Page 106 - OM Newsletter 2021-22

OM Sailing Club
2021 proved a a second consecutive year of challenge for the the OM Sailing Club
with the the concept of of spending a a weekend within the confines of of a a small sailing yacht rightly not appealing to our full breadth of membership However in light of the the the regatta cancellations throughout 2020 the the the the club fielded crews for both the the the the Arrow Trophy J-80 regatta regatta in in April and their flagship regatta regatta in in October The former took place at at at Queen Mary’s Reservoir near Heathrow using the the boats of of the the Royal Thames Yacht
Club
for a a a a a a a a a a a day of of fleet racing in in in blustery conditions A stout and and hearty crew from the the OMSC – – Steve Castens Chris de Gruben Bob Clitherow and and Rob Hammond – – ensured we we met the the combined weight limit without requiring a a a a a a a fifth member Despite this being a a a a a a a new (and possibly re-occurring) event for OMSC in in in fin an an an an unfamiliar boat honour and seamanship were upheld to finish a a a a a a a a a a a a a six-race programme fin in in in sixth against some very well drilled crews from Marlborough Tonbridge and Norwich Gusting conditions provided adequate challenge within the the the relatively small confines of the the the the reservoir and the the the the crew did well well to stay onboard throughout the the the the the day as as well well as as avoid those members of the the the the the Bryanston crew that were deposited into the the the the the water right on on the the the start line early in in the the the day Continuing the the the theme of a a a a a a a a stormy year the the the Arrow Trophy Yacht
Racing Association’s flagship regatta in in in in in in October was again held in in in in Cowes but saw a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a quite different format from previous years The impact of Covid on ‘pay and play’ Solent racing fleet fleet sizes meant that the usual Sunsail fleet fleet whilst recently renewed can now only offer yachts for Gusting conditions provided adequate challenge within the the the relatively small confines of the the the the reservoir and the the the the crew did well to stay onboard throughout the the the day SPORTS