Grafham Water hosts second event in sailing calendar of 2023

The league is open to youth members of the five participating clubs: Cam, Ely, Grafham, Hunts and Paxton sailing clubs. 

The first two fleets, consisting of an Optimist, an RS Tera and 14 Toppers, got away cleanly at 11.30, followed by the ILCA/Laser fleet with a mixture of ILCA6 and ILCA4 rigs.

The action at the front of the ILCA fleet was keen, with local sailors Tim Evans and Dom Atherton battling for the lead closely followed by Adele Burbidge.

The Topper fleet was also hotly contested, with Robert Hole from Hunts, Kieran Vanhoutte from Ely and Keah Edward from Cam fighting it out at the front of the fleet.

Robert Hole was the first U-15 home in the CYL event at Grafham. (Image: PAUL SANWELL)

The final positions were combined into one set of overall handicap results and the event was won convincingly by Tim Evans from Grafham in an ILCA6, with two first places and discarding a second place.

He was followed by Dom Atherton, also in a ILCA6, counting a second and third place.

Third overall, and first under 15 was Robert Hole, who took first place on handicap in race 1. Kieran Vanhoutte was fourth and second under 15, with Thomas Matthews taking the third under 15 prize.

Prizes for under 12 year-olds allowed recognition for those further down the placings, with Jashan Downs from Ely first and Mushui Zuo from Grafham second.

The Endeavour prize was awarded to Fergus Marshall from Ely in a Topper and the prize for the youngest competitor went to nine-year-old Isabella Rooke from Grafham, sailing an RS Tera. 

The team prize was awarded to Grafham Water Sailing Club, with Adele, Tim, Dom and Thomas contributing their best results to the overall score.

This puts Grafham in the lead in the team event, 46 points ahead of Cam. In the individual event, Adele Burbidge is currently in the lead, followed by Keah Edwards and Robert Hole.