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Santa Irene Club de Vela Newsletter - 6th September 2007
“The Greatest Show on Earth” – Cowes week where 8500 competitors enjoyed a week of sunshine after one of the worst summers on record. Ok, so the winds were a little light towards the end of the week, but that’s good for the light weather sailors. Tell me ! what other sport could match 8500 competitors ? I guess there could have been about 50 classes – boats dating back to 1934 like the clinker built “Victory” to the modern day “Open 60s” and “Extreme 40” Catamarans that have no problem doing 20 knots. It´s a great spectator sport too with most of the action taking place in the Solent – 30 years ago I used to sail my “Southerly 28” from Cobbs Quay, Poole over to East Cowes marina for the week and soak up the atmosphere. Which was the largest class with 98 entries ? The Laser SB3 sports boat, there was some intense competition with Glenn Burke´s “Musto” 1st European and National champion Geoff Corveth 2nd, Colin Simonds 3rd.
Where were my girls in “Team Maclaren” – I need to find out.
At the end of the week there was good news for the Ellen Macarthur Trust Fund £107,695 had been raised to help young people aged 8 – 18 who are recovering from Leukaemia, Cancer and other serious illness. “These children battle against something harder than many of us could ever imagine and they do it with the biggest smiles on their faces “ says Ellen.
I´ve had a call from Martin who used to sail with us a few years ago, until his house was built near Baza. He now sails on the Embalse Negratin (reservoir), Baza and has bought a B14. I hope one day soon we can visit him, the B14 is a two man skiff with asymmetric spinnaker and fast-very fast. Another call I´ve had a young family man who wants to introduce sailing to his family, in dinghies not catamarans. I think we could guarantee the sun but I´m not sure about the wind and sea conditions, we either get too much wind or not enough in the summer months. Generally I think the winter months are more settled –
what do you think ?
I´ve just been reading of a “Paralympic Dream” it’s a new 20ft keelboat – the Artemis 20. It´s a boat Hilary Lister may use in her bid to sail around the U.K next year. Oh ! remember that name Hilary Lister was the first quadriplegic to sail solo across the English Channel, she says the introduction to sailing saved her life and she means it. A fantastic lady. If you want to know more about the Artemis 20 look at the website www.vizmarine.com
Why would I mention “Abersoch dinghy week” because Rebecca Greaves, 8 years old, was racing her Optimist, there, perhaps you should remember her name.
I hope to visit Mar Menor next week to meet up with friends sailing in the Spanish National Catamaran Championships – I´ll be telling you all about it, in the meantime look at our website or come and have a chat, Sunday mornings on the slipway Garrucha, or the Playa del Cantal, opposite Mr U.K or phone me.
Always nice to hear from you.
Take Care
John Talliss
Tel : 950 475 157
Movil: 658 548 790
E-mail John@Sailrway.com
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