SAILING: Last weekend Beccles ASC juniors travelled to Norfolk Punt Club at Barton Broad for the biggest annual event in the NSBA calendar. This year, nine clubs across the Broads region took part and it is becoming customary now that Beccles supply a large squad and this year was no exception as 28 juniors in 24 boats made up the largest contingent in the 104-boat total fleet.

SAILING: Last weekend Beccles ASC juniors travelled to Norfolk Punt Club at Barton Broad for the biggest annual event in the NSBA calendar.

This year, nine clubs across the Broads region took part and it is becoming customary now that Beccles supply a large squad and this year was no exception as 28 juniors in 24 boats made up the largest contingent in the 104-boat total fleet.

BASC have made great strides over the last 12 months in getting their younger members prepared for this occasion and, almost from the off, BASC were reaping the rewards as most finished in the top half in the class and mixed handicap races.

There were some incredible single performances also as Ryan Langston was the first Laser home in two of the fast handicap races, leaving him fourth placed overall, and Jemma Smalls just missed out on winning the Topper group with some exceptional sailing. She had a first, and two fourth places under her belt before the end of the day in the largest fleet of 41 boats.

In the Optimist class, Rowan Curtis and Elena Edwards managed thirds and fourth places respectively in the 14 strong Oppie fleet in the morning, and with Rowan gaining another third after lunch and a fantastic second in the last race was duly rewarded with third place overall, showing an immense improvement on last year.

The slow handicap races were made up of mainly RS Teras and Fevas and this year BASC were certainly not overshadowed as Saskia Baylis and Milo Phillips helmed two of the clubs new RS Fevas acquired earlier this year.

Saskia sailing with younger brother Casper though dominated supreme being first home in two races in their RS Feva and cousins Abbie and Eleanor Shipley, sailing the only Norfolk, received a first three horn on at least a couple of occasions in Herewego.

BASC finished fourth place overall which in many ways seems a little harsh as the system favours smaller- fleet size teams but they can still be extremely pleased with the club's performance and especially some younger members who rarely sail away from the narrow Waveney and who got round the daunting course sizes at Barton without any problems. “Well done,” said a club spokesperson. “We we would also like to acknowledge the huge efforts by the Norfolk Punt Club and NSBA for making it a fantastic occasion and be assured that we will be back in force next year at Wroxham.”