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Santa Irene Club de Vela Newsletter - 10th January 2007
The start of the new year and here I am with my bosom pals, Pat and John in Benidorm sitting in their apartment overlooking the Playa Poniente and watching the sunrise. Benidorm Sailing Club is just 10 minutes walk away and I can see if the dingies are being rigged. On Saturday I was with them as they prepared the Oppies, 420´s Lasers etc. to go race training. The open meeting for the Optimists will be on 13th & 14th January – they are expecting 130, what a sight that will be. Then another regatta on 20th & 21st February, the 420´s, Lasers and Hobie Cats.
I must say, I´m very envious of the situation and facilities that the Sailing Club has here. On New Years Eve we visited the Vilajoyosa Club and enjoyed their hospitality and with warm sunshine and a light sailing breeze, who could ask for more. On New Years Day we repeated the experience, but this time at the Altea Sailing Club. The cruisers from the club have a 200 mile race early in the year. They go off shore to round the “Island of Ibiza” and back. There will be a DVD of the race – I hope to get one.
Now closer to home. In an effort to improve our situation and expand the club, we have been talking to the Garrucha Port Authority. We hope in the future to establish a dinghy park, have better launching facilities etc. and to integrate more with the marine environment of Garrucha.
Sailing should be big news this year in Spain with the Americas Cup in Valencia, Ellen Macarthur´s new Round the World race staring from Barcelona, the training camps being set up for the 2008 olympic sailors and lots more.
Now what´s this news I hear? Peter and Jim our Hobie sailors off on the “Road to Morocco” like Bing and Bob but without Dorothy Lamour. They are Driver and Co Driver in a rally starting in London and Budapest, meeting up in Murcia, crossing over to Morocco from Almeria, then down through Africa to Bamako.
They are taking what goods they can for the local villagers. If you have any small items you would like to send down there – perhaps unwanted xmas pressies etc, pass them onto Peter or Jim – Jims telephone number is 950 528 719. They will be on their way on the 15th of January.
Now back to sailing. Team GBR and the Olympic classes, they have had the best year ever, a record medal haul last year. They won 12 medals at World and Europeans and 8 medals in the seven classes at the pre-olympics. We hope for these results in 2008 but it´s not easy to stay in front for that length of time.
The classes are the 470, 49er, Finn, Star, Yngling, Laser, Laser Radial for the girls and the Tornado Catamaran.
I´ll be on my way home on Thursday 4th to be ready to start a new year of sailing on Sunday 7th from the Playa and slipway of Garrucha.
Have I enjoyed my Benidorm trip? I always do with lots of laughter which means lots of love.
Let´s look to the new year with joy, hope and love.
See you on the playa, or give me a call, if I don’t call you!
Take care
John Talliss
Tel : 950 475 157
Movil: 658 548 790
E-mail John@Sailrway.com
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