LASER GRAND PRIX LAKELAND AND FAR NORTHERN SERIES – ROUND 4 BASSENTHWAITE

On Saturday 11th June, Sedbergh Sailing arrived at Bassenthwaite to more wind than was forecast. Dr Ripley reports: “This was a great relief given that the forecast was for 2 – 6 mph which is barely sailable.

However, as the race briefing approached the wind switched off and the Officer of the Day warned us that the first race might have to be postponed.  Although it was a little late the first race got under way but it was like watching paint dry with fluky and fickle winds predominating and only one lap was achieved by all the fleet.  At least it had the advantage of keeping the whole fleet fairly close.

“A light breeze sprung up at this point and the second race took off in quite reasonable sailing conditions but it slowly declined until the last two boats to be finished – our pair of radial rigs – were ghosting along with barely discernible way.

Luckily our two 4.7 rig sailors had been stopped on their second lap, which meant that they were not forced into the painfully slow last lap!  Pier Pello (H) probably won’t forget his feeling of having beaten Chay Turner-Richards (P) in that race.

Overall Chay was our highest placed boat on the day, while Walter Keegan (H) was the winning 4.7 rig sailor and figured at the prize giving for a better reason than his previous award at Bassenthwaite (along with Geordan Moss (W) and Pier) for endeavour.”

This was Chay Turner-Richards’ last race for the school and as Captain of Sailing. Dr Ripley passed on his thanks to Chay for such a large contribution to the Sailing Club over the years.

Chay, from near Penrith, Cumbria, will continue to compete for the school over the summer and said: “My time with the Sedbergh sailing team has been one of the best parts of the sporting side of Sedbergh for me. Starting in Year 9 with the great names of Luke Collins and the Shellcock brothers (Robin and Patrick), I saw the great diversity and what Sedbergh sailing is all about.

Yes, it is about the racing and the competitiveness, which shows the Sedberghian’s nature coming through, but everyone has such an enjoyable time. I am fully confident that the Sedbergh Sailing team will continue to grow next year with some great leadership from the Upper Sixth.

We also have a very enthusiastic generation of Year 9s and Year 10s coming through. It has been a great honour being part of this team and I wish all the team the very best in luck in the future. Sailing is one of the toughest sports and needs Sedberghians to continue the tradition.”

Sedbergh Sailing will compete next on the weekend of 25/26th June where they race in the Junior National 12-hour race on the Saturday and follow it with the Northern Regional CCF regatta on the Sunday.  For updates please follow @SedberghSailing.

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