sailors’ return to international action
S
ince the restart of Olympic class racing in the summer, Britain’s elite sailors have competed in seven
regattas, returning with silverware from six, including a historic ‘clean sweep’ at the Laser European Championships. The first athletes in action were the foiling kite contingent, who headed to Puck in Poland in late August for the Formula Kite European Championships. Ellie Aldridge, the 2019 champion, came second overall in the women’s fleet, while Connor Bainbridge scooped bronze in the men’s fleet. A month later, Aldridge and Bainbridge successfully defended their Formula Kite Mixed Relay European Championship title in Traunsee, Austria. Teammates Guy Bridge and Katie Dabson took bronze. Giles Scott took a week out of his America’s Cup duties to attempt his European title defence in Gdynia, Poland, but had to settle for silver. With windfoiling set to debut at
Paris 2024, the British Sailing Team’s windsurfers headed to Silvaplana in Switzerland for the inaugural iQFOiL European Championships. Former
youth world champion Islay Watson stole the show with a silver medal. Kiel Week proved hugely successful
for the team, with Laser sailor Elliot Hanson and Nacra 17 pair John Gimson and Anna Burnet coming home with silver medals, while Laser sailor Michael Beckett and 49erFX team Charlotte Dobson and Saskia Tidey won bronze. Gimson and Burnet had hoped to go one better at the Nacra 17 European Championships in Attersee, Austria, but ended up fourth after a tense six-way battle for the podium places. Hanson earned gold at the Laser European Championships as he won his first title. In a first for country and class, teammates Beckett and Lorenzo Chiavarini completed the podium. A 19-strong British contingent headed to Lake Garda in October for the iQFOiL International Games, where they enjoyed a strong showing. Matt Barton and Sam Sills finished fifth and sixth in the men’s competition, with Islay Watson and Imogen Sills coming seventh and ninth in the women’s fleet. Watson also claimed the under-21 title, while Finn Hawkins was top under-19.
ultiple regattas were held around the country for the 2020 Regional Junior Championships in September. An opening weekend of junior windsurfing was followed by a second weekend of blue skies and brisk wind when the dinghies took prominence, with the action mostly taking place in Optimist, Topper, RS Feva and RS Tera Sport classes. Draycote Water Sailing Club
hosted the Midlands region regatta, Datchet Water Sailing Club was home to the London and south-east event, while the south and south-west region regatta took place at Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy. The south region windsurfing championship took place at the Andrew Simpson Sailing Centre in Portsmouth, and there were Home Countries regattas in Wales and Northern Ireland. Unfortunately, the east region regatta at Grafham Water Sailing Club was cancelled due to bad weather. Clubs, volunteers, support
staff and race officials went above and beyond to ensure each venue was Covid-secure, and racing was split into two classes per day to ensure a safe number of competitors, parents and staff on site. The fresh breeze presented a challenge for the young racers, but they all demonstrated impressive boat-handling skills and determination.
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