Parkstone Yacht Club Youth Week 2024 - Lifelong friendships through sailing
by Mark Norton 30 Sep 10:36 UTC
Lifelong friendships through sailing - Parkstone Youth Week © Phil Jackson / Digital 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 an extraordinary Youth Week back in January 2024, thanks to the return of Quilter Cheviot as our Title Sponsor.
With the Paris Olympics approaching, we adopted the theme "Les Olympiques" and launched a fabulous Logo Competition. We were thrilled by the impressive number and quality of designs submitted, with Felix Harle ultimately chosen as the winner. His concept was brought to life by our sponsor, Mauveworx.
In the days leading up to the event, our remarkable team transformed The Yard into a vibrant hub of fun, featuring a large stretch tent courtesy of Harry Brewer. New YW Committee member Michael Crane collaborated seamlessly with Harry to ensure everything was set for YW Registration on Saturday afternoon.
This year, we introduced the Jolly Brewer Pub, going from concept to reality in less than 24 hours - a delightful surprise for many at PYC!
James Willis took on the significant role of Volunteer Coordinator, managing over 700 volunteer slots for Youth Week, excluding set-up. James executed this responsibility flawlessly, ensuring every sailing day and activity went off without a hitch.
Abbie Elliott tackled the ambitious task of assembling our now-famous YW Goody Bags - this was her first year on the Committee, and her efforts were outstanding. My favourite item was the YW-branded burgee. What was yours? Perhaps the returning Savvy Navvy hats or the Philippa Sole tennis balls, which were a hit with a certain Pollock family dog!
Anne-Marie Kent led the organization of YW hoodies and t-shirts, ensuring each family received their correct order. I'm extremely grateful for her diligence - well done, Anne-Marie!
The energy during Saturday's Registration was electric, bolstered by returning sponsor Steele Raymond Solicitors, who generously provided over 300 cakes for all to enjoy. I personally relished greeting the Adult Fleet off the water, offering them a YW Cake along with a smile.
Sunday marked the start of competitive sailing, but not before our Opening Ceremony where the YW Committee performed the tightest dance number ever seen at YW. We put in considerable practice with help from new PYC member Kelly Tilsed. Our song choice, "Believer" by Imagine Dragons, reflected our faith in the young sailors in the audience.
We also introduced a new Candyman, Jim Martin, who delivered a unique performance filled with games like the Human Fruit Machine and 'In It to Win It.' Huge thanks to the Sweet Thief and Oompa Loompa - AB Class Captain Rich Jennings and former YW Chair Steve Phelps - for their contributions. I had an absolute blast working with the team, even stepping in as Oompa Loompa on Thursday - a story for another day!
Our sailing program proceeded with high-quality races managed by Race Officers Roger Hakes (Red Course, sponsored by Savvy Navvy), John Hayward (White Course, sponsored by Azets Accountants), and Becky Steele & Bryan Drake (Blue Course, sponsored by Bryanston School).
One of my favourite moments this year was the team's adaptability. On Day 1, the Red Course race team made late adjustments to create a downwind slalom course for the iQFoils, which was brilliantly executed by Oli Bye.
The Media Boat made its first appearance, expertly helmed by Paul Dobner, with PYC member James Harle capturing stunning photos and drone footage - though unfortunate incidents led to a short-lived drone experience for James on Sunday. I cannot confirm nor deny rumours that the new YW Chair sat on the drone.
Sunday evening saw over 250 sailors and parents gather at Splashdown for an evening filled with fun. Special thanks to Emma Clark and the parent helpers for ensuring the event ran smoothly.
Monday brought light winds, but the AB Parents didn't disappoint with their performance, led brilliantly by Penny Hooper as Sailor Swift. The Human Fruit Machine made its debut, with Committee members joining in, and RS200 sailor Felix Harle winning a prize donated by Porsche Bournemouth.
The task of safely escorting 100 boats across Poole Harbour Main Channel was challenging, but incoming ESO John Deas expertly assessed the risks each day - great job, John!
The Safety Team, sponsored by Philippa Sole Ltd, was led successfully by James Willis (Blue Course), Liz McMaster (White Course), and Pete Burden (Red Course), who implemented the Safety Plan with precision.
Tuesday's tradition of the Oppie Fleet performance was a hit, with ESO John Deas rapping and Oppie parents dancing.
Tricky winds continued and my appreciation and thanks extended to the entire team, especially the Mark Layers who spent 6 hours on the water in search of wind. Amazing dedication.
With another day of light winds on Wednesday, our diligent Race Officers ensured that all participants got out on the water. Youth Week sponsor Arcadia Consulting treated us to an insightful talk during the morning briefing, focusing on the importance of a growth mindset, beautifully assisted by Sarah Ayton and Holly Norton. Special thanks to Erinn Dobner for managing Arcadia's arrangements and securing all event sponsorship for 2024.
Always a highlight of Youth Week, "Water Wars!" made an appearance on Wednesday afternoon with Rich Jennings once again leading an event which is challenging to describe. Standing on the slipway with Alice Thewlis a moment before it began, I noted that the event essentially features older sailors helping younger ones. For me, the sight of this camaraderie is the essence of Water Wars.
On Thursday, the Race Committee decided to mix things up to allow Red Course sailors a chance for an extra lie-in, much to their delight. Pete Burden, our Committee lead for communications, continued his excellent Facebook Live updates, ensuring everyone had the latest information for the day while playfully seeking out other committee members - always a delightful spectacle!
This day also featured the Crabbing Competition, expertly led by Philla Burt, who mobilised her team early to accommodate the light winds by moving the event to the morning, allowing for sailing later in the day. Katy Moyes took on the Charity Cake Sale task this year and did a fantastic job, raising over £300 for the Commodore's Charities. Well done, everyone!
On Friday, we finally faced a new challenge: wind! Returning to our standard Youth Week launch and sailing order, the Red Course managed to squeeze in four races before time constraints called us to a close. As sailors returned their tally bands to Beach Master Jane Brewer for the last time, they were pleasantly surprised to receive a delicious tub of Baboo Gelato, donated for every sailor. What a delightful way to wrap up the sailing portion of Youth Week!
The Blue and White Courses also managed a complete schedule, with outstanding results: Sophie Elliott (AB Gold), Charlie Pearce (AB Silver), Kit McCarthy (Optimist Silver), Sacha Gerra (Topper 4.2 Gold), James Murray (Topper 4.2 Silver), Max Liebrand & Otto Henry (AB Bronze), Poppy Phillips (Optimist Bronze), and Mia Dixon (AB CAP) all securing top honours. Congratulations to each of you!
I was particularly heartened by stories from the race teams. One standout was Jess Wafer, who demonstrated resilience, confidence, and perseverance after a tough season leading up to Youth Week, culminating in a solid performance.
Aurelia Hall also showcased great determination in the AB Bronze fleet, impressing everyone not just with her skills on the water, but with her remarkable independence off the water. Izzy Eeles on the Red Course emerged as a role model as well, taking the initiative to engage and look after younger sailors on several occasions.
While our racers enjoyed their final day on the water, preparations for the trophy presentation began in earnest, with Alex Keegan overseeing the meticulous packing of prize bags. I continue to be amazed by Alex's ability to manage significant Youth Week responsibilities - including Buffs, trophies, and prizes - while being a busy mother of five. Her energy is truly admirable!
It was an honour for me to take the stage to express gratitude to all the sailors and helpers for their support before and throughout the week. Additionally, I was delighted to present three special awards.
Brendan Hall was awarded Volunteer of the Year, a choice that stood out clearly to me. Brendan plays a crucial role by creating and coordinating the video footage you see each morning, in addition to helping with drone operations and keeping the Candyman on schedule.
The Spirit of Youth Week award went to the entire Hayward family. Their infectious enthusiasm and love for Youth Week is evident, with John continuing his role as White Race Officer and Izzy, Steff, and Kitty volunteering as AROs daily. They truly deserve this recognition for their unwavering commitment.
The Endeavour Award, sponsored by Steele Raymond Solicitors, went to White Course sailor Finn Watson, who exemplified a positive attitude on and off the water. White Safety officer Liz McMaster remarked on Finn's cheerful demeanour and attentiveness to advice, even on the last day when increased winds made him nervous. He was a pleasure to have in Youth Week, and the White team appreciated having him with them throughout the event.
Trophies and prizes awaited many sailors on Friday evening. Full results are accessible via the PYC website (link below) but I'd like to highlight the Red Course winners:
- 29er - Thomas Dempsey & Jacoby Keegan
- RS200 - Isabel Brewer & Izzie Eeles
- ILCA 4 - Ollie Atkin
- Topper 5.3 - Joel Tidey
- iQFoil - Galahad Bye
- Optimist Gold - Fraser Hakes
- RS Feva - Tilly Brewer & Josie Eeles
Congratulations to all the winners and participants for their remarkable achievements!
The pinnacle of the evening was the presentation of The Brewer Trophy for Outstanding Contribution to Youth Week, co-presented by Ian Elliot from Elliot-Brown Watches. This award was bestowed upon Roger Hakes, whose dedication to Youth Week has been unparalleled. Over the years, Roger has played a pivotal role, especially in the last five years as the overall PRO. His professionalism and fairness have elevated Youth Week to new heights, overseeing all sailing activities across three race areas and fourteen fleets.
Furthermore, Roger's innovative systems have saved countless hours of time and minimised errors. It has been a privilege to work alongside Roger, and he richly deserved this recognition along with a special gift from Elliot-Brown.
Finally, I wish to extend my heartfelt thanks to the three previous YW Chairs: Sarah Blanchford, Pete Burden, and Steve Phelps. Their generosity in sharing time and insights was invaluable to the success of this year's event.
In closing, my sincere appreciation goes out to everyone who helped make Youth Week a truly memorable experience. This event is special, like no other I've witnessed, and it thrives on the tremendous support we receive from the Parkstone YC team and all our sponsors, as well as the unwavering assistance from parents and guardians.
Most importantly, I want to thank the sailors - all 258 of you! Your passion was evident throughout the week, and you demonstrated exemplary values and behaviours. You should be proud of your accomplishments. I witnessed many of you forming "Lifelong Friendships Through Sailing" and I am honoured to have played a small role in making that happen.
Results: www.parkstoneyachtclub.com/Youth/Youth_Week
Photos: photos.app.goo.gl/5RQ7HVBF2xE2dFp68
Youth Week dates for next year are 3-8 August 2025, with registration on Saturday, 2 August 2025. We'll be celebrating our 30th Anniversary that week!