Oliver Groves (27) and Esther Parkhurst (25) representing the [Laser] 2000 class won the 63rd Endeavour Trophy dinghy champion of champions event at Burnham-on-Crouch in October last year, after a close final-day battle that went right down to the wire.
This super-tuned rookie Endeavour team from Beaver SC, North Yorkshire, managed to fend off the 30-strong fleet including many seasoned Endeavour sailors/former winners such as Nick Craig and Toby Lewis (reigning champs and seven-time Endeavour winners), Christian Birrell and Luke Patience, and Steve Tylecoat and Alice Lucy, plus a host of other talented young sailors. Even though the winning duo led the 8-race/1-discard series overnight, racing was exceptionally close throughout with, in the end, just 3pts between them and second placed Sam Whaley and Jess Hammett representing the WASZP class.
To win the ‘right’ to compete at the Endeavour Trophy dinghy champion of champions event is, and has always been, regarded as one of the highlights of a dinghy racing sailor’s career. Held annually at the end of the season, this invitation event has rightly remained restricted to the overall winners of the most competitive dinghy class national championships and occasional special invite Olympic champions, which means competition is always of the highest level.
Thirty of the UK’s top sailors competing in identical one-design RS200 on a level playing field is not only truly unique but is also a pure test of sailing skill and talent with the aim to determine the ultimate champion of champions. To get there however, is no easy ride because first you have to win a championship. And even then, regardless of whether you are seasoned Endeavour winners, it’s always a tough game and nothing is guaranteed.
With a flurry of young ‘new blood’ entering the Endeavour arena on this occasion, it was clear from the opening day’s races, competition was going to be tough. Fuelled by their 6pt overnight lead, Groves and Parkhurst continued to sail impressively on the final day and managed to beat Whaley and Hammett by just three points to win the 2024 Endeavour Trophy.
Recalling their emotions after they found out they’d won, Groves and Parkhurst commented: “The main feeling was shock! We didn’t want to believe we’d won it before we arrived back at the club in case something happened with the results that we weren’t aware of. When we got off the water and confirmed our win, it was such a surreal experience.
“We always said that just going to the Endeavour was on our bucket list, let alone winning it. What an amazing event, getting to compete against 30 national champions all on a level playing field.”
Recalling the best memory of the 2024 Endeavour was without doubt winning the second race, said Groves: “It was quite something crossing the line and looking back to see the array of national, European and world champions. However, I will never forget the photo finish with Sam Whaley and Jess Hammett in race 1 where they just beat us!”
The series of events that led to partners Groves and Parkhurst taking part in, and ultimately winning the Endeavour Trophy was far from the ‘usual’ route however. In fact, the 2000 class in which they won the championship at Torquay, was supposed to be used as a practice for their forthcoming RS400 nationals at the same venue.
Having full time jobs outside the marine industry Groves, who works as an accountant for Howdens Joinery, and Parkhurst who’s a physiotherapist working in private practice with elite athletes, said finding the time to juggle their work commitments/sailing activities before the championship was tough but important: “A friend had offered us his boat to use for the week, so we thought that because Torbay/Torquay is a notoriously challenging place to sail, it would be good practice. We didn’t go into the nationals with too many expectations; just for a bit of practice. We only sailed the 2000 once prior to the nationals and that was practicing on our own at Yorkshire Dales Sailing Club. Our first time racing against other boats was at the nationals.”
Although Parkhurst comes from a sailing background and started out in Optimists before joining the RS200 squad at Yorkshire Dales SC (set up by her sailing instructor Erica Caswell), Groves says there was no history of sailing in his family until his grandad took up sailing in his 50s. “My parents have never sailed and it was my grandad who introduced me to sailing. He spent countless hours planning, organising and driving me all over the country to Optimist and Topper events through my teenage years. I then progressed to Lasers/ILCAs where I reached the Youth Squad.
“When I teamed up with Esther, we sailed the RS200 together for five years before moving onto the RS400 where we narrowly missed out winning the RS400 nationals in 2023 by 1 point on the final race. And at last year’s event ended up 6th overall after leading the early part of the series.”
Succeeding at championships is not all about just competing at championship-level events, it’s about establishing some firm roots at club racing level. For Groves and Parkhurst, the sailing they did at Beaver Sailing Club has proved its worth. Groves added: “This club has provided a brilliant platform for us to progress our sailing over the years, where we’ve had support from ex national and world champions as well as having great fleet racing through the years in different classes to give us experience in multiple classes.”
Having had a good grounding in the RS200 (with a balance of club racing and championship sailing) was an ideal scenario for the Groves/Parkhurst partnership for their first time at the Endeavour Trophy. However, they do say preparation is vital regardless of how much you’ve sailed together before. “It was also the first time that either of us had sailed at Burnham-on-Crouch and, given its very tidal nature, venue research was the priority in the lead up to the event. We got some very detailed information on what usually pays and, more importantly, what doesn’t! We also did the Great Northern Asymmetric Challenge (GNAC) a couple of weeks before the Endeavour, which helped a lot.”
As first timers to the Endeavour Trophy, Groves and Parkhurst said it’s important to turn up for the training day and put some of the venue research into practice. “It was also a good way to get a gauge of who are the ones to watch, and get a feel for the tide and to see how close you can get to the banks etc which, as inland sailors, always takes a bit of getting used to.”
At a combined overall crew weight of 147kg Groves and Parkhurst believe they are at the heavy end for an RS200. “The more wind the better for us because that is when we can really stretch our legs and get going. We struggle in the lighter conditions in the 200 as we stick in the water a lot more than the lighter pairings who get up and going a lot earlier.”
“For us, unless it is very windy we are always hunting for power particularly downwind so we run our base setting in most conditions. The main change through light-medium-windy ranges is the use of kicker. Until I’m having to ease the main upwind, I run no kicker and then I’ll go straight to lots of kicker on once I’m having to play the main off the centre line.”
Having sailed together in different boats for 10 years, Groves and Parkhurst are very much in tune with each other but they made sure they had time to fine tune their boat handling in preparation for the numerous tacks and gybes for sailing on the tidal river Crouch.
The plan before each race however, was what really made a difference. “We had a plan for the first upwind and downwind which we executed well. We had a couple of bad starts where we had to tack out, but we made sure to still stick to our plan which got us back up to the front.”
Although Parkhurst started off her sailing career helming, she admits that crewing is her preferred vocation. “I never really enjoyed helming that much in racing situations but I absolutely love crewing, and when I started crewing the RS200 in 2015 it was the best decision I ever made.
“To be able to win you need the best helm and the best crew but outside the pathway classes there isn’t any training specifically for crewing, so it’s important to spend time on the water as a team to determine what works well for your combined weight, and optimise that. The crew makes a huge difference in the boat; from making the boat go fast to feeding information to helm and decision making, there is so much a crew can do to make a difference.”
“Success is all about preparation, and local knowledge is key, so make sure you know your tide times/flow, wind direction, general trend of the wind (eg building or dropping).
“Also, because the event is held annually in October, it’s important to pack the right kit for all weathers! Sunday was very cold so I had all of my kit on including my go-to favourites – my Rooster Aquafleece and the Hot Stuff thermals.”
“You can never be too fit! Given the intensity of the racing and the amount of manoeuvres at the Endeavour, it is important to spend time working on your fitness beforehand. Also, at the event, ensure you take plenty of extra drinking water because racing is intense.
“Above everything though, enjoy the experience. It’s a bucket list event and the club is fantastic. You are treated like royalty all weekend, and everyone is so friendly and helpful.
“And will we be back to defend our title? Absolutely, we wouldn’t miss it for the world, and the good news is, as returning champions we have already received our invite, which thankfully takes off the pressure of having to win a nationals to receive an invite… see you there!”
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