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After NR provincials that was held at Aeolians on the 5th and 6th of September the question was whereto from here for the Optimists. We just came out of a hard lockdown and not many events were available on the NR calendar to schedule the NR GP Series. It was decided that something had to be done and it ended up that the Optimist will have an inaugural summer series of 3 regattas as part of the yearly GP series. This had to be done before the school exams that is scheduled to begin in November. Regattas that the Optimists were to participate in were the Club championships at TYC, the Instruman Dingy Champs at WYAC and an event at the Vaal Dam. This was scheduled to be 3 regattas within 4 weeks of October.
GP1 Summer Series TYC
Clinic
We started with a 2-hour clinic in the morning focusing on the sailors with new sails. Shellee put the sailors through their paces in a moderate breeze.
Racing
In the first race Adrian Rautenbach didn’t figure of 8 out a sausage course and got a DSQ. Robbie Clark came in first followed by Ayden O’Hara, Xavier Assis and Rowan Chidley. The rest of the day Adrian got 2 first places and a second. Rowan got a first place and two second places followed by Robbie in third and Ayden in fourth.
Four races were completed but with the weather building later in the afternoon to between 8 and 15 knots the younger sailors put in a great effort but eventually had to retire.
On day 2 with the wind between 8 and 17 knots it was a soldier’s course when Rohan got firsts Adrian seconds Robbie thirds and Ayden fourths. 3 Races were completed before the storm clouds started threatening.
Overall results: Rowan Chidley Adrian Rautenbach Robbie Clark and Ayden O’Hara
GP2 Summer Series WYAC
Day 1 saw typical Highveld weather with very little winds. In the late afternoon the weather started building and 2 races were completed before thunderstorms started threatening. Adrian Rautenbach won both races followed by Ayden O’Hara and Robbie Clark. Max Malan and Xavier Assis were fighting it out for fourth and fifth.
Great fun was had in the evening with some fun prices, braai and the sailors having fun with a toy see saw standing in as an Oppie!
Day 2 saw light winds and gusts that changed 180°. Thanks to the bridge officer the Oppies had an early start and managed to get 3 races in. Ayden and Robbie had steady races in second and third, with Xavier and Max challenging. Adrian made good use of the gusts upfront.
Overall results: Adrian Rautenbach, Ayden O’Hara, Robbie Clark, Xavier Assis and Max Malan
Well done to Rohan Chidley for achieving 2nd place in the WC provincials on this weekend.
GP2 Summer Series SYC
Of to the Vaal we went. Thanks to SYC for helping to organise a regatta within less than 2 weeks. Day 1 had winds between 12 and 18kts. Lena Holm won 3 of the 4 races and Ingrid Holm the other. Adrian Rautenbach had third places and Ayden O’Hara fourth.
Day 2 had winds between 22 and 28 kts. Due to the bridge dragging, boat breakages and a storm building up racing was cancelled.
Overall results: Lena Holm, Ingrid Holm, Adrian Rautenbach and Ayden O’Hara
GP Summer Series Overall Results
Adrian Rautenbach, Ayden O’Hara, Robbie Clark
Thank you to the sailors, parents, TYC, WYAC, SYC and race management to make this all possible.
The newcomers to the GP series picked up valuable experience and they are progressing well to continue progressing within the GP series.
Heartening is knowing that the NR sailing centres and clubs are putting every effort in to train 20 odd more Oppie sailors that will feed into GP series in the future.