YOUNG sailors from the Downs Club at Walmer played a key role as Kent came out on top in the National Schools Sailing Association annual regatta at Weymouth.

Ten members of the 34-strong Kent team were from the Walmer club, and Downs Cadets represented Kent in three of the six fleets.

The largest fleet was the Topper single-handed class, with 123 entries. The three Downs sailors in this fleet, Robert Waite, Sam Rowe and Katie Restall sailed consist-ently well throughout the week.

Robert started his campaign with a second place in the first race, and never finished lower than ninth, to finish fifth overall. Sam and Katie also had consistent results at the front of the fleet, finishing seventh and 10th overall respectively.

Three Downs sailors also figured prominently at the front of the Olympic Laser class. This time it was Robert’s elder brother Jonathan Waite who was the leading Kent competitor in the fleet, also finishing fifth overall, closely followed by James Cooke in seventh and Rory Sharvill in ninth.

The fast handicap fleet was dominated by the Kent team 29ers of Downs cadet Chris Catt, crewed by Medway sailor Mark Heather, and Jonathan White, crewed by Alex Cruttenden.

Chris, sailing in his last NSSA event before going to university, came second in the opening race, and then showed his liking for the building winds through the week by winning the remaining six races. White and Cruttenden finished second.

Behind them in this fleet, sisters Clare and Helen Stubbs had some close racing with fellow Downs sailor Mitch Webb, crewed by Laura Alldis from Tonbridge, in their RS 200s, finishing 13th and 16th respectively.

Each county was also allowed to enter one or two teams in the prestigious Mount Haes Trophy, which was sailed in heats using six identical Dart 16 catamarans.

Chris Catt and Mark Heather, having won their heat easily, were unlucky to be knocked out in the semi-finals. The second Kent team of Rory Sharvill and James Cooke went one better however, winning through to the final where they were narrowly beaten into second place by Yorkshire.

When all the results were added together, the consistency of the Kent team was rewarded with the overall Team Trophy, which the county had last won in 1994.