With only forty minutes to go there were only two entrants for this year’s silverware with winds blowing at 14 to 19 MPH. Then arrived the Hicksons’ after trudging through the Canterbury traffic to make up the numbers followed by the Sanders babes, Freya and Alice.
With Ross Blackledge and Hannah Golton having done so much competitive single handed sailing this year, it might have seemed as if there was to be ‘no contest’. On the contrary as each race got underway the other competitors got closer and closer. The winner was never in doubt but there were some determined displays by some of the cadets who have not sailed single handers all season.
A Special mention to our youngest competitor Libby Hickson who won the under 14’s cup. This was her first serious race and after two weeks sailing in the South of France she has certainly improved, and displayed a lot of courage sailing in rather gusty conditions.
The senior cup was another affair with Hannah Golton proving just how much she has gained from being in the national squad. Ross Blackledge also impressed and was let down more by the type of boat he was sailing rather than his lack of ability. He sailed extremely well in all three races and I am sure his time will come, as he is a little younger than Hannah.
A return from the sunny shores of Portugal saw the Sanders girls give up their 41-foot yacht for a yellow plastic bathtub. I could see Freya thinking this is not fair, and where is the other hull. Alice also looked as if she would prefer a trampoline to the slippery decks of the laser Pico. Both were out gunned in the first race but Freya showed what she is made of to come back and take third place in the second race and Alice as ever stuck in there till the end. Both these competitors are better sailors than their results today would suggest.
Henry Hickson, another who has given up solo sailing for the speed of the Dart 16 found himself off the pace of both Ross and Hannah, but as usual he is an intelligent sailing and is capable of recovering from a poor start. Elliot also had reasonable start only to find that the Pico is not as exciting as the Laser Vago.
It is a testament to both Hannah and Ross that given a different boat to what they are used to for this competition, they still performed to a high standard. The other competitors also deserve mention for improving throughout each race and were all very close at various stages of the competition.
Results
Humphries Cup – Libby Hickson
Allen Cup 1st H Golton. 2nd R. Blackledge. 3rd H Hickson.
