Ely Sailing Club wins Cambridgeshire Sailing Youth League

The five-event series, which has been running since 1996, sees under-19s from different clubs competing across the county.

Ely Sailing Club's cadets, who travelled to five clubs throughout the year, secured the win by just 38 points over second-placed Grafham.

The series is organised by the Cambridgeshire Schools Sailing Association, which also runs cadet training and regattas.

Ely Sailing Club wins Cambridgeshire Sailing Youth League (Image: Submitted)

The competition kicked off in April at Cam Sailing Club, where Ely secured a fourth-place finish.

In May, the team improved to second place at Grafham.

Ely, hosting the June round, managed a third-place finish, and after a summer break, the club claimed its first victory in September at Paxton.

The final race took place at Hunts Sailing Club on Saturday, October 12.

The day began under autumnal skies as teams prepared their boats, including five Toppers and one Laser from Ely.

The first race saw 35 boats navigate high-water levels, with the Laser fleet leading the charge.

After a 45-minute race, the teams took a break for lunch.

The second race, beginning around 2pm, was delayed by a wind shift and started in worsening weather conditions.

Ely Sailing Club win Cambridgeshire Sailing Youth League (Image: Submitted)

However, Ely's sailors were undeterred, with Edward taking first place and Fergus securing third.

The weather improved for the third and final race, with Kieran finishing third.

Despite a boat breakage, Jashan continued to sail, ensuring Ely's success.

Lola overcame a capsize to finish the race, contributing to Ely's overall team trophy win.

Ely's sailors also took home individual prizes: Edward Human, first under-15 for the series; Fergus Marshall, second under-15; and Michael Hatton, first under-12.

The club expressed pride in their cadets' achievements and thanked the other clubs for hosting the events.