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Santa Irene Club de Vela Newsletter - 13th September 2006
Hola! Here I am on the eve of my departure from the UK sitting in Nell’s 3rd Floor apartment overlooking the Hagley Road, Halesowen – watching the world go by. The weather is a mixture of sun and cloud, temperature in the 20’s, so I guess the natives are happy with it.
Since my trip to Ireland, I’ve spent several days visiting the local sailing club which is Bartley S C in Birmingham, only 25mins away from me on the local bus. What a mixture of dinghies they race there. Solo’s, Supernovas, Lasers, the RS range and the old Mirror’s. It’s the first time I’ve seen an International Moth sailing on it’s foils in a good breeze – I don’t think its for me.
On the 27th August, I was off to stay with my good friends Ann and Robin, down in Ringwood, Hampshire. From there I could visit Christchurch, Poole, Weymouth and Portland. Yes that’s the venue for the sailing element of the Olympic Games in August 2012 and the Paralympic Games September 2012.
The Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy is a “not for profit” organisation, it has all the facilities to promote sailing for all, which includes the Olympic sailors. Remember it’s less than two years to the next Olympics in 2008 in China. The WPNSA will be playing its part in helping the GB Team prepare for the sailing at the Beijing Games. It will be at Qingdao, 550miles from Beijing, on the east coast that will host the sailing events. So we will be hearing a lot about Qingdao in the near future, it has a population of seven million. Its one of China’s most important ports and textile centres. The budget for the Olympic sailing facilities is a staggering 175 million pounds!
Now ! what a trip that would be, are there any cheap flights to China, perhaps we should try and twin ourselves with a sailing club over there. Put a few feelers out, next time you go for Chinese, or we could go “on a slow boat to China” was it Bing that sang that?
59 years ago, I was accommodated on HMS Victorious, we were in Portland and were racing 27ft Whalers, In 2012 the competitors in the games will be accommodated on a cruise liner berthed in Portland – I hope they enjoy it as much as I did.
On the 6th September I’ll be on my way back to Plymouth, my home port, with my good pals – Pat and John, we’ll be boarding the ferry to Santander. I think I better apologise to Joan and Kevin, members of our club who live in Plymouth, I was hoping to meet up with them, but there will be no time to spare. They will read this, because it goes on our website, thanks to Robin.
I have just learned that the Spanish Olympic Team will be training at the Prince Filipe High Performance Sailing Centre in Santander, they have a budget of 24 million Euros. All we need is a club house, perhaps I should talk to the Prince – do you have his address?
I’ll be spending a few days in Benidorm, plenty of sailing Clubs to visit near there.
I’ll be back on the Playa, opposite Mr UK on
Sunday 17th September, look forward to seeing you, or give me a call.
Take care
John Talliss
Tel : 950 475 157
Movil: 658 548 790
E-mail John@Sailrway.com
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