Youth in the west
Information from Askøy Sailing Association
Hey where are you going! After some pandemic seasons marked by low activity, the activity, the boat cleaning, the enthusiasm and the level are on the rise for the youth group in Askøy Seilforening.
With a good effort in both the NM and sharp local competition, it is a sign that things are getting ready in the west, both in width and at the top. We look back on the 2022 season as a promising start towards 2023, when the goal will be to get more active boats on the water.
Linge Memorial 2022
As many as seven youngsters associated with Askøy Seilforening across the watershed to compete in the open NM for Soling and Yngling, organized by KNS. This year’s event was also called the Linge Memorial since in 2022 it was 100 years since Jan Herman Linge, the creator of the two boat classes, was born.
We who went over the mountain feared that there would be little or no wind on the Bunnefjord, where the voyages were to take place. But even though the tune-up sailing on Friday evening was canceled due to calm winds, there was clear wind from the south on Saturday and downright fresh conditions during the final sailings on Sunday.
It was special that boats from the west, which did well during this year’s NM: NOR 261 «Hoy Hoy!» on day one and NOR 405 «Fetter Fart» on day two. Both boats are “manned and manned” with sailors from boats and ASF and the neighboring club RAN from Sotra.
Battle for the bronze
“Hey Hoy!” was in bronze place after day one, despite a man-overboard situation in a sail they led for a while. «Fetter Fart», on the other hand, really gained speed in the strong find on Sunday and secured two spikes, so when a total of seven sailings had been completed «Fetter Fart» took over the bronze place from «Hoy Hoy!» – with one poor point. The other youngsters from the west spread over the entire list with the 25 registered boats.
NM winners were the Melleby family with NOR 354 «Hotline» from Hvasser. They sailed steady and well both days and won comfortably.
For several of us, it was the first time we sailed on drone brands. This meant that the starting line was largely port-favoured, as the book says. But there was a bit of a mess in the coordinates for the organizer at the top mark during one of the sailings. Then immediately the top and offset marks switched places, something which caused a bit of confusion among the first boats up to the mark.
But it was a nice day on Dronningen and out on Bunnefjorden, so we can only hope that it will be good with boats from Oslo and Hvasser when ASF organizes the NM at Hauglandsosen next summer. Then we’ll give them a fight for the precious metal!
“Hey Hoy!” new club champion
After “Fetter Fart” took NM bronze narrowly ahead of “Hoy Hoy!”, “Hoy Hoy!” even back at home with five straight first places and became this year’s club champion over NOR 404 «Team Guffen» in second place and NOR 405 «Fetter Fart» in third place. Six boats were involved and fought for the season’s last heat and glory on a September day with sunshine and steadily increasing wind.
The goal for next year’s club championship will be that it must be at least as sharp at the top, even wider in width, at least as fine weather and even more diplomas to hand out.
Season 2023
It will be an important event for the youngsters in 2023: NM 2-4 June at home in Hauglandsosen on Askøy, and the WC in Denmark. WC 2023 is organized by Sundby Sailing Association in Copenhagen 22 – 29 July and many boats will be registered here.
Towards the 2023 season, ASF will put in place and training schedule for the youngsters. Review and preparation are taken up at assembly meetings in addition to autumn and winter. On the plan is an indoor winter course, start of the season with the kick-off weekend 15 – 16 April, then we continue with fast Thursday sailings, use Whitsun 27 – 29 May for tune-up for the NM, and have WC training weekend 1. – July 2nd.
It will be the regatta the first weekend in September, before the season ends with the club championship at the end of September. In 2025 or 2026 you can be arranged in Hauglandsosen.
Yngling is a nice boat to learn to sail, as well as to further develop as a sailor. Askøy Sailing Association has boats available for training and active sailing. We are looking for more active sailors. Are you or your sailing association in the west interested in joining us for the 2023 season? Get in touch with [email protected]