Thanks to Tim Sewell for this update about young Haydn’s latest acheivement. Well done Haydn, great news! Ed
In a dominating display of sailing, 10 year old Haydn Sewell took the Volvo Gill Optimist regatta fleet British National Championship by storm to become the National Champion.
Over five days and a total of nine races, Haydn achieved six race wins and one second place and was able to discard his worst two results (a third and fourth) to finish the Championships with an incredible total of eight points. This gave the Royal Victoria Yacht Club sailor a winning margin of 27 points on the second place sailor and the National Champion title.
Building up the trophies
Having won the Optimist Inland Regatta Fleet Championship at Grafham Water earlier in the year, Haydn went to the Nationals with the aim of making it a double for the year.
His focus and determination to achieve his objective was clearly in evidence throughout the competition. Haydn took the lead in the regatta on the first day and from there on in never looked back as scored his series of race wins.
Other Islanders also did well
Isle of Wight sailors competed across all the fleets at the Championships with more success coming in the regatta coached fleet. Freddie Ellis (aged 9) of Gurnard Sailing Club, finished third overall with 22 points followed closely by Oliver Evans (aged 9) from Royal Victoria and Gurnard Sailing Club, in fifth with 29 points.
Both Freddie and Oliver were competing in the regatta coached fleets at the Nationals for the first time and both secured a race win in their six race series.
Held in Pwllheli, North Wales, the week long Championships threw up a mix of all sailing conditions ranging from very light winds to over 20 knots and big Irish Sea swells demonstrating the leading sailors’ skills in being able to race competitively in all situations.
