Draft report on Cadet Inland Championsips 2009 - Grafham Water

They arrived quietly one boat at a time from Sunday through to Thursday morning. Some might have described them as a motley crew but others, perhaps a little more informed, would have appreciated the majesty of the current Fishers Green team. No team shirt, no fanfare, no red carpet, but perhaps the strongest crews in the country at the moment in both gold and silver.

Look at the helms. Will, ranked in the top 10 last year together with Sophie and John; through to Sarah, who when told there would be no regatta fleet this year took on the extreme challenge in her first year as a helm by joining the silver fleet. Between the two extremes were Alex, Anya, Gabriella, Jack, Joe, Max, Louise, Oliver and Serena. And don't forget the crews, who put up with the ferocious conditions you would expect at the front of the boat when its blowing force 5….with gusts! Their roll call includes: Rhos, Chris, Alex, Leyia, Lucy, Christina, Jacob, Max, Joe, Francesca, Aaron, William, Josie, Alice and Emily. Yes both family Butterworths were there with Simon as Beach Maestro [with 89 cadets to launch] and Alice and Emily crewing on both training and racing days!

The event wasn't without its ups and downs. John & Alex failed a buoyancy test on arrival with leaks round a bulkhead, and didn't get into sailing until Tuesday. They found their feet by the time the racing started and they won one of the races and finished a commendable 5th overall. Sophie & Chris got holed on the waterline at the beginning of race two and sailed to an impressive 15th with the bow full of water…….what a way to slow them down. A bit of Brett's magic [and Mark's baling] got them going again after lunch and they quickly returned a 6th putting them 3rd overall at the end of the competition. Oliver & Will and Louise & Aaron were just squeezed out of the top ten with an 11th and a 14th respectively. Both crews kept the pressure on and will be forces to be reckoned with at the 1st Indicator. Joe & Joe at last got rid of the plague of always being silver and never gold with a credible 27th and best silver & zone squad boat. Who knows they might have done better if Joe B [or his dad] had remembered to tie a knot in the mainsheet on the second day of racing! Max & Francesca's racing wasn't without its problems with an OCS [no the protest didn't go well] and a turtle [at least the burgee was undamaged - wouldn't have got off so easy at Fishers Green] but still returned a 33rd place. OCS and DNC seemed to plague others; including Gabriella & Jacob, Alex & Lucy and Jack & Max, who, inspite of those problems, still gained a 44th, 45th and 74th respectively.

If sailing is about consistency then Serena & Josie, Anya & Christina, Sarah & Leyla and Will & Rhos all maintained even performances with Serena & Josie's 35th, Anya & Christina's 68th and Sarah & Leyla's 88th. Finally lets not forget Will & Rhos. With three 2nds, two 4ths, and a 5th as a discard, they proved you don't need to win a race to be the Cadet Inland Champions 2009!