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RS500 Youth Training @ Datchet
Nine youth teams met up for the first RS500 Youth Training of 2008 at Datchet Water on Saturday. Coach Ian Patience outlined the programme consisting of training on Saturday and video feedback of the 500's racing in the first of the "Winter Warm Up" races on Sunday. He also said some exciting RS500 youth news will be announced at Sailboat in March, watch this space to find out more when it is announced.
Conditions were an icy F3-4 as the crews left the shore for exercises based around follow my leader and windward leeward activities. This was spectacular to see from the shore as the boats criss-crossed at close quarters with their massive black asymmetrics flying well. A short gut buster activity concluded the mornings sailing.
After lunch and a thorough briefing session, three races were held. These were very tight across the fleet and especially between the combinations of Nathan Ackroyd/ James Patience in 546 and Matt Johnson/ Tom Weatherhead in 542. Matt and Tom just squeaked a 2:1 advantage at the end of the day. Holly and Freja Watson showed their speed once again and Jon Holmes in 551, back in 500's after a break and crewed by Laura, also had good pace. All the crews sailed well in the conditions and came ashore to the final debrief of the day having enjoyed the training and learned new skills.
Sunday's forecast was fierce; with the Met Office predicting a mean wind of 20knots and gusts of 30+knots. Throughout the day Datchet lived up to this forecast and some. The youth 500's joined the 60+ other entrants for the racing including several other 500's from the club and further a field. Evil gusts pounced on the sailors as they left the shore, causing many to capsize and never reach the committee boat. The Flying 15's were doing just that and at one stage three were knocked down in one horrendous gust! As a result the lighter 500 teams suffered in the conditions and most withdrew to watch from the shore, but they were not alone as there were boats from all fleets retiring after huge capsizes on every leg of the course.
Of the youth 500's which made it to the committee boat, all had at least one swim on the way and only Nathan got off at the start gun cleanly along with two or three of the adult 500's. Matt and Tom were unlucky to break their tiller extension at the start and had to limp back to the club to join those on shore. After several gruelling laps and capsizes Nathan and James sailed well, finished the course and 3rd in their start but then retired for the day exhausted! In the second race, Matt and Tom, using a borrowed extension, started but retired to practice heavy weather technique as they were the only 500 left racing.
In spite of the conditions on Sunday and the early shower for many of the 500 youths, a lot had been learned and when conditions are more favourable the new drills can be put fully into practice. Overall they all enjoyed the training and are looking forward to the next training session in a few weeks time.
