Northampton sailing club among UK’s best

A NORTHAMPTONSHIRE sailing club has been recognised as one of the top clubs in the UK after being shortlisted for a national award for the third time in four years. Hollowell Sailing Club, based at Hollowell Reservoir, off Welford Road, has been named as a finalist in the Royal Yachting Association (RYA) Club of the Year Award 2012. The winner will be announced at the RYA Volvo Dinghy Show in London, on March 3. Russell Brayshaw, Hollowell Sailing Club’s Commodore, said: “People know when they come to Hollowell they’ll be given a warm welcome and enjoy our activities in a safe environment, whether they’re beginners or experienced sailors. “We’re a close-knit group and everyone appreciates the value of working hard for the good of the club.” The RYA award recognises clubs which excel at promoting sailing, encouraging people onto the water and make their activities varied and accessible. Hollowell, which has about 550 members, was also a finalist for the award in 2009 and 2011.

Clipper Round-world Yachts Set Sail for Qingdao

Fleet of the 2011-2012 Clipper Round the World Yacht Race set sail for Qingdao on Saturday after a week-long stopover at Singapore. The fleet set sail on Saturday morning from the Marina at Keppel Bay for the 8th race of the round-the-world-trip. The route from Singapore to China's northern coastal city of Qingdao, which has been known as a city of sailing since the Summer Olympics in 2008, is 2,580 miles (4,128 kilometers). It is expected to take around 20 days. The race will be challenging as it started in the tropical heat and light headwinds and then, as it goes north, the weather turns colder, the winds come from directly ahead and the sea state kicks up to deliver a real challenge, organizers said. The fleet arrived in Singapore on Jan. 28. The yacht Gold Coast Australia won the 4,600-mile (7,360-kilometer) Race 7 from Australia to Singapore, which is the first part of the 5th leg of the trip around the globe. It was 79 minutes ahead of runner-up Derry-Londonderry. Geraldton Western Australia finished the race by arriving in Batam on Monday in the third position, followed by Qingdao and Singapore in the fourth and fifth places, respectively. The Singapore yacht, sponsored by the world's largest rig builder Keppel Corporation, sailed into the Keppel Bay on Saturday morning to the applause of Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean and a large crowd. It was a disappointing result for the Finnish boat Visit Finland, which finished in the eighth place out of ten. The team had appeared on the podium four times in the previous six races. Ian Conchie, the British skipper of the boat Qingdao, has said that his team got "every incentive" to do their best in the race towards its home port of Qingdao. "We've got the speed in the boat. We are just gonna work hard as a team, bring it all together, and try and pull it to Qingdao," he said. Qu Zhiguo, a Chinese sailor on the boat, has said that he was hoping for a good result on the race from Singapore to Qingdao, too. "We will be expecting headwinds most of the time. So the speed is going to be fast. It is going to be challenging," he said. The Clipper Round the World Yacht Race is known for the world's longest route at about 40,000 miles (64,000 kilometers), with 15 races on 8 legs. The fleet sailed from Southampton in the United Kingdom in late July last year and is expected to return to Britain in July this year.

Sailing Club Spotlight Tamesis Sailing Club 2

Sailing Club Spotlight Tamesis Sailing Club 1

Voyage of Recovery sailing for drug and alcohol addicts

Alcohol and drug addicts could be offered a rehabilitation programme sailing around the coast of Britain. During the 12-week "Voyage of Recovery" up to 160 addicts will work aboard the Tectona and be taught how to sail. The 1,800-mile (2,897km) trip, starting in Plymouth on 1 August, has been organised by two charities - Phoenix Futures and the Tectona Trust. The impact of the voyage on those taking part will be studied by Phoenix, Tectona and Plymouth University. The voyage will be split into will five-day legs for teams of 12 to allow as many people as possible to take part. 'Life changing' The Tectona will sail from Plymouth on 1 August to Portsmouth for the "official" start of the voyage around Britain. Duties on board will include navigation, manning the sails, hauling up anchor as well as preparing meals and keeping the ship clean. The idea for the sailing programme came from Stuart Plant and Darren Long as part of Phoenix Futures' Innovation Factor, which encourages people to think about new ways of overcoming addiction. Mr Plant, a residential manager for Phoenix, said while sailing was hard, physical work, it involved working as part of a team and helped to boost people's self-esteem and confidence. Mr Long, a former addict, who now volunteers for the Tectona Trust, said sailing had been "life changing in more ways than anyone could imagine". Karen Biggs, Phoenix Futures' chief executive, said: "The Voyage Of Recovery is the latest of a series of innovations that we have championed. "Our long history of delivering recovery services has shown us the importance of continuing to find new and imaginative ways to inspire people to take those important steps toward tackling their addiction."

British sailors win eight medals at Miami World Cup regatta

British sailors picked up three golds in a total haul of eight medals at the Miami World Cup regatta. Olympic hopefuls Nick Dempsey, Paul Goodison and the women's match racing trio of Lucy Macgregor, Annie Lush and Kate Macgregor all won gold. Hannah Mills and Saskia Clark took silver in the 470, ahead of development squad sailors Sophie Weguelin and Sophie Ainsworth in third place. Team GB have already named sailors in eight of 10 Olympic classes for London. Olympic Champion Goodison battled past Brazil's Bruno Fontes in the medal race to claim gold in the Laser in Miami. "It's been nice to come and do Miami - it wasn't originally in the plan to come and do this event but after a really good week last week sailing in Key West it made sense to stop by here and work on some of the things I need to before the Games," said Goodison. "There are only I think three regattas that I'll do left before the Olympics, so it's good to be working on the things that I need to and to be improving on the things that I've set out to do." The women's match racing team saw off Australia in their final, Lush saying: "It's a great start to 2012 for us. "It doesn't feel like we've sailed particularly well this week but we held it together, pulled off some great results along the way and we've learned a huge amount which we'll take forward into our winter training. "You can see from the results this week just how tight the fleet has become - everyone is pushing hard so there's plenty of hard work still ahead of us." Dempsey recovered from a disappointing World Championship in Perth last month to dominate the RS:X windsurfer category. "It's quite nice [to win a World Cup] isn't it?" he said. "Getting all firsts this week was pretty good so I'm very happy. "It's definitely all going to plan and it's all on track. It was needed, the result at this event, and I'm really looking forward to the next few months."

Bavaria Yachts Unveils New Vision 46

At the world's largest boat show, the 2012 Dusseldorf Boot, Bavaria Yachts unveiled its new, most innovative sailing yacht, the Vision 46 to a large crowd with grand excitement. The development process for the Vision started with consulting cruising sailors from around the world about what would make the perfect sailing cruiser. Bavaria then employed the expert power of Farr Yacht Design and the British boutique firm, Design Unlimited. The result is a boat that will set a new standard in the owner's cruiser category, with a focus on high-end elegance, comfort and easy handling. The new Vision Series offers features that were, until now, only seen on mega yachts. The unique cockpit design has an offset companionway allowing space for a large port cockpit table that is electrically lowered and convertible to a lounging/day bed. The optional push button self-tacking system makes single and short-handed sailing a pleasure. Additionally, Bavaria's docking system employs drop-down bow and stern thrusters, coordinated with the main engine for complete control and accuracy in tight quarters. These and countless other unique comfort and handling features combine with elegant interiors, Farr Yacht Design engineering for fast and comfortable passages, and the premium build-quality and finish found in all Bavaria yachts. This stunning boat is sure to draw attention wherever she drops anchor. "I was in Dusseldorf this week to witness the unveiling of the first Vision hull and I was blown away. I can genuinely say that the Vision 46 is a game changer in this category. It is absolutely perfect for the American cruising market." Says Kenny Feld, Managing Director of Bavaria Yachts USA. The Vision 46, the first of the new series, can be customized with two or three cabins, one or two heads and each floor plan includes a separate shower room. The first US Vision 46 hull will be delivered to Annapolis, Maryland and available for viewing April 2012. Visit www.BavariaYachts.com for more information About Bavaria Yachts The Bavaria Yachtbau shipyard is the single largest yacht production facility in Europe, constructing thousands of performance cruising sailboats each year built by skilled craftsmen using computer-aided, state-of-the art manufacturing processes, and stringent, consistent quality control processes. Bavaria combines precision German engineering with collaborative design expertise from Farr Yacht Design and styling expertise from BMW DesignworksUSA and Design Unlimited UK. Teaming up with market leaders in yacht, ergonomic and interior design reflects Bavaria Yachts' constant commitment to delivering extremely well built, safe, premium quality yachts with powerful lines, striking designs, and innovative features. Introducing a new business model for the industry, Bavaria Yachts USA provides owners with "factory direct" pricing, boats built to personalized specifications, and ultra-efficient purchase-to-delivery lead times of typically around three months. Bavaria Yachts USA also offers an integrated, full-range customer experience from chartering new Bavaria's, to ASA learn-to-sail programs as well as a range of comprehensive Bavaria-dedicated yacht management services.

Sailing Club Spotlight Thorpe Bay Yacht Club

Sail 4 Cancer – Helping families affected by cancer

Sail 4 Cancer, part of the 4 Cancer charity group, aims to improve the quality of life for those living with cancer. The charity has been active along the Solent for the past 10 years helping families affected by cancer to get away from the stress of living with the disease. Sail 4 Cancer has now established an office in Fareham to better serve families along the South Coast and inform cancer patients and their families about the sponsored respite opportunities available to them. Families are taken on sponsored sailing days, ocean cruises, river boat adventures and park breaks. The charity also provides sailing weekends for youngsters living with cancer to improve their confidence and meet other young people dealing with the disease. 'Families who live with cancer experience enormous stress. From the moment someone is diagnosed with the disease family life is severely affected and often financial strain is added to an already heavy burden. We give families the opportunity to spend time together away from the stress of their everyday lives. We want them to just have fun as a family and use their time together to create special memories' remarked Lizette van Niekerk, Fundraising Manager for Sail 4 Cancer. In 2011 Sail 4 Cancer helped 400 people and this year they hope to help many more families. If you want to nominate a partner, child, friend or family for a much-needed break simply visit the charity’s website or call 0845 408 1849. Sail 4 Cancer is entirely dependent on fundraising and appreciates any donations to help more families. The charity is also looking for volunteers to raise funds by running the BUPA London 10K the 27th of May.

Sailing Club Spotlight Ullswater Yacht Club 2

Sailing Club Spotlight Ullswater Sailing Club

Extreme Sailing Series announce Cardiff as UK venue

Extreme Sailing Series™ 2012 award winning global tour starts on 28th February. The UK round will be staged in Cardiff, the capital of Wales, between the 24th and 27th August 2012. In a three-year deal, Cardiff won the bid to host the UK event of this global sailing circuit that is only one of four events with ISAF (International Sailing Federation) Special Event status, positioning the city alongside the other seven premium international sporting venues hosting an Extreme Sailing Series Act in 2012. The host venue agreement with Cardiff City is backed by a Welsh Government grant for 2012-2014. The Extreme 40 catamarans, raced by many of the world’s best sailors, will race on Cardiff Bay over four days with the event open to the public between the 25th and 27th August as the Extreme 40 fleet race in the circuit’s action packed ‘stadium’ format. Executive chairman of the organising company behind the series, Mark Turner of OC ThirdPole, said: 'The circuit continues to represent perfectly the developments in the world at large, with its balance of east and west, different cultures and languages and variety of conditions. 'Year on year the commercial value to the host cities of securing this event for the host venues has steadily increased, and this is reflected in 2012 developments. A pro-active and innovative host venue is critical to the success of the event, and we are very excited in this respect by the partnership with Cardiff and the Welsh Government.' Cardiff Council’s Executive Member for Sport, Culture and Leisure Cllr, Nigel Howells commented: 'It’s great news that Cardiff has secured the Extreme Sailing series for the next three years, as a council we will do all that we can to support the event. 'Cardiff has proved time and time again that it can play host to a variety of world class sporting events. From top class football and rugby to newer events like Extreme Sailing. Since the opening of Cardiff International White Water (CIWW) in 2010 more and more watersport events are coming to Cardiff, which is helping to attract a new audience to Cardiff and Wales.'

Brain Injury Survivors Win Sailing Races

A team of local men had the best times in all three sailing races in their division to win the 2011 U.S. Disabled Championships in the Ideal 18 class on Long Island Sound earlier this fall. Dr. Ted King, 65, of Brentwood, and Atkinson native Jim Scott, 29, of Portsmouth, are both brain injury survivors who met at the Krempels Center, a nonprofit organization in Portsmouth dedicated to improving the lives of people with brain injury from trauma, tumor or stroke. The two competed at, and topped the field of the U.S. Disabled Championships at the Larchmont Yacht Club on Long Island Sound in the Ideal 18 class from Sept. 22 to 25 along with King’s friend Bill Sandberg. Sandberg served as the required able bodied sailor who was on hand to take over in case of emergency. King, an orthopaedic and hand surgeon, practiced at the Exeter Hospital and later Access Sports Medicine, with Dr. Kenneth C. Spengler, Robert H. Bear, and later Joshua A. Siegel from his arrival to the area in 1978, until he experienced a stroke at home in March of 2003. The right cerebral stroke left his left side hemiplegic, numb, weak and spastic. King was an accomplished sailboat racer in his youth, topping the field in a regional junior sailing championship and ultimately placing fifth in a national championship. After his stroke, King tried sailing again through an adaptive sailing program at Piers Park Sailing Center in East Boston. From there, he began working toward the U.S. Disabled Championships in sailing. He approached Scott and asked the former standout high school and college athlete if he would like to take part in the Robie Pierce Regatta in June of 2010. “I wanted to encourage him in his life,” King said. Scott, who sustained a traumatic brain injury five years ago as the result of a drunk driving accident, was nervous about the proposition at first. He had never sailed before his accident and was not sure he was up for the challenge. However, after a conversation with Sandberg, he decided to give it a try. “It is natural when you face new challenges to feel like you cannot accomplish something, but you cannot let that limit you,” Scott said. “You do not know what you can achieve unless you give it a shot.” The pair placed fourth at that first competition and continued to hone their skills as a team leading up to the championships this fall. “It was exciting when we won the first race,” Scott said. “It was a real sense of accomplishment and teamwork, of being part of a team.” Scott is looking forward to future sailing outings with King and is currently working on obtaining his master’s degree in social work at the University of New Hampshire. He also travels to schools to talk with students about his experience as a traumatic brain injury survivor. For King, sailing is one of a number of activities he took part in before his stroke that he has since re-learned such as riding a bike and downhill skiing. Another, driving a car and getting his driver’s license, was made possible through his participation in the DriveAbility program in Exeter. He credits his family’s quick phone call to 911 and early treatment at Exeter Hospital’s emergency department with his remarkable recovery. The team at Exeter Hospital was able to administer a life-saving clot-busting drug called TPA within three hours of the stroke’s onset. “Miraculously, within five minutes of that injection, I regained some motion of my previously numb left arm and leg,” said King who added that education about stroke symptoms is key to successful outcomes. “Symptoms include sudden weakness, numbness, dizziness, confusion, difficulty speaking or understanding speech, and extreme unexplained headache, and/or vision change. Time is a paramount factor if any of these are the early symptoms of a stroke. The life you save might be your own, or that of a loved one.”