TWINS Emilia and Charlotte Boyle took the honours on home waters having secured the top two places in Royal Lymington Yacht Club’s Optimist Open Series last weekend.

The event, which attracted more than 100 youngsters from across the country, saw four members of the host club finish in the main fleet’s top six, which was keenly contested across seven individual races.

Overall winner Emilia secured victory in the fourth race and won by five points from Charlotte who won race five. Hattie Rogers took two individual race victories but her challenge for top spot was curtailed by a 27-point total in the fourth showdown.

William Heathcote, Royal Lymington’s top male performer, started well with top-two finishes in his first three races but ultimately faded away to fifth.

Optimist Open Series – main fleet results (top six): 1 Emilia Boyle (Royal Lymington) 27.0, 2 Charlotte Boyle (Royal Lymington) 32.0, 3 Henry Chandler (Emsworth) 33.0, 4 Jamie Harris (BCYC) 35.0, 5 William Heathcote (Royal Lymington) 44.0, 6 Hattie Rogers (Royal Lymington) 47.0.

  • Edward Beardsall was dominant in the Regatta fleet with Salterns member Tom Ling third courtesy of some consistent displays, including a runners-up spot in the sixth and final race.

Maya Williams was Royal Lymington’s top performer and also the number one female with fifth place in the Regatta, while Freddie Howarth of Poole Yacht Club came sixth out of 31 competitors.

On the event, Royal Lymington secretary Kevin Podger said: “These youngsters have the potential to be the champions of the future.

“We enjoyed a very high standard of racing given their ages.

“We were very pleased to see the club so well represented and it was just reward for the efforts of our volunteers, coaches and parents.”

  • A limited fleet of five boats took part in Saturday’s Spinlock and Harken IRC1 fleet as victory saw Fergus Roper and Rupert Holton move to the summit in Jibe.

Stephen Hopson (Figaro II) came second after failing to finish April’s race, while William Newton (Jibe) took third Just two boats finished in the LH fleet which saw David Hough (Aventurera) maintain top spot ahead of Royal Lymington’s John Turner (Dynamic).

  • Top-four finishes in races three and four proved enough for Ashley and Helen Smith (Wanderer) to emerge victorious in Highcliffe Sailing Club’s Harbour Challenge Series on Sunday.

In bright sunny conditions with wind averaging between two and 10 knots, Tania Tarrant (Laser) blazed a trail round the course to take first in both races, securing joint-second spot overall alongside Malcolm Briggs (Mirror), who had won twice at the previous meeting.