BRNC Lead the Field at Livorno

A triumphant performance in the face of adversity saw five Naval Cadets from Britannia Royal Naval College, sailing a J24 sportsboat, capture the XXIV Trofeo Academia Navale e Cita di Livorno, hosted by the Italian Naval Academy in Livorno, Italy.

The event saw stiff competition from countries including Japan, China, Belgium, France, Spain and Albania. Many of the twentyfour teams from across the globe had undergone rigorous training for the event; whilst other teams contained international calibre sailors such as the Swedish boat skippered by last years ISAF representative.

Despite flying out to the event early, team BRNC, skippered by Midshipman Darren Roach and crewed by SLts Dave Bacon, Andy Penfold, Rolland Wilson and Tom Gell were unable to hit the water before the morning of the event due to the late arrival of their allocated boat, Coco. This led to considerable frustration as all the other teams headed out of the marina to practise on the day before the first race.

The next morning saw the team rise early to rig up Coco, who had finally turned up, but minus many of her fittings. After a flurry of activity, and just one hour before the start of the first race, Coco was rigged and ready to go.

The first day of racing, Saturday, saw three races and Coco showed a steady improvement as her crew got to grips with their positions in the boat and moulded as a unit – the first time they had sailed together and the first time in a J24 for all. At the end of the day team BRNC were in 3rd position, behind the Turkish and the Swedish teams, but well poised to challenge for a higher place. On the second day of racing, a scintillating start saw Coco round the windward mark with a significant lead over her competition, a position she held to the finish to clinch 1st place. Another solid performance in the second race generated a third place – enough for the team to climb to the top of the leader-board.

This position was further consolidated by first in Monday’s sole race. The final day of racing on Tuesday saw some excellent sailing from the team, with a combination of flawless upwind legs and rapid spinnaker hoists/drops putting BRNC well ahead of the competition. Unfortunately, equipment problems with their elderly boat reared their head once more and after rounding the windward mark a problem hoisting the spinnaker caused Coco to lose her considerable lead and to finish a close second behind the Swedish crew – but this was still enough to win the event by a considerable margin from the Swedes, with the Turks finishing in 3rd place.

Team Leader Lt Jonathan Bannister summed up the week: “An outstanding performance; through skill, gritted determination and superior sailing knowledge, the team were able to clinch victory in real style.” The triumphant team collected their rather large silverware in front of a crowd of 1,000 people, where the 24th Edition Trophy was handed to the skipper, Darren Roach, by the naval academy’s Admiral, Admiraglio Di Divisione Cristiano Bettini.

BRNC Lead the Field at Livorno A triumphant performance in the face of adversity saw five Naval Cadets from Britannia Royal Naval College, sa....

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