Cadets from Burnham-On-Sea & Highbridge’s Sea Cadet Unit joined with others from neighbouring sea cadet units to represent Somerset & Dorset district in the South West Area Paddlesports Regatta on Saturday (18th June).
The cadets competed in different events at the event in at Sutton Coldfield – Cross Stream, which is a test of skill and communication in kayak and canoe, and flat water racing in 500m sprints and 2km time trials using solo and tandem kayaks.
Burnham’s cadets competed in both events and did exceptionally well, winning Bronze and Silver medals in the racing and achieving nearly a clean sweep of Golds in the Cross Stream events.
Able Cadet Oliver and Cdt Felicity won the Cross Stream Tandem and solo Canoe Cross Stream events, and Felicity also earned a Bronze medal in the Cross Stream Girls kayak event, winning the Overall Cross Stream event trophy in the process!
In the flat water racing, Ordinary Cadet Katie won Silver in the sprint and time trial in her kayak. Cadet First Class Towan won Silver in the kayak time trial, and when partnered up with Ordinary Cadet James in the tandem kayak sprint event won another Bronze medal each.
AC Oliver and Cdt Felicity have now earned the right to represent all 90 Sea Cadet Units in South West Area in the national competition being held in London in August! We’ll let you know how they get on.
Conditions were wet and breezy for the event hosted by Sutton Coldfield Sea Cadets with a constant drizzle and distracting breeze making it a difficult competition all round.
The Unit’s chief paddlesports instructor and Team Manager, CPO (SCC) Joe Sidwell said, “The cadets did really well and put in bags of effort to reach this level. It just shows that the training and hard work they’ve put in over the last two years really paid off.”
The Sea Cadet Unit’s Commanding Officer, Lt (SCC) Dom Gregory RNR, said: “With the flat water racing team coming in fourth overall in that competition – despite not sending a full team – and the Cross Streamers pulling off such a magnificent win in their event it really shows the strength in depth within the Unit and wider District.”
“Burnham-on-Sea & Highbridge Sea Cadets have built a really strong team of cadets who are motivated and keen to do well in their favourite watersports whether that’s one of the paddlesports disciplines, windsurfing, sailing or rowing. To say I’m proud of each and every one of them is a huge understatement.”
