SAILING NEWS
News 6
Sailing News meets up with the young guns
Stars
WITH the Olympics around the corner, Sailing News has taken a look at the
next batch of hopefuls making their way up through the ranks. Mike Woods is
the current World Topper Champion, Drew Nickless is an aspiring all-rounder
whilst Matt Heathcote and James Bollingbroke are the current RS Feva
National Inland Champions and recent winners of the Sport Colchester U18
Team of the Year Award for 2007. These are their stories…
Y name is Drew Nickless and I
Drew Nickless
M
sail at Dovey Yacht Club of
West Wales. I’ve been racing age of 15, after getting lapped twice by my
Toppers there from quite a dad in his Laser, I realised Toppers weren’t
young age and moved up into a the fastest boats in the fleet. I decided to start
Laser about two years ago. I also managed to fit in eating a lot more and move up into a Laser. I
a little bit of GP14 sailing this year with various sailed a pretty standard club Laser for a sea-
people such as my uncle Bob, Justin Jones, and son, then after selling my Topper, working
my dad, Frank Nickless. hard in the ‘Dovey Inn’, and ‘Londis’, and
My sailing started when I was about six on receiving a very kind gift from my grandma I
a tiny lake in Himley Park near had enough money to buy a Laser of my
WINNING WAYS: Young stars Bolly and Matt in action Wolverhampton, where my dad used to run own... well a Laser hull! I brought a brand
Himley outdoor centre. To be honest, I new one and scrounged around dad’s shed
wouldn’t recommend Himley, rarely windy looking for bits and bobs until I had a com-
and when it was it was all over the place! plete boat.
Good to learn though and get very wet. A cou- I have been sailing it now since April 2007,
Prize guys have a
ple of years later I started racing at Dovey, winning some of the club series and coming
two up in a Topper with my dad and at the close in others. I am now managing to cling
back of the fleet. onto my dad but haven’t managed to pass him
Dovey can also be a very dodgy piece of yet, he keeps putting me off the idea of buy-
year to remember
water, with tides coming in and out and even ing a new sail, I think he’s just scared I might
across, running into the river Leri. beat him.
AMIE Bolingbroke and Matt
Jamie Bolingbroke
The wind doesn’t help either, swinging I took part in my first championship last
J
Heathcote, two young sailors
& Matt Heathcote
round the dunes, and over the mountains, and year down in Mounts Bay in the GP14 nation-
from West Mersea, have just
then there are sand banks to dodge. als. My uncle Bob and I decided we would go
wound up their 2007 season by
It’s great when there are open meetings and (with him crewing and me helming) and give
though to gain a third which was their
collecting the last of a number of
travellers though, because if you don’t know it a crack. A few weeks before the event the
worse result over the weekend.
trophies and prizes they have amassed
the estuary you haven’t got a chance. At the boat we had planned on sailing was basically
This gave them the Championship and
during the year.
another trophy for the cabinet.
The pair picked up the Sport
The teenagers, who are sponsored by
Colchester U18 Team Award at
Seasure, are part of the RS Feva National
Colchester Town Hall where they were
squad and have benefited hugely from the
amongst illustrious company such as
training which that brings. Along with 12
fellow Mersea sailor Saskia Clark who
other teams they have spent many week-
will be going to the Beijing Olympics as
ends over the winter training in often cold
part of the GBR sailing team in the
and windy conditions but the rewards
women’s 470 class.
more than compensate for the odd case of
Jamie and Matt, better known amongst
near frostbite.
their fellow sailors as Bolly and Matt,
Their plans for 2008 remain centred on
have had a great season competing in the
the RS Feva but this will be their last sea-
RS Feva class during which they have
son in the class. The main focus are the
consistently been in the top 10 at events
World Championships being held this
such as the National Championships in
year in Sweden where they hope to
Whitstable and European Championships
improve on their 13th overall at the 2006
in Waterford Bay, Ireland.
worlds on Lake Garda in Italy.
Throughout the season they have com-
Of course they will also be at just about
peted in a series of events around the
every other event their long-suffering
coast and also on inland waters which
parents can get them to such as the
together formed the Fat Face RS Feva Nationals and the meetings which will
series. Over 90 boats in total took part make up the 2008 RS Feva Fat Face
and the boys ended with nothing worse Grand Prix Series.
than a 2nd to count and so scooped the However that is not all for them. They
first prize overall, pocketing not just the are now also sailing a 29er and are plan-
trophy but some great Fat Face gear as ning to compete in the RYA Youth
well. Championships and the National
The last major event of the season was Championships. One hectic 3 week period
the RS Feva Inland Championships at will see them racing in the 29er
Rutland Water Sailing Club. In difficult Europeans in the Netherlands, the big
light and shifty conditions Jamie and local event Mersea Cadet Week and then
Matt showed how they had become a off to Sweden for the Feva worlds.
major force in the class by putting togeth- Whatever else happens they will not be
er a superbly consistent series at the front short of sailing time and will be hoping
of the fleet. Even when suffering a less for as successful as season as they
than ideal start in one race they powered enjoyed in 2007.
JUST CHAMPION: Mike Woods receives his trophies at the Topper Worlds
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