The 3rd annual SWSYC Academy Cup saw thirty budding academians descend on Poole Harbour for an instalment of another high octane wingding.

Unlike some SWSYC events, this wingding was notably short of dings, mostly due to the lack of wind that plagued our racing for the second year running.

Race Officer Howe (Jnr) mustered the enthusiastic academians for a race briefing whilst Bosun Montgomery set about flushing the more reluctant out of the bar to join the others on the veranda of the Royal Motor Yacht Club.

After the ritual water pistol-in-crotch hilarity, the briefing introduced the sailing programme for the day – namely sail if we can, paddle if we can’t.

Once the Picos were launched, Commodore Latchford joined Race Officer Howe (Jnr) and a whisp of beautiful girls on the committee boat to oversee his Academy in action.

The first race got away smoothly beating towards the Royal Motor Yacht Club for a short windward leeward course, won convincingly by Peter Brooke-Houghton. With the tide standing and 10knots of wind, the conditions were perfect for getting these over-laden plastic tubs moving.

As the tide turned and the wind dropped, the pre-start manoeuvres for race 2 looked more like piratical boarding techniques but nevertheless the fleet got away, albeit with a little more rocking than sailing.

The third and final race was set over the same course but shortened at the windward mark in a dying breeze and building tide. With the last of the Picos recovered as they where whisked away on the tide, the academy headed for the bar before a quick change for dinner.

The evening’s dinner and prize giving was a storming success with the golden broom being flown by Mark Dobson and Elie Newton, the throne of endeavour being sat on and Peter Brooke-Houghton ably crewed by Lexa Nicholson securing their names on the plaque of the SWSYC Academy Cup.
Charlie Hagan, Felix Hagan and Tony Howe came together as Felix and the Fiddlers to provide another great evening of SWSYC dancing.

Many thanks to the Royal Motor Yacht Club for their hospitality, Parkstone Yacht Club who kindly loaned their Pico training fleet and to Peter Wilton who generously lent his Boston Whaler as the committee boat.

The youth will reconvene to do battle once again for the SWSYC Academy Cup on Saturday 13th June 2009.