Please select your home edition
Edition
Maritimo 2023 S-Series LEADERBOARD

Midlands Optimist Training Group enjoy champagne conditions at Glossop

by Debbie Smith 15 Jun 2021 11:57 UTC 12 June 2021
Midlands Optimist Training Group at Glossop © Debbie Smith

Fifteen months after last meeting at Torside Reservoir in the Peak District, the Midlands Regional Training Group for the Optimist Class, under the direction of RYA coaches Steve Irish and Steph Harding, returned to glorious Glossop Sailing Club to sail in perfect conditions for the penultimate training weekend of the year.

Saturday offered gusty conditions all day, giving the team plenty of start line and downwind technique practice, as well as racing. A calmer, steadier breeze on Sunday saw the squad racing under much lighter, but equally challenging, conditions. It also provided a valuable opportunity to run races for many of the younger siblings - known as The Midlands Sharks - who contested a three-race series, with William Shaw (Banbury SC) taking home first place.

The eight 2020-21 Regional Training Group members are drawn from four clubs across the large Midlands region: Midlands SC in central Birmingham; South Staffordshire SC in Penkridge, Staffordshire; Banbury SC in Oxfordshire and weekend hosts, Glossop SC.

Many thanks to RYA High Performance Manager Tim Hall for providing prizes for the Sharks' racing - and to the Glossop Sailing Club team, led by Richard and Kathryn Smith, for hosting the squad and families for the weekend. The final training weekend takes place in late June at Staunton Harold, before four members of the team represent the Midlands at the Eric Twiname Championships, at Bassenthwaite, in July.

Related Articles

Affordable Precision: How Atto Changes the Game
Weighing just 75g and capable of measuring 250 kg working load Digitalisation has changed sailing. Technologies once reserved for Grand-Prix are permeating every level of the sport, giving sailors the ability to adopt elite racing and training practices - elevating the game across the board. Posted on 4 Nov
2024 Optimist European Team Racing Championship
A sixth European title for Italy at Yacht Club de Monaco The curtain has fallen on the Optimist European Team Racing Championship 2024, organised by Yacht Club de Monaco under the aegis of the International Optimist Dinghy Association (IODA) and World Sailing, in partnership with FxPro, Monaco Marine and SLAM. Posted on 21 Oct
Parkstone Optimist Open
A weekend of winds at either extreme It was time for the annual Parkstone Optimist Open Meeting 2024, which took place two weekends ago. It was a weekend of winds at either extreme with day 1 of drifting to day 2 of thrilling races that kept both sailors and spectators on their toes. Posted on 13 Oct
NEYYSA event at Yeadon
17 youth sailors brave the uncertain forecast During the two weeks prior to Sunday 29th of September the forecast offered a variety of possible options, ranging from heavy rain with F8 gusts, to clear skies and no wind. When the day arrived, it settled somewhere in the middle. Posted on 9 Oct
CG United Insurance SVG Youth Nationals
Hosted by Vincy Sailing at Coconut Grove Beach Club over the weekend Vincy Sailing successfully hosted the St Vincent and the Grenadines Sailing Association Youth Nationals over the weekend of October 5th and 6th, with the Championship base at Coconut Grove Beach Club and races held in the calm waters of Calliaqua Bay. Posted on 9 Oct
A record Barcolana Nuota
Too strong a wind at first, and then a gentle breeze for the Optimists It was a beautiful sunny day: snowy mountains, the bora dying down, and such a visibility that the entire Gulf could be taken in with a glance. Posted on 6 Oct
Barcolana Grada SUP Experience
The 135 contestants kick off the first weekend of the Barcolana This morning Trieste woke up with a new 'monument' in Piazza Unità, which symbolises and summarises all local shipbuilding expertise. Posted on 5 Oct
P&B Northamptonshire Youth Series finale
Draycote sees 40 sailors applying suncream The season finale took place at Draycote. The forecast was for a building breeze up to perhaps 14 knots. Sun cream was definitely required, but would the wind fill in as forecast? More than 40 sailors signed on. Posted on 2 Oct
Parkstone Youth Week
Lifelong friendships through sailing At Youth Week, we believe that "Lifelong Friendships Through Sailing" lies at the core of everything we do. With this guiding principle, our team began planning Youth Week back in January, thanks to the return of Quilter Cheviot as our Title Sponsor. Posted on 30 Sep
Optimist Open and Training at Blackwater
A bumper entry list in the East Last weekend a fleet of almost 70 Optimist dinghies descended upon Blackwater Sailing Club, for a full weekend of sailing. The weather gods played in our favour as we hung on to, what still felt like, Summer. Posted on 27 Sep
Maritimo 2023 S600 FOOTERSavvy Navvy 2024