British windsurfers remain consistent

Sunday (16 July) saw two more races completed in both the boys and girls RS:X fleets at the Volvo Youth Sailing ISAF World Championship, with Great Britain’s Richard Hamilton and Beth Williamson guarding their positions on the top ten ladder.  Hamilton remains in fourth place and Williamson moves up a place into seventh overall.

The day’s racing got off to a quick start, with sailors launching their boats in five knots of wind and baking sunshine at the Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy. 

Great Britain’s team of ten hit the water with enthusiasm and focus after a day of mixed results on Saturday.

Slowly making their way to the outer courses, the 420s, Hobie 16s, Lasers and Laser Radials all had a taste of what the day had to offer.  After waiting for the wind to fill in for nearly two hours, all classes were postponed and boats were towed to shore so that competitors could re-hydrate, refuel and cool down.  Once off the water however, their races were abandoned for the day.

The RS:X fleet, held on shore in the morning, finally got the call to launch as the wind began to stir on the pink course set in Portland Harbour.

Two more races completed and Great Britain continue to shine in the top ten of both RS:X fleets.  Richard Hamilton sits in fourth place overall an impressive result for the 16-year-old who is attending his first ISAF Youth Worlds.

Hamilton has a healthy outlook on the event which he is enjoying immensely.  “I don’t really feel the pressure of competing here.  I’m just a young kid and I will have a chance to come back again so there’s less pressure on me than on some of the older guys who are here defending their medals.

“The atmosphere here is great.  Every one seems quite friendly and helpful.  I think this is a great event.”

With six races logged in, Barrow-upon-Humber’s Hamilton is resting with 22 points, nine points out of medal positions and he is sailing hard to squeeze every point he can out of the series. 

“Today was a big day for me.  I knew we had a layday coming up so I could really push myself physically knowing I will have a day to recover.  I let out a big sigh of relief after the last race today.”

The girls RS:X fleet were also able to complete two races.  Beth Williamson took an eighth and a seventh in the 18 board fleet.

“It was a bit formulaic out there today.  Basically the first one out on the right side took the lead for the majority of the race.  It just wasn’t tactical sailing – today speed mattered.”

After an OCS (on course side) start in the first race on Saturday, the 18-year-old was worried about what Sunday’s races would bring.

“I was a bit nervous today on the starts.  I hung back a little too much and was a bit line-shy in the first race.  With a layday tomorrow I should be back with full confidence on Tuesday.”

With no additional races in the remaining fleets Tom Phipps and Richard Glover continue to hold the top slot in the Hobie 16 fleet.  Richard Mason and Daniel Schieber hold eighth position in the boys 420 while Sophie Weguelin and Katrina Hughes lie in seventh in the girls fleet.  Laser sailor Sean Evans sits in 14th and Anna Dobson in 11th in the Laser Radial.

Full results can be found on the event website www.youthworlds.org Additional information on the team can be found on the RYA website www.rya.org.uk/youthworlds

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