Papercourt Sailors at the Feva Nationals
Three interpid teams from Papercourt attended the Sekonda Feva Nationals over the second May Bank Holiday weekend at Hayling Island Sailing Club. The event attracted 120 entries and a wide range of weather from force 6 to no wind. On day one all racing was cancelled due to high winds while on day 2, "Big Sunday", three races were sailed in a strengthening wind that peaked in excess of 22 knots (in the Solent). Flag bearers from PSC were Aaron Smith and Jamie Smith who counted a 5th and 3rd in their flights to lie 9th overall overnight. Team Smith went on to finish 11th overall, a very impressive result for an occasional Feva sailor in a borrowed boat (albeit a previous National Champion). Regular Feva sailor Alice Masterman, crewing for a HISC member, finished 16th in the Gold Fleet, followed closely by brother Robert, aged 12, helming an impressive series to finish 25th. Freddie Verbught crewed by fellow Oppy zone squad sailor Ross Banham finished all three races on Big Sunday and with a 21st on Monday finished 22nd overall in the Silver fleet. An amazing effort for a 12 year old helm second time out in a Feva. Jessy Hammett sat out big Sunday but crewed by an oldie called Paul, sailed impressively to record a 7th in the Silver fleet on Monday and was lying 8th in the second race of the day before abandonment to finish 38th in the Silver fleet overall. Other notable results from PSC member included Suzie Hammett notching up a 3rd place in the last race on big Sunday standing in for a younger crew.
The recent interest shown by the Optimist fleet in the hire of Fevas seem set to grow and all the young (and not so young) enjoyed the outing a great deal.
Feva activity at Papercourt looks set to grow.
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Report by
Paul Hammett
