Young sailors gain experience in nationals

GLENWOOD High School’s intrepid sailors took part last week in the J22 Youth Nationals at Hartebeespport Dam for the 11th consecuritve year.

The weekend started on Thursday when the boys departed for the dam and the sailing regatta took place over three days, starting on Saturday.

After three races of varying wind conditions, Eli Brophy-Tintinger with crewmen, Jethro Brophy-Tintinger and Gabriel Davies, finished 6th in the fleet while Brendan Humphreys, skippering for the first time, with crew Joshua Cannan and Matthew Sterling finished at the back of the fleet but learnt a great deal about sailing in dam conditions. Conditions were such that one small wind shift would put you back six places in the fleet.

The first two positions were taken by boys who have already won world and national titles, such was the competition the boys faced. They took the racing spirit to the others, often leading only to lose out to the local knowledge of some of the other sailors.