Finish of Youth Series

Finish of Youth Series

6 September 2023

THE Strangford Lough Youth Series came to a successful end recently when reigning Shield holders East Down Yacht Club held this year’s finale.

This year saw all five events take place and a return to pre-Covid numbers in terms of participants.  

 The series kicked off in June with the Gore’s Island race hosted by Quoile Yacht Club, with 35 young sailors lining up to race around Gore’s Island. 

EDYC made their mark with the brother and sister combination of Sam and Rose Kelly taking both the Laser Radial and Topper classes respectively, but close on their heels in the Radial class were another brother and sister, Cody and Autumn Halliday from Strangford Lough YC, who were second and third.

KillyleaghYC’s Maya Kelly took a clear second in the 23-boat Topper fleet, while James Westhead showed the shape of things to come by taking third overall for SLYC.  

Strangford Sailing Club came next and despite a howling gale that saw the Bar Buoy Race cancelled later that day, again over 30 intrepid juniors lined up to take their chances in the relative shelter of Castleward Bay. 

This time Charlotte Ashe and Isabella Kelly took the top places in the Radial fleet for Killyleagh Yacht Club, keeping the Halliday siblings in third and fourth places.

Meanwhile, Rose Kelly claimed another first in the Topper fleet, but with KYC’s Anna Fitzpatrick and Maya Kelly in second and third.  SLYC took some additional points under Patrick Cooper in the Laser 4.7 class and Olivia Westhead in the Topper 4.2, which KYC balanced by claiming the Feva first and second positions.  

 With everything to play for, less than half the fleet turned up at Killyleagh YC. However, this didn’t stop Cody and Autumn Halliday taking another one-two in the Laser Radial class, cementing SLYC’s dominance of this class this year. 

Five Fevas made this the biggest class on the day and Sam and Rose Kelly deserted their previous classes to take first place overall on the day in a Feva. 

Unfortunately for EDYC, changing ship meant neither of these talented youngsters could claim overall points when calculating the winners. Anna Fitzpatrick took the Topper win for KYC, with James Westhead in second and Jonah Kelly in third.    

 The penultimate race at SLYC showed a return to form with 25 boats taking place and EDYC, KYC and SLYC all hunting points on the leader board.

A consistent performance from the Hallidays saw Cody in first and Autumn in third. However, Isabella Kelly sneaked a second to keep the KYC hopes alive.

Despite some poorer performances earlier in the season, the home waters suited SLYC’s William Scott, who took first place in the Topper fleet, with team mate James Westhead in third, unfortunately split by SSCs Caitlin Kearney’s first podium appearance of the year.    

 Going into the EDYC finale it was all to play for with KYC and SLYC close on points, while EDYC waited in the wings for a disaster to strike. 

Only 22 boats turned up on the last day and with KYC only fielding two of their team, the path was clear for the other clubs to make up any points they needed – and make them up they did.

EDYC took all the top places in the Feva class, while a first for Autumn Halliday in the Radial class put her into second overall, just behind brother Cody.  Overall, KYC took first and second in the Feva class, but a free run in the Topper class meant a second place from SLYC’s James Westhead put him into first overall, while a first from Caitlin Kearney put her into second overall, claiming a massive 57 points in the series. 

To seal the deal for SLYC, Ollie Cooke won the Optimist class, with club mate Ollie Gunderson in second while a consistent performance from Patrick Cooper in the Laser 4.7 meant second place took him to first overall. 

When the total points were calculated the Shield this year went to a well deserving SLYC, with KYC in second and EDYC in third.