Tenby Sailing Club hosted this year's Welsh Schools & Clubs Championships, sponsored by Chevron.

Over one hundred youth and junior sailors squeezed through the streets in Tenby to compete for the school, county and clubs championships of Wales. Set under the picturesque Tenby harbour backdrop there were 3 course areas for youth classes, junior classes and an inshore regatta fleet.

The fleets launched from the tranquil north beach on time at 10:45 Saturday morning leaving their parents for the day to find a suitable view point from the Tenby cliff top restaurants and bars. As competitors eased their way from the shore the course areas were already recording 14 – 16 knots of westerly breeze and a slight cross breeze chop. Real power conditions to punch through the sea conditions.

In the Topper fleet Micky Beckett was first to find his pace and eased away from close rival Tom Piggott (pictured) - a form he continued all weekend. A race 3 fight back by David Pain in the Optimists countered the early wins by Matthew Whitfield. A three way battle ensued in the fourth resulting in an on the line win for Mathew leaving him in a strong position over night.

The smaller youth fleets were dominated by the older Beckett brother - Stevie in the Radial class and Lewis Roberts in the General Handicap fleet. Big reaches and long runs had the mixed youth classes well spread as speed differences of the asymmetric boats gave the race committee plenty to think about.

Concerns were elsewhere for the 25 sailors on the regatta course. A 10 foot basking shark decided it too would visit Tenby Harbour and join the fun. A fish too lazy to hunt maybe, but it still had a shark like fin… Back to business, an early lunch and a rig set up session for the fleet of Optimists, Toppers and Terras who then managed 5 races with coaching led by W.Y.A staff and volunteers.

Tenby sailing club demonstrated the traditional approach to sailing events, with a great BBQ, families on the beach during the evening and plenty of time to sample the delights of the harbour bars and restaurants.

With only two races required on Sunday, a short delay caused by an increasing breeze across the course areas was made to stretch the race lengths to 50 minutes. By race two 22 – 25 knots on both courses resulted in about 12 retirees as the smaller younger sailors struggled to beat in the conditions. Life on a mother ship seemed so much more appealing….

The race management managed two good races which left no change to the overall lead from the day before but close racing throughout the fleets.

Chevron sponsored prize giving at 15:00 in the sheltered Tenby sunshine, and left plenty of time for families to squeeze back out of an enjoyable weekend in Tenby.

Best School: - Ysgol Friars, Bangor (Lewis Roberts, Toby Morsley, Catrin Drake)

Best County: - Pembrokeshire (Micky Beckett, Stevie Beckett, Ngaire Strawbridge)

Best Club: - Port Dinorwic SC (Lewis Roberts, Toby Moresley, Toby Collinson)