Three bullets for Claridge

After day three of Volvo Musto Optimist Nationals

Robbie Claridge (Lymington, 14), fresh from competing at the Optimist World Championships in Grand Canaria notched up three straight wins in the Senior Fleet today at the Volvo Musto Optmist National Championships. Having scored a 15th place in the race yesterday, he lies in third place overall before the first discard kicks in.

Leading the senior fleet overall is fellow Lymington sailor Greg Carey. In second place, and on equal points, is Dutch sailor, Axel Van Bladel, his twin brother Sander is lying tenth overall.

Nine-year-old David Grant, from Bowmoor Sailing Club won the first race of the day. Having only celebrated his ninth birthday last week, David was due to compete in the beginner’s Regatta Fleet this week. Due the light winds he decided to move up to the junior fleet at the last minute, to great rewards.

However it was Charles Makepeace, (12, Bowmoor Sailing Club), who was the most consistent in the junior fleet scoring a 2,5,1 to lead overall after five races.

Lucy de Boltz, (12, Corinthian Otters) won the second race of the day that moves her up to fourth place overall and first girl.

The National Championships are taking place at Weymouth & Portland Sailing Academy, which has just received confirmation of £7.85 million funding to develop the site into a World Class Performance National Sailing Centre.

Building will commence at the beginning of September, and is due to be completed within 12 months. If London were successful in their bid for the 2012 Olympic Games, Weymouth & Portland Sailing Academy would play host to the Olympic Sailing.

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 Race 2 Race 3 Race 4
1 Greg Carey 15 Royal Lym 15 6 4 2 3
2 Axel Van Bladel (NED) 14 WSV Braasemermeer 15 4 3 4 4
3 Robbie Claridge 15 Royal Lym 18 15 1 1 1
4 James Murdock 15 Bowmoor SC 18 1 5 5 7
5 Rolph Oudshoom (NED) 14 WSV Braasemermeer 23 2 7 9 5
6 David de Boltz 13 Corinthian Otters 34 9 6 7 12
7 Tim Saxton 13 Grafham Water 36 3 14 8 11
8 Owain Mathews 13 West Kirby 38 13 8 3 14
9 Iain McKeeman 13 Bowmoor SC 48 7 10 6 25
10 Sander Van Bladel 14 WSV Braasemermeer 50 25 13 10 2

Results: Juniors

Overall Position Name Age Sailing Club Points Race 1 Race 2 Race 3 Race 4 Race 5
1 Charles Makepeace 12 Bowmoor SC 11 3 5 2 5 1
2 Maarten-Max Moerman 12 WSV Brassemermeer 19 5 9 4 2 5
3 Matthew Rainback 12 Poole YC 24 10 1 8 12 5
4 Lucy de Boltz 12 Corinathian Otters 25 18 4 20 1 2
5 Felicity Foulds 12 Norfolk Broad YC 39 14 3 32 15 7
6 Rob Lehane (Irl) 12 Royal Cork YC 43 21 28 14 4 4
7 Oliver White 11 Papercourt SC 46 8 2 13 23 34
8 David Grant 9 Bowmoor SC 50 6 18 1 33 25
9 Patrick Liddicoat 11 Bewl Valley SC 68 12 62 23 16 17
10 Philip Sparks 11 Royal Lym YC 69 20 33 5 50 11