Grantham’s Val battles to fourth in ‘Beastie’

Grantham sailor Val Millward was back on the water in the Exmoor Beastie event held at Wimbleball Lake in Somerset last weekend. The three-hour pursuit race was held in sunny conditions with a strong wind that was forecast to increase. As the slowest boat entered, Val and her ‘Red Jester’ Challenger 257 set off first, chased by the faster classes according to their relative speeds. It looked as though Val could be in with a shout as her Challenger led the 41-strong field for two-and-a-half hours and four laps of the lake. But then the wind began to drop and she was overtaken by a K1, followed by a Phantom, and then a Contender. Val said the race officer’s forecast that the wind would increase during the afternoon and unfortunately not come to pass. She said: “Alas, the wind is a fickle thing. Fourth was a good performance when you know you are passed by exceptionally sailors. “Perhaps the wind will be better for the Challenger next year.”

Burton Sailing Club bids to build on boom year

Burton Sailing Club may have celebrated their most successful year ever in 2013. But the Foremark Reservoir club is refusing to rest on its laurels as it bids to get even more local people out on the water in another record-breaking effort this year. The local community, including schools, Sea Scouts, Cubs and Scout troops, plus many families and Loughborough University students, contributed to three times as many people learning to sail at Burton SC last year compared to 2012. The club's success was thanks in part to the opening of its new training centre, as well as efforts to foster innovative and mutually beneficial relationships with local authorities and community groups to make sailing as accessible as possible for all. Work has continued over the winter to help the club build on the impetus of its boom year, with Burton Sea Cadets and Pingle and William Allitt schools set to engage in the club's RYA OnBoard grassroots programme, while favourites such as Pink Sailing Ladies' Nights and its Youth Academy continue to flourish. On Bank Holiday Monday 26 May, Burton SC is offering you and your family the chance to try sailing for FREE, as the club hosts an all-comers welcome Open Day. And on 21 September, Burton will bid to get as many people out on the water as possible as part of 'Bart's Bash', a global attempt to set a new Guinness World Record for 'The Largest Sailing Event in the World'. This is organised by the Andrew Simpson Sailing Foundation in memory of the much-loved Olympic champion sailor, Andrew 'Bart' Simpson, who lost his life in a training accident last May. If you already want to learn to sail this year, and get involved in a fantastic, social outdoor sport where everyday life really does get left on the shore, Burton's next adult (12 and over) RYA Start Sailing course starts on Saturday 31 April, with the first of three Youth courses (8 and over) starting from Monday 26 May. Keith Pallett, Burton SC Training Principal, said: "2014 has even more to offer with a massive calendar of training and coaching, which means we have something happening on the water every evening of the week throughout the season, with only three afternoon sessions free! We're already looking forward to welcoming the new groups and individuals that come sailing with us, and having lots of fun with them. "It's our aim for absolutely anyone to be able to learn to sail and regularly go sailing. We do this by creating low cost options, having boats people can use to practice, and creating an inclusive, welcoming atmosphere." As well as club-based activities, Burton sailors ventured further afield last year too, with club-organised yachting trips in the Solent and English Channel to really give members something new to enjoy and get their teeth in to. Keith added: "2013 was simply the best I can remember in many years. The effort and hard work of all those people who were responsible isn't forgotten and the club is reaping the benefits as it continues to go from strength to strength." Burton SC is a recognised RYA Training Centre meaning it conforms to the highest standards of quality and safety. RYA Start Sailing introduces people to the basics and gives them the best first experience in the sport, while also providing opportunities for them to then stay involved and keep improving their skills at friendly, welcoming sailing clubs. For full details of everything going on at Burton SC this year, and how you can get involved, visit www.burtonsailingclub.co.uk

500th club signs up to Andrew Simpson race

The Andrew Simpson Sailing Foundation announced on Monday that more than 500 clubs have now signed up to their race in memory of the Olympic sailor. Organisers of Bart's Bash are attempting to set the Guinness World Record for the largest sailing event in the world. The Point Yacht Club in Durban, South Africa, was the 500th club to sign up. The event will see hundreds of sailing clubs host simultaneous races later this year on 21 September. Trustee Sir Ben Ainslie said: "The 500th club announcement is a significant milestone as we continue to work on the preparations for this colossal event. "Andrew was a true inspiration for those who knew him and those who competed against him; we hope a touch of that magic is reflected in Bart's Bash, inspiring all sailors across the globe." 36-year-old Simpson lost his life during training for last year's America's Cup in San Francisco.

Round the World at 75, Sir Robin Knox-Johnston is set to sail solo again

Sir Robin Knox-Johnston is to attempt to sail solo across the Atlantic 45 years after he became the first man to sail alone non-stop around the world. Sir Robin, who founded the Clipper Round the World Yacht Race, is to return to his solo ocean-racing roots by entering his Open 60 yacht Grey Power into the Route de Rhum Transatlantic race. The pensioner, who is the oldest participant to have entered so far, last competed in the 3,500-mile race in 1982 in his 70ft catamaran Olympus. He said: ''Participating in the 2013 Rolex Sydney to Hobart Race reminded me how much I enjoy the excitement of an ocean race. ''Solo sailing is where I feel most at home, no one else can benefit you or let you down, it is all in my hands. The Route de Rhum is one of the classics - it is a very well-run race.'' The grandfather of five set his circumnavigation record when he completed the Sunday Times Golden Globe Race on April 22, 1969. The other seven competitors dropped out at various stages leaving Sir Robin as the victor as he sailed into Falmouth aboard his 32ft boat Suhaili, 312 days after he left the Cornish port. For his latest challenge, Sir Robin will compete in the 10th anniversary edition of the Route de Rhum race which starts in St Malo, France, on November 2, and finishes at the Caribbean island of Guadeloupe. In 2006 Sir Robin Knox-Johnston set off on board his yacht Saga Insurance from Getxo, northern Spain to start the single-handed around-the world Velux 5 Oceans race (AP) Sir Robin dismissed questions about his age and said he was not coming out of retirement to take part as he had never actually retired from racing. "I just feel like it, why shouldn't one, there's this attitude I find that once you have passed the retirement age of 65 the next day your brain turns to porridge and you have a heart attack every time you come up the stairs, it doesn't happen like that," he said. "If you keep active and keep fit, you keep active and fit, it's as simple as that. "I lead quite an active life which I enjoy, I wouldn't want my life any other way and I have a very low threshold of boredom hence when I get bored I think of something to do and then I spend the next year regretting I thought of it. "Age is just a measure, it's not a measure of your physical ability, that varies between human beings. "I could drop dead tomorrow or I might last another 30 years, who knows, in the meantime I'm going to get on and enjoy the life I have got." He also insisted that he will not be using one of the most modern boats, as he "does not have a spare £5 million", and will be using his Open 60 Yacht Grey Power. Sir Robin Knox-Johnston's sailing career He said he decided to take part in the Route de Rhum after the Sydney-Hobart race made him realise he missed racing. He also added that it's "getting a bit cold in England at that time of year and rather warmer in Guadeloupe" - where the race finishes. The inaugural race in 1978 was won by Canadian Mike Birch after a nail-biting finish but was marred by the disappearance of French sailor Alain Colas, who was lost at sea. The 2014 race is open to mono and multihull boats across four classes with almost 80 entrants. Sir Robin will be racing in the Rhum class and will start serious practice once the Clipper Round the World Yacht Race finishes in July. Sir Robin, of Portsmouth in Hampshire, is the chairman and founder of Clipper Ventures which runs the Clipper Round the World Yacht Race, the biennial event which sees amateur sailors from around the world completing a 40,000-mile global circumnavigation. Some pay up to £30,000 to take part in the race while others are sponsored. In 2006 he became the oldest yachtsman to complete a round the world solo voyage at the age of 67. And in 2013 navigated on one of two Clipper 68 yachts competing in the Sydney Hobart Yacht Race. Last year Sir Robin said the country had forgotten about sailing amid becoming obsessed with football and cricket.

More disabled people can now have a go at sailing on Carsington Water.

A SAILING school near Ashbourne has received a cash boost to encourage more disabled people to try the sport. Carsington Sailability, at Carsington Water, received the £10,000 grant award from Sport England to invest in new equipment. The money will be used to buy a hoist for transferring disabled sailors into and out of boats and a specially designed Access 303 dinghy. Malcolm Torry, of Carsington Sailability, said: "This award will support the club's push to get more disabled people taking part in sailing. There is a demand for sport among the disabled community in the area and the new equipment will enable us to make more sailing opportunities available through the season. "Having a second hoist will make transfers to and from wheelchairs quicker, enabling more sailors to get on the water. The new 303 Access Dinghy will provide two additional places per sailing session for people taking part in our programme, and increase the opportunities for Sailability members to sail more often." Lisa O'Keefe, of Sport England, said: "We know many organisations and clubs delivering sport struggle to provide sporting opportunities for disabled people because of a lack of access to specialist equipment. "We are delighted to award these vital funds to Carsington Sailability, which will play a transformative role in opening up sport to many people who previously found it inaccessible." Neil Wilkinson, RYA sailability regional organiser for the East Midlands, said: "Sailing is all about what people can do, not what they can't. It is a truly inclusive sport where people of all abilities can sail recreationally and compete on a level playing field. "There is a freedom found on the water that people often can't find in their everyday lives and this new equipment will open up even more doors to sailing in the region for people with disabilities." To celebrate the grant, Carsington Sailability is holding its annual open and fun day for families and children on Saturday, July 19, from 11am until 4pm. The pirate-themed event includes competitions and sideshows with proceeds going towards Sailability funds. Carsington Sailability is a recognised RYA training centre conforming to the highest standards of quality and safety. The award is part of Sport England's Get Equipped fund, which aims to build on the success of the London 2012 Paralympic Games. £1 million of National Lottery cash is being distributed to organisations across England so they can buy specialist equipment to encourage more disabled people to take part in sport.

Lucas bags fab four in Palma Bay

Paralympic champion medallist Helena Lucas remains unbeaten from four races so far in the 2.4mR fleet after a long and challenging second day of racing at the ISAF Sailing World Cup Mallorca. The London 2012 gold medallist won both her races for the second day running at this Princess Sofia Trophy, with British Sailing Team crews in the Olympic Classes also faring well in the light wind, testing conditions across Palma Bay. Lucas tops the 2.4mR standings with Portland team-mate Megan Pascoe in third overall after four races in the one-person Paralympic event, while six GBR crews are poised inside the top three spots at the end of the two-day opening series. Britain’s 49erFX crews had an impressive day, with Charlotte Dobson and Sophie Ainsworth and Frances Peters/Nicola Groves picking up mirrored scorelines of a second and a third apiece from their two races, with both pairs remarking on the huge progress the fleet has made in the new class since their first World Cup regatta at this venue a year ago. Weymouth’s Dobson and Ain-sworth are in fourth place overall at the end of this third day of racing, and were pleased with their showing on the racecourse today. “We managed to come out of a real snakes and ladders day really well, so we’re really happy with that,” said Dobson of their racing. “We sat around on shore for hours watching the fight between the sea breeze and the gradient, and the gradient eventually won out. “We ended up having two snakes and ladders-type races in 8-11 knots so it ended up being quite a nice day of yachting when it didn’t look like it was going to be at 10 o’clock. “We’re really happy that we managed to stick it all together yesterday.” In the men’s 49er event, British crews impressed on the water after a long delay on shore. Three different British crews picked up race wins, and five British crews end the second day in the top 10 spots. Stevie Morrison and Chris Grube are second overall, Dave Evans/Ed Powys are third, Nic Asher/Fynn Sterritt fifth and Dylan Fletcher/Alain Sign are in sixth, with the European champions managing to win their first race of the day in spite of breaking a board and a pole before the race. The Finn fleet had the longest day on the water, being the first the leave the shore for a three-race, seven-hour stint afloat. Portland’s Giles Scott advanced to fourth overall amid the shifty conditions on the Finn course, admitting it was a ‘super tricky day’. The new 470 men’s pairing of Luke Patience, from Portland, and Elliot Willis picked up their first World Cup race win to end their day on a high and move them into second overall. Bryony Shaw is poised third in the RS:X Women’s windsurfing event, with Weymouth’s Nick Dempsey ninth after five events in the men’s event. An increase in wind speeds is expected to provide a new challenge for the first day of finals series racing today. Racing at the Princess Sofia Trophy continues today, with the final medal races scheduled for Saturday.

Jump out of the sky & raise money for the RNLI

Jump out of the sky & raise money for the RNLI! On 14 June we're attempting to break a world record; to complete the most charity tandem skydives in one day. We have events at four different locations, sign up now and do something amazing to help save lives at sea:

Chippenham Sailing and Canoeing Club to clean up with grant

Chippenham Sailing and Canoeing Club hopes to get improved hygiene facilities in a £107,000 refurbishment. A £20,000 grant from this month’s Chippenham Area Board has helped the club, in Long Close, on its way to getting three separate units for male, female and disabled use, each including a toilet, shower and changing room. Coach Julia Mannering said: “We don’t have any showers at the moment and just one unisex toilet in a shed. Most of the men just get changed behind their cars in the car park. It will be brilliant to have these facilities.” Plans also include a water treatment plant to replace the current cesspit by the river. Mrs Mannering said: “It’s a lot more green, it will clean the water from the hygiene units and discharge clean water into the river, rather than having nasty effluents sitting there in a big tank and waiting for a lorry to take it to Trowbridge.” The normal maximum grant from the area board is £5,000, but members made an exception as officers believe the facility to be “very special”. The club has also applied for grants from Chippenham Town Council, the Borough Lands charity and Sport England. It has just been awarded £1,800 of National Lottery funding from Sport England’s flood relief fund to repair jetty and waterside railings that were badly damaged in the floods and storms over the last few months. Mrs Mannering said: “We are delighted that Sport England has awarded this funding to us which will allow us to repair our jetty and water access to make it safe before our summer season starts in April.”

Hollowell Sailing Club earns £10,000 from Sport England to promote dinghy sailing

A sailing club in Northamptonshire has been given a £10,000 grant from Sport England. The grant, awarded to Hollowell Sailing Club, to help buy a Wayfarer, a Hartley 12/2 and training equipment to increase the number of places available on courses in dinghy sailing. The club’s commodore, Nicola Wilkinson, said the grant was great news for the club. “We were inspired by the Royal Yachting Association’s winter workshops which introduced a ‘Jigsaw’ idea showing how all the activities of our club fit together and help people get involved.” Chris Heaton-Harris, MP for Daventry District, and Lisa White, chairman of the Hollowell Village Pocket Park Committee, visited the club last year and acknowledged the efforts being made by club members to create a healthy lifestyle by writing to Sport England to support the application. Nicola added: “We aim to attract newcomers to sailing by delivering new courses in 2014 helping people to get out on the water and give it a go. A full programme of informal sailing and competitive racing combined with enjoyable social activities for all ages make all the difference in whether people choose to keep on doing the sport.” According to the Sport England Active People Survey, 57 per cent of adult residents in the District of Daventry would like to start or do more sport and over 13 per cent of these would like to do an outdoor activity. A spokesman for the club added: “Hollowell Sailing Club aims to open up more opportunities that will attract new people to the sport showing them how to increase skills and knowledge, become more involved in a beautiful natural setting and build regular activity into their lives.”

Disabled Sailing At Carsington Gets Grant Boost

Disability sailing in Derbyshire has received a welcome boost after Carsington Sailability, based at Carsington Sailing Club at Carsington Water, received a £10,000 grant award from Sport England to invest in new equipment. The money will be used to purchase a hoist for transferring disabled sailors into and out of boats and a specially designed Access 303 dinghy, which will open up more opportunities for disabled people in Derbyshire to try sailing for the first time. Malcolm Torry BEM, of Carsington Sailability, said: "This award will support the club's push to get more disabled people taking part in sailing. There is a demand for sport amongst the disabled community in Derbyshire and the new equipment will enable us to make more sailing opportunities available through the season. "Having a second hoist will make transfers to and from wheelchairs quicker, enabling more sailors to get on the water. The new 303 Access Dinghy will provide two additional places per sailing session for people taking part in our programme, thereby increasing the opportunities for Sailability members to sail more often." Lisa O'Keefe, Sport England's Director of Insight, said: "We know many organisations and clubs delivering sport struggle to provide sporting opportunities for disabled people because of a lack of access to specialist equipment. We are delighted to award these vital funds to Carsington Sailability, which will play a transformative role in opening up sport to many people who previously found it inaccessible." Neil Wilkinson, RYA Sailability Regional Organiser for the East Midlands, added: "Sailing is all about what people can do not what they can't. It is a truly inclusive sport where people of all abilities can sail recreationally and compete on a level playing field. There is a freedom found on the water that people often can't find in their everyday lives and this new equipment will open up even more doors to sailing in the East Midlands for people with disabilities." To celebrate the grant, Carsington Sailability hosts its annual Open and Fun Day for families and children on Saturday 19 July (11am-4pm). The Pirate-themed day includes competitions and sideshows with proceeds going towards Sailability funds. Carsington Sailability is a recognised RYA Training Centre, meaning it conforms to the highest standards of quality and safety. The award is part of Sport England's 'Get Equipped' fund, which was designed to build on the success of the London 2012 Paralympic Games. £1m of National Lottery funding is being distributed to organisations across England to allow them to provide specialist equipment which will help make sport a practical choice for many more disabled people inspired by the Games. In December, Sport England's Active People Survey - an annual, in-depth measure of the nation's sporting habits – revealed a record number of disabled people in England now play sport each week. The number of disabled people aged 16 and over playing sport once a week has increased by 62,000 over the last year, bringing the total number to its highest recorded figure of 1.67m, 351,000 more than in 2005 when London won the bid to host the Games. But, non-disabled people are still twice as likely to play sport as disabled people - 39.2% to 18.5% - which is why Sport England continues to focus attention and investment to address this imbalance. For more information on how you can get involved in sailing at Carsington Sailability this year visit www.carsingtonsailingclub.co.uk/sailing/sailability

Rum and chocolate ship heads for Falmouth under sail

The first of what may become a new breed of commercial sailing ships will blow into a Cornish port next month laden with rum and chocolate. Like the Packet post ships of old, Tres Hombres is due to tie up at Falmouth on April 15 as part of a mission to promote a greener form of transporting goods by sea. Tres Hombres is the world’s only transatlantic, engine-less cargo vessel and is currently making her fifth journey from Europe to the Caribbean and back. Owned and operated by Fair Transport Shipping, the schooner-brig is leading the way towards reviving an industry in shipping goods under sail. Crewman Biz Bliss said: “There is an enormous sense of achievement that we are doing something unique and special by sailing without an engine and proving that it is still possible. It feels amazing to sail into harbour, all hands on deck, as we drop the sails fast and drop the anchor. When arriving and leaving ports under sail, with everyone working smoothly as a team in a heightened and stressful situation, the incredible skill of the captain and mates becomes apparent. These moments are always followed by a celebratory shot of Tres Hombres rum.” Setting sail from Holland in October, the emission-free ship called at ports in Norway, France, Portugal and the Canaries on her way to Brazil and the Caribbean – returning via Bermuda, the Azores and Falmouth before heading to her home port in The Netherlands. Carrying rum, cocoa, coffee, molasses, wine and chocolate bars, the voyage will feature in a BBC documentary. Working with New Dawn Traders, a Bristol-based initiative aiming to revive the UK’s sail cargo industry, Fair Transport Shipping is researching new trade opportunities in a number of countries. On the current voyage Tres Hombres picked up Norwegian stockfisk, Portuguese olive oil and Amazonian nut oils and butters. A barrel of rum will be unloaded in Falmouth for bottling. In its continuing campaign to encourage exporters to consider shipping their goods by sail, New Dawn Traders have organised a programme of events on shore in Falmouth, including a civic reception with the town mayor, chocolate workshops at the Eden Project and a film screening at The Poly. Tres Hombres and New Dawn Traders’ shared mission is to gradually create an emission-free fleet of sailing cargo vessels as part of the global challenge of removing fossil fuels from international supply chains. Summing up the ethos of the venture, joint owner Arjen van der Veen said: “How sustainable is a product if it is not also transported in a sustainable emission-free way?” Depending on sea conditions, the ship will be berthed at Falmouth from April 15 to 21.

£8m National Sailing Centre Underway in Pwllheli, North Wales

The main contractor for the new £8.3m National Sailing Academy and Event Centre has been appointed in Pwllheli, North Wales. The substantial dredging works has already started and the new dedicated visitor and event pontoons will be completed by June and be available for the IRC Welsh Championships in August just after the Dun Laoghaire to Pwllheli ISORA feeder race. The organisers, including ISORA Champion, Stephen Tudor, is keen to attract as many boats across the Irish Sea as possible. The IRC National Championship is an open event and will use the facilities of the Welsh National Sailing Academy and Event Centre and will draw on the skill and experience of the Academy's event team who regularly run World and European Championships. This work says Tudor will enhance and extend the events capacity in Pwllheli and will improve access to the world renowned sailing waters of Cardigan Bay with the provision of new dedicated visitor and events berths with cranes located adjacent to the marina.

Truro estate agent sponsors local Olympic sailing hopefuls

Savills Truro office has stepped up to sponsorlocal Olympic Games sailing hopefuls Tom Phipps and Zennor Pascoe. Tom and Zennor, who are both from Falmouth, are on a campaign to represent the UK at the 2016 Rio Olympics in the mixed multihull sailing discipline. They will be sailing a boat called the Nacra 17 which will make its Olympic debut in the 2016 Games. Last week saw Team Phipps Pascoe complete their first training regatta in Palma where they finished a very promising seventh overall out of 30. The pair will have to compete in various regattas on the Olympic Classes Circuit over the next three years. In order to secure selection for 2016, Tom and Zennor need to perform consistently as the best British team, as only one team from each nation will ultimately go to the Games. Jonathan Cunliffe of Savills Truro office, a keen sailor, said: “Over the years I have seen Tom develop into a world class sailor, under the tutelage of his champion father and catamaran supremo Brian Phipps. I have also known Zennor for a long time and seen her amass an impressive sailing CV that, while very different, is complimentary to Tom's own sailing background. “Though Team Phipps Pascoe are a Cornish team, they are talented and driven athletes and have a really strong chance of being selected to represent Team GB at Rio 2016. This would be a fantastic achievement, and we are delighted to help make that ambition a reality.” Healey’s Cyder is also sponsoring Tom and Zennor’s 2014 campaign.