The ten competing teams included Tunbridge School, Sevenoaks School and two teams from the hosts, the Royal Hospital School (“RHS”). Thomas H, Will F. Harry B., Georgiana C., Dante S-H. and Anabel F. made up the team with an average age of 16 years compared to most of the other older teams.
The day opened with very light wind and occasional breezes, making the course more interesting and difficult. The 90 races in the round-robin stage, with all the teams competing against each other, left Oakham in the top 4, qualifying for the semi-finals. Oakham then raced against the RHS A Team, during which Oakham took control and went through to the finals.
In the final, Oakham came up against Claires Court School with a much older and more experienced team. Oakham held its own but discovered that there was more strategy and techniques to learn to dominate the start lines. Claires Court won out on this occasion, but Oakham now has the focus for the next training sessions.
Adam Petit, the sailing coach who manages the senior team racing team, said, “I was amazed at the sophistication of not only the Oakham sailors’ technical skills but also their ability to come together as a team, communicate with each other on the water and put together dynamic competitive strategies that most of the time gave them the edge. Well done!”
Oakham School currently has nearly 50 students sailing every week from Year 6 to Year 13, with a further 20 sailing as part of their Gold Sailing D of E.
