Cadets October training at Frensham Pond Sailing Club
by David Little 30 Oct 09:43 UTC
October Cadet training at Frensham Pond © Frensham Pond Cadet Class
The now legendary Frensham Pond October training for the UK Cadet Class took place over the first three Saturdays of the month. Over 40 boats from Frensham, South Cerney and Waldringfield were registered across the series, and were split into three fleets.
The Gold fleet with 9 boats were coached by ex-Cadet and former Olympic pathway athlete Alex Corby. The Silver fleet, consisting of 14 boats, were under the keen eye of seasoned Olympic 470 and 2.4m sailor Bruce Hill and ex-Cadet Megan Ferguson who has represented GBR at the 420 and Cadet Worlds. The most impressive group was the regatta fleet of 16 boats with a strong showing of new crews and helms, proving again the appeal of the class. The regatta fleet were coached by the FPSC RYA coach Sam Ford, ILCA Youth National Champion Luke Anstey and ex-Cadet World Team member Ned Fairhurst.
These coaches embarked on a structured programme of coaching, aiming to cover core areas at different levels for the three groups across the three days. The Cadet simulator, brought once again by Roger McAll from Pevensey Bay SC, was put to good use for interactive land drills for newer sailors before heading out onto the water to make it happen for real.
Plenty else was happening shoreside whilst the sailors were on the water, from talks and Q&As for new sailor parents, to second-hand kit sales, to some repair work to club Cadets courtesy of Peter Slump and Derek Stamp.
On each Saturday, the morning training was followed by a debrief and some high-carb fuel courtesy of Natalie and the galley team, and the sailors then took part in the club's afternoon Pursuit Race.
In Race One, the light wind reaching start meant that the fleet were pushing the line, although rather slowly with the majority bunched up against the northern side of the line. When the wind did eventually start to fill in sporadically, those on the South side managed to get away from the pack with Alex Enkel leading around the first mark. He managed to open up quite a lead over the chasing pack of Isobel Stamp, Jemima McMorris, Mia Stanislaus and Mimi Windibank with the rest following around not far after.
Alex did not have it his own way the whole race with Mia catching up and Alex having to protect his lead all the way to the finish line. The Gold fleet result were Alex in first, Mia in second with Jemima in third. In the Silver fleet, Mimi was up in the mix with the Gold fleet the whole way round, crossing the line in a respectable 4th overall with Bruce Ward in second and Gregory Boddy in third. Also impressive was the fact that there were some of the regatta fleet holding their own in these conditions with Sam English, Isobel Stamp and Sophia Stamp finishing well up the overall fleet.
In Race Two, very similar conditions emerged. Alex got off to his usual exemplary start and led the fleet off the start line. Regatta fleet had a separate start one minute later, to space the Cadets out a little and reduce start-line stresses.
All was going well for Alex until he went round one mark the wrong way - with almost everyone in Gold fleet following him, except for Ava Stoddart and Neve Hallett. A painful lesson to learn, especially in a short series with no discards! But this is what October training is for, and if "I must know the course" and "Don't just follow the boat in front" are takeaways, all the better - even Olympians make these mistakes.
Alex continued to lead and took line honours. In Silver Fleet, Mimi Windibank and Rose Little came top, followed by Hugh Voysey and Hannah Muir Wood with Noah Sauven and Evie Kornicka third. In Regatta Fleet, Maddy Sherwood and Teddy Pope were first, with Charlie Jones and Francis Lonardo second and Sam English and Minni Palmer third.
Race Three saw a gentle 6 knots from the west come across the pond, with the odd patch offering advantages to some through luck or design. Alex and Jude again got a clean start but were fighting with Mia and Sophie, and Ava and Neve, in the first short beat and the first run.
Prize giving was sponsored by Minerva Virtual Academy, with their online learning approach continuing their support to the class that they began at the World Championships in Plymouth earlier this year.
Gold fleet winners were Ava and Neve. Second were Alex and Jude, and third were Mia and Sophie.
Silver fleet champions were Mimi and Rose, with Hugh and Hannah second and Olivia and Sebastian third.
Regatta fleet winners were Sam and Minni. Second were Sophia (with various crews across the three weekends) and Joe Mycroft and Elizabeth Thorpe.
A massive thanks to everyone who helped make the 2024 October training such a massive success - sailors, coaches, parents, and the 50 or so people with roles behind the scenes - all masterminded by Class Captain Dom Stanislaus (with not insignificant help from Nicola Stanislaus).
Prize giving ended with a BBQ and a Halloween party, with superb costumes on display by kids and parents alike! Next event is the Waldringfield Cadet open (with a day of training beforehand) on 2nd and 3rd November. Don't miss it!