Six cadets from Burnham-On-Sea & Highbridge’s Sea Cadet Unit have taken part in the Somerset & Dorset District’s Sailing Regatta in Weymouth Bay this month.
Competing in the Open RS Quest (AC Louie and AC Oliver), Junior RS Quest (OCs Oliver and James), Open Zest (Cdt1 Leo) and Junior Topper (OC Katie) categories, the cadets took home Gold medals in all but the Open Zest class, in which they won third place.
Leading Cadet Philippa was competing in a very different event on the North Devon coast, at the inaugural Saunton Paddle Surf Fest. Phil competed in the Juniors and Ladies High Performance (HP) and International Class (IC) surf kayak classes, beating her mentor, sea cadet instructor Joe Sidwell in the same competition.
Phil walked away from the event with a second-place in the Junior HP and IC classes, and made it to the finals of the Women’s HP, competing against some of the best female surf kayakers on the planet.
In both competitions the weather was breezy and the conditions challenging. The surf kayak event was attended by several current and former World Surf Kayak Champions who all agreed that the conditions were exceptionally difficult.
The Sea Cadet Unit’s Commanding Officer, Lt (SCC) Dom Gregory RNR, said: “I’m incredibly proud of all the cadets who competed in these events this weekend.”
“The Unit has built up an exceptionally strong cohort of sailors in the last two years, from a starting point of virtually nothing. To win three out of the four classes entered is amazing.”
“Knowing the quality of the kayakers that LC Phil was competing with, her results stand as nothing less than exceptional.”
The winners of the District sailing regatta now go on to compete against the very best cadets within South West Area in late July at the Area Regatta in Port Talbot.
LC Phil’s next competition should be the World Surf Kayak Championships to be held in Bude in late September!
