Chipstead SC Young Guns 2025
The Chipstead SC Young Guns event is the end-of-season racing event for the Junior Class and the final chance to win a prize. We were delighted to have 34 boats entered this year – not as many as the 60 we welcomed for our mid-summer regatta back in June but more than any of the adult class open meetings! Entrants were split into two fleets with those who had been rookies at the start of the season forming a novice fleet, everyone else in main.
Race Officer Simon Gillow took the opportunity to set a large course using the entire length of the lake for the main fleet, setting a slightly shorter course for the novices. The NNW wind proved to be quite puffy with some times of decent wind and others where there were some large holes and there were some windshadows that were best avoided.
The Graduate of Dan and Alex T. led the fleet away followed closely by our trio of Fevas who all looked to be enjoying using spinnakers on the long broad reach to the far end of the lake. The remaining mixed fleet of Optimists, Toppers and a Laser Radial were all giving chase and trying to make best of the large windshifts and puffs. The race ended after 2 laps for most and it was the Optimist trio of Adam, Joshua G. and Sophie who took the podium slots after successfully managing to not let the faster boats get far enough ahead. A particular position of note was Joshua S. who has recently moved up from a Tera to a Topper 4.2 and managed to take a very respectable 7th place. The Feva trio all finished within 90 seconds of each other with Abbi and Mia getting the upper hand over the others by the end. William W-O was the leading Topper 5.3 in 6th place overall.
The wind was slightly less for the second race which again was led away by the Graduate which this time managed to maintain a large lead over the Feva trio who all managed to sail into a big windshadow under the north shore on the first run while the slower boats learnt from their mistake and steamed up from behind in better wind along the southern shore. The Toppers of Izzy and Alice were enjoying a very close battle which seemed to go back and forth all race, ending with Izzy ahead. Adam in his Optimist was closely pursued by Sophie for the first lap but during the second lap Joshua G. managed to make the most of a few shifts to get ahead of Sophie (but sadly not enough to catch his brother Adam). After the results were calculated it was again Adam, Joshua G. and Sophie on top, just ahead of the Graduate in 4th place.
When the scores of both races were added together Adam retained the Young Guns trophy he had won the previous year followed by his brother Joshua G. in 2nd and Sophie in 3rd.
The novice fleet comprised 7 Optimists and 1 Tera, many in this fleet had never raced before so they all did very well to get around the course in what were pretty tricky conditions. The first race was won by Oliver S. who has recently upgraded from a club Oppie to his own Optimist, he was followed by Elliott R. in 2nd, in 3rd was Moises who did an excellent job of showcasing the new sails recently donated by local solicitors Thackray Williams. The second race was again won by Oliver S. but this William M. in a Tera took 2nd place and Elliott R., 3rd. When the scores of both races were added together Oliver S. won, followed by Elliott R. and William M.
As well as the participation visors funded by a generous donation from Noble Marine, prizewinners received gifts from Chipmates supporters C-Monsta and Rooster along with their medals:
Results:
1st boy (1st overall) – Adam
2nd boy (2nd overall) – Joshua G.
3rd boy – Will WO
1st girl (3rd overall) – Sophie
2nd girl – Alice
3rd girl – Izzy
1st novice fleet – Oliver S.
2nd novice fleet – Elliott R.
3rd novice fleet – William M.
1st club Oppie – Moises
1st club Topper – Ben
The Young Guns racing was followed by the Junior Class AGM at which there were over 70 attendees. Class Captain, Nick SInclair took us through a review of the year and some of the achievements before presenting Young Guns prizes, trophies for the Junior series and Class Captain awards to Oliver S and Poppy for their progress. He also announced the three candidates for the Ian Walker trophy; Aidan, Dan and Mim.
That is the end of the season now for the Chipstead juniors, some will go off to do winter training in regional squads, others will continue to sail at Chipstead with the adult fleets over the winter and some will take a break from sailing until it all starts up again next April.
