SAILING NEWS
News 22
Kids have fun racing in Docklands
TWENTY eight youngsters from north, south, east and west given third. All the sailors however, were given a medal for
London, braved the high winds and horizontal rain in August completing the event emphasising that taking part was the
when they took part in the RYA OnBoard Sailing Festival main spirit of the event.
held in Victoria Dock. The event was run by RYA OnBoard, in conjunction with
The youngsters, aged from nine to 17, already knew the the Royal Victoria Dock Boat Station and London Area Sea
basics of sailing from taking part in OnBoard beginner Cadets to make the link between beginner sailing and com-
sessions. The event was organised to take the kids sailing to petitive sailing club racing.
the next level introducing them to competitive racing. Event organiser Steve Mitchell said: “Many kids have been
Started in 2004, the OnBoard programme is giving over introduced to sailing through the RYA’s OnBoard project and
half a million young people in Britain the opportunity to try have taken part in OnBoard beginner sessions. Keen to carry
sailing and windsurfing over the next ten years. It does this on their new hobby the festival gives these kids the opportu-
by linking schools and youth groups with sailing centres and nity to try competitive racing in a fun and relaxed environ-
clubs helping them set up sailing sessions as part of school ment.
PE lessons, youth group or after school activities. “Through the support of many dedicated volunteer instruc-
Day one consisted of some intense racing skills training
CHILD’S PLAY: Lotte Cugas and Stuarte Philbey take
tors and coaches we were able to keep the cost of the sailing
taught by volunteer sailing coaches and instructors. Day two
part in the Victoria Dock sailing festival
right down meaning everyone could join in.”
then saw the youngsters paired up in their RS Feva dinghies manoeuvres around the race course, a winning dinghy and Thanks must go to Kevin Perkins and his Sea Cadet team
for their first-ever race and an opportunity to put the theory crew emerged. Emma Cook and Josh Mclynn raised the win- for their huge support of the event.
into practice. ners trophy shortly after Lotte Cugas and Stuart Philbey were To find out more about the OnBoard visit the website
After much jostling on the start line and many impressive awarded second place and Jack Turner and Barney Lom were
www.ruob.co.uk.
AHOY day
is a great
success
MONDAY 8th October was
a very special day at The
AHOY Centre as it was
their first Sailability Social
Day. Sailability is an RYA
(Royal Yachting
Association) term which
encourages people with
disabilities to take to the
water and the AHOY is a
recognized centre.
The day was open to all
with the aim of offering
disabled Londoners the
chance to trying boating.
People who thought they
wouldn’t be able to even get
into a boat – let alone sail
one, had the chance to sample
the independence and joy
that sailing can bring and to
feel the exhilaration that can
be felt on the water.
Sailing is one of the very
few sports in which able-
PRIZE GUYS: Winners Sally Wakefield and Stuart Hudson with Commodore of UTSC, Vanessa Pilon. Picture: Roy Burnham
bodied sailors and disabled
sailors can participate on
equal terms.
It was easy to see the joy
that sailing and powerboat- The gifted drifters
ing can bring on the faces of
the 49 people that came
along on the day. A SELECT group of Fireflies gathered at Upper
The AHOY Sailability Thames for two drifting matches on Saturday
Day got people with a wide 15th September.
variety of disabilities on the Race Officer, Nigel Garland, managed to set
water, and took sailors with an interesting course for the Single-Handed
learning difficulties, sailors trophy. Showing great patience, all the competitors
with sensory disabilities and managed to defeat the river current, but by the
sailors with physical end Stuart Hudson had demonstrated his ability
disabilities for an exciting to do so better than the rest.
sail on the Thames. He was followed over the line by Peter Cook
The Social day was adver- and Angus Cook, who was sailing for the first
tised London-wide and time this year! The afternoon race was for the
funding for the event was Measurer’s cup, which has to be sailed for a min-
secured from the London imum of two hours or four miles.
Summer of Sport Fund by Needless to say it was the two hour limit that
the RYA. applied, and after that time, Stuart Hudson,
In total the AHOY intro- crewed by Sally Wakefield, led home the few
duced 49 disabled people to who finished, while most of the other crews
the sport of sailing and opted for an early tea. Peter Cook and Janet
powerboating, and many Exelby were second, Barney Smith and Alannah
more came along and Witherby were third.
STARTER’S ORDERS: The competitors line up for the off. Picture: Roy Burnham
enjoyed the social element The evening dinner party was used as a sur-
of the day. prise big-40 party for class stalwart, Roger
Sunday turned out to be a perfect day with sun- the last race, if only the course had been one lap
Over eight different Morris, which greatly helped the club bar funds,
shine and a good breeze blowing more-or-less shorter.
groups were introduced to and it became apparent why the number of boats
straight down the river. Despite the more compli- The final results, with all races to count: Stuart
the Centre and The AHOY entered was down a little on previous years:
cated courses that were set, Stuart and Sally Hudson and Sally Wakefield (Spinnaker); Peter
hope to work with them there are several new Firefly crews being bred by
dominated the proceedings, although Barney and Cook and Janet Exelby (Frampton); Barney
again in 2008. some regular attendees!
Alannah so nearly managed to be first home in Smith and Alannah Witherby (Hamble River).
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28