Cadet World Champions 2023
We knew we were taking a good team to compete in the International Cadet World Championship in Australia over Christmas; we had a sneaky suspicion that the Aussies might be in for a bit of a shock. Having not competed against each other since Poland in 2019 and with a considerable amount of dedication and training under our belts, we knew we were bringing our A game. Did we ever dare to dream that we would come home with the Gold AND the Silver AND four boats in the top ten? I’m not sure.
Toby Bush and Kemmel Thorogood’s Cadet story in “Pushing It” reads like a cheesy, feelgood film; Toby the handsome, confident young man with big dreams, teams up with cadet newbie Kemmel, who’s visible nerves and often dishevelled demeanour made us all question Toby’s choice of crew. I envisage the film following this unlikely pairing though their 5yrs of trials and tribulations; the lows of a de-masting in a Grafham selector, to the highs of nearly winning the Promo fleet in Poland only to be black flagged (twice) and loosing it all.
There would be guest appearances from ex- cadets like Angus Collingridge under who’s coaching the boys would start to gel as a team. Angus’s outwardly gruff exterior slowly melting and there would be a famous (some would say a tear jerking) scene when he pulls Kemmel out of the boat at the World Championships in Poland and cuddles him until he stops shaking with fear.
The montage (of course there is a montage) would show the pair working hard, saying no to social invitations in favour of training and getting up early on cold mornings all in pursuit of the dream. It would show Andy, Toby’s dad driving them up and down the country in his now infamous van, Jackie booking yet another Travel Lodge and all four parents turning pale while looking at their bank balances.
After the montage comes the first hint that Team Pushing It are on right path, with first place in the Alf Simmonds and Peter Scott Trophy and finally the high of selection for the world team!
As team GBR start training together, we would see cameos from Cadet royalty like Mat White, Tom Stewart, Neil Collingridge and Mike McNamar who pull the team together, making them train hard in shocking conditions. The sailing community world start getting behind the team with old salts like Julia Jones coming out of the woodwork to help fund the trip and sailing clubs like Shotley letting them use their facilities for free.
By the time GBR get to Australia the film would show that the whole Cadet family are behind them; flashes of young sailors watching the updates on socials and even Kemmel’s non-sailing grandparents glued to Facebook.
The grand finale of the film would come when the now rather taller and hairy Toby and Kemmel take Gold with one race in hand. Their elation would be quickly followed by that of teammates Will and Annabel Shepherd as they claim silver.
There would be the twist at the end of the film that was at the back of our minds throughout; that heart breaking moment when we realise that Toby and Kemmel’s pairing had come to an end. We would watch awkwardly as Kemmel’s mother sobs on Toby telling him how grateful she is to him for all the years he has taken care of her little boy, for helping build his confidence, not just in sailing but in himself.
As the credits roll on this cheesy film, we see all the names of rib drives, safety boat crews, kit lenders, boat menders, event organisers, squadron leaders, class committee and all those who helped these GBR International Cadet Champions on the podium.
