Sailing Report
Thommie G, our Sailing Captain, gives us a full round-up of all the different championships that our pupils have participated in since the end of the Summer Term, including awards won by our pupils.
Sailing Report by Thommie G
At the end of the Summer Term, we took two large teams to the National Schools Championship at Itchenor Sailing Club. In the first half of the week, nine RHS boats competed in a fleet of 99 boats in the junior division with Merryn A and Toby S finishing second overall. Strong performances throughout the team, with four other boats finishing in the top half of the fleet meant that RHS won the overall team trophy for top school.
The second half of the week saw the turn of the seniors with four boats entered in a fleet of 71 boats. The top three RHS boats were rarely out of the top ten across the ten races sailed but couldn’t quite secure a medal. Sebastian K and Grace P finished 4th overall, James D and Paddy M were 5th. Nicole S and Millie L finished 6th overall and won The Astral Cup for the top ladies team. Such a dominant display from these three boats was more than enough to secure the overall team prize for top school.
Next was the Schools Team Racing National Championship. Three teams travelled to Bristol to represent RHS in two days of exciting team racing against 31 other teams. The sailors sailed well during the competition, but the results didn’t quite go our way with the senior teams finishing 8th and 10th overall, and the junior team finishing 10th.
Throughout the summer, many of our sailors competed both at home and abroad with sailors representing their nations in European and World Championships as well as racing in National Championships here in the UK and in their local club’s race weeks. Well done to everyone that competed over the summer whatever the level.
Back in September and October, the annual Year 7 sailing weeks took place. Well done to all 54 year 7s that completed the week, many learning to sail for the first time with all developing some excellent sailing skills.
The team racing continued in October with teams travelling to Derbyshire to take part in the National Schools Single Handed Team Racing Championship, sailed in Toppers. The team of Devon L, Carlos G and Alvaro A finished 7th overall and won the Lancashire Plate for the most improved team on day two of the competition. The team of Merryn A, Sarah D and Tom T won 11 of their 12 league races before winning their semi final 2 – nil and their final 3 – nil to become national champions and win the Skipper Stroud Trophy.
Following this we took three teams to Oxford for the RYA Youth and Junior Team Racing Championship. Two days of excellent, hard-fought racing ensued. The junior team finished 15th in the league to qualify for the silver league in the second stage of the competition, which they duly won without losing a race on the second day. The Pink Team, competing in the youth division, with several sailors in their first ever team racing competition won 9 races over the weekend and gained some valuable experience.
The Blue Team had an exceptional weekend though, winning all 10 of their races on day one to top the league. They followed this up by winning 3 of their races in the gold league to finish 4th in the league and qualify for the semi-finals. They eased past West Kirby Sailing Club 2 – nil in the semi-final to set up a match with our regular adversaries, Rutland Sailing Club. Despite two immensely close races, the team just came out second best to finish the competition as silver medallists. We consoled ourselves with being the top school at the event, with this being our best ever result at this open entry UK wide under 19 competition.
Taking place on the same weekend was the Endeavour Trophy. This is a competition to find the ‘Champion of Champions’. Everyone taking part was a National Champion in their class with Olympic and Paralympic medallists taking part. For the first time ever, Royal Hospital School was represented by Merryn A and Oscar O.
Over the summer, Merryn A was crowned Topper 5.3 National Champion, beating 109 other sailors over ten races, thereby qualifying for the Endeavour Trophy. Merryn A and Oscar O finished an excellent 22nd place with some great dinghy racers, including Olympian Penny Clark, behind them.
Since the end of last term three DofE Silver sailing expeditions have taken place. Two teams completed their qualifying expedition and the third completed their practice expedition. If you are interested in sailing for either a silver or gold DofE expedition, please get in touch with Mr Ryan or Mr Sibson.
Finally, at half term, a group of pupils travelled to Weymouth to take part in a week of SailFoiling and participate in Weymouth Speed Week. The top speed of the week, of 22.2 knots, was recorded by Georgie S but everyone involved had a great week sailing the school’s Waszps and the iconic foiling Tornado catamaran “Icarus”.
We are now in the midst of a busy winter of training, working towards both individual and team development goals. Plenty more competitions come up next term so good luck to all our sailors in their preparation for those.
The Headmaster presented trophies to:
National Schools Championship Junior Team Prize – Toby S
National Schools Championship Senior Team Prize – Sebastian K
The Astral Cup for first ladies team at the Schools National Championship – Nicole S and Millie L
The Lancashire Plate – Devon L, Carlos G and Alvaro A
The Skipper Stroud Trophy - Merryn A, Sarah D and Tom T
Find more about sailing here: Sailing Academy