Murdoch and Makepiece

Senior and Junior fleets at the Volvo Musto Oppie Nationals after light first day of racing

After a three-hour postponement due to lack of wind, racing finally got under way today at the Volvo Musto Optimist National Championships.

It was a difficult days sailing for the 302 young sailors, with a fickle 3-6 knot southwesterly breeze to contend with.

It was a double victory for the Murdock family in race one, with James Murdock, (14, Bowmoor Sailing Club) winning in the senior fleet and younger brother, Callum, (10) posting a race victory in the Junior fleet.

While the senior fleet was abandoned due to the dying breeze, the junior’s managed one more race. Conditions suited local sailor Matthew Rainback, (12, Poole), who’s race victory leaves him in third place overall.

Charles Makepeace leads the junior fleet scoring a third and fifth place in what were very tricky conditions; Oliver White is just two points behind in second place.

Dutch sailor Rolph Oudshoorn is in second place in the senior fleet, with Tim Saxton lying third.

This week the Optimist sailors will have a chance to match race on the RYA’s fleet of First Class Eights. Each evening after racing, David Campbell-James will be conducting introduction sessions on the water. Each boat will have five or six Optimist sailors and a coach onboard.

Table football is on the menu this evening courtesy of sponsors Volvo.

The Volvo and Musto sponsorship of the Optimist class includes the National, Inland and End of Season Championships as well as the GB Optimist World and European Championship teams.

Results: Seniors

Overall Position Name Age Sailing Club Points Race 1
1 James Murdock 14 Bowmoor SC 1 1
2 Rolph Oudshoorn (NED) 13 WSV Braasemermeer 2 2
3 Tim Saxton 13 Grafham Water SC 3 3
4 Axel Van Bladel (NED) 13 WSV Braasemermeer 4 4
5 Imogen Stanley 12 Bowmoor SC 5 5
6 Greg Carey 14 Royal Lymington SC 6 6
7 Iain McKeeman 13 Bowmoor SC 7 7
8 Trystan Jones 13 Aldeburgh SC 8 8
9 David de Boltz 13 Corinthian Otters 9 9
10 Maria Stanley 15 Bowmoor SC 10 10

Results: Juniors

Overall Position Name Age Sailing Club Points Race 1 Race 2
1 Charles Makepeace 12 Bowmoor SC 8 3 5
2 Oliver White 11 Papercourt SC 10 8 2
3 Matthew Rainback 12 Poole YC 11 10 1
4 Maarten-Max Moerman (NED) 12 WSV Brassemermeer 12 5 9
5 Anna Burnet 11 Royal Northern & Clyde 15 4 11
6 Felicity Foulds 12 Norfolk Broad YC 17 14 3
7 Lucy de Boltz 12 Corinthian Otters 22 18 4
8 David Grant 9 Bowmoor SC 24 6 18
9 Andrew Adam 11 Papercourt SC 25 11 14
10 Konrad Weaver 11 Derwent Reservoir 26 2 24