Training centre status shows Hickling Broad SC is a club on the up and up

Hickling Broad Sailing Club is on the rise! On the biggest broad with most consistent winds, Hickling is enjoying a major revival – the club is set to become a full RYA training centre under the ambitious leadership of Julian Jefferies.

Saturday’s training day was the most successful of recent years as close to 40 youngsters were trained in three groups. Sunday and Monday was, according to many of the older members, the best-attended Spring Regatta in their collective memory.

Seven Toppers, the same number of Lasers, the very consistent Solo fleet plus Norfolk Punts, a Leader, several Wayfarers, a Javelin and passing Oppies and a glorious Flying Dutchman all made for an exciting two days of racing. Committee boat starts orchestrated by Chris Larter made the very best of the fabulous breeze.

Winners ranged from established club members to a healthy batch of youngsters.

Emily Haslam took four trophies – best U18 helm, highest placed lady, all-comers C on both days. Rose Ling, only 12 years old, took two seconds in all-comers C and a splendid first for the Twosome Cup. Chris Haslam and father Cliff took three seconds, only losing the Norfolk Punt Cup to Rupert Reddington and Steve McKay. Solo sailor Robert Hawkins won the Myers Cup and the competitive Laser fleet saw David Maisey winning the Mervyn Wright Cup.

Next Saturday is the club Open Day under the RYA ‘Push the Boat Out’ scheme – all visitors most welcome.

Racing at Waveney and Oulton Broad Yacht Club was restricted to Saturday because of powerboat racing. Duncan Madin’s K1 continued to dominate the Fast Handicap fleet, winning both races on the water and on handicap. Veronica Falat’s Streaker claimed two seconds, but both times were a minute and a half behind Madin on corrected time. Meanwhile, his son George in an RS Tera Pro leads the Slow Handicap series, although he was beaten by Steve Harvey (Comet) and Bethany Hood (Splash). In the Waveney class race, Simon and Caroline Marfleet in Iris were the winners and lead the series, but in the Mixed Keels race they were beaten by Geoff Little’s Naiad.