10-Yr-Old Sailor Bests Bromby & White
On Wednesday [Aug.31] RBYC Sailing Coaches Tom Herbert-Evans and Paul Doughty crewed for 10 year old sailor Matilda Nicholls.
The RBYC Optimist sailor helmed the 26ft J80 Tiddlywink in RHADC’s Wednesday Night Racing Series.
Bermuda’s Olympic sailors Peter Bromby, Lee White and Glenn Astwood were all competing in the race with boats as large as Dr Sherwin’s Nasty Medicine and the J125 Crossfire to contend with.
The winds were light and variable which suited the youngster, she steered the boat home in a very fast time and finished the race in 1st place on handicap.
Peter Bromby came in 2nd in his Etchells Trumps and said after the race “I’ve not been beaten by a 9 year old since I was about 8 years old myself!”.
Tom Herbert-Evans, the Director of Sailing at RBYC said “The Junior sailors at RBYC have enjoyed a formidable summer of results, the very young age at which the likes of Campbell Patton, Benn Smith and Matilda Nicholls are achieving their successes suggests Bermuda will have some very exceptional results to follow in the next few years as these sailors continue to improve.”
“The climate and facilites for our sailors are world class, they provide the perfect platform for Bermudians to become International stars.”
RBYC Coach Paul Doughty added “Not only do we have 9 and 10 year olds already achieving outstanding results internationally, we also have a huge number of 6 – 8 year old kids coming through the RBYC sailing programme at the moment and showing tremendous potential. We currently have the siblings of big Bermuda sailing families begining the path of sailing success; including Walkers, Lewins and Coopers.”
The RBYC Sailing Courses for the Fall begins next week and is almost completely booked out following a hugely successful summer.
Mr Herbert-Evans said “We are taking on some additional Qualified Instructors to allow us to extend our offering to the Bermuda public, our aim is not to be the biggest, but to provide an excellent product to enable the sailors firstly to enjoy, but also succeed at learning to sail.”
BOptimist Coach Paul Doughty said “the re-energising of sailing at RBYC has been a thrill for me to be a part of, Bermuda’s kids from all backgrounds are learning and developing an activity that is healthy, positive and will benefit them in the long-term.”
“I have just returned from Nova Scotia, where we took 11 intermediate Optimist sailors to sample some International competition, we specifically chose this event as a wonderful regatta for the sailors to gain some experience without being put off by the cut and thrust of a more major International Regatta.”
“The Bermuda Sailing Association has this weekend organised the Amazing Armada and we at RBYC will be fully supporting them to try to break a Record for the most number of Optimists to partake in a follow-the-leader flotilla. This event on Sunday will be followed by the annual Fern Island Regatta.”
Mr Herbert-Evans continued, “These 2 events are a great way for the sailors to kick-start their Autumn sailing now that most people are back from their summer holidays and preparing to start school. RBYC is also hosting the Optimist Autumn Series sponsored by Hardy which starts on 11th September.”
“There is also the RHADC Autumn Optimist Championship on 25th September, in October there is the Junior Gold Cup sponsored by Rennaisance Re, which is then followed by the Bermuda Optimist National Championships in November hosted by Sandy’s Boat Club. It is a busy time ahead for the sailors and we are really looking forward to it.”
Wish I could afford for my great grandson to learn. Here is one of those areas were it looks like a race issue, but is really a financial ( and familial) thing. No-one in our family learned to sail and we don’t have boats, nor do we live by the water, or have a mooring. *sigh* the Great Divide
There should be a fund set up for those who cannot afford to send their children to sailing. I too, wanted to learn as a child, but my parents could not afford to send me. I am white. In any sport in life, one should not be held back by finances. Big Business Bermuda, I am sure you can step up to the plate on this one. Bermuda has got some talent.
There is… the RBYC has a waterwise program which enables young public school children to sail at a very little or no cost to you.
stop whining and make it happen……the first thing out of someone’s mouth is race……………………………………………………boogeyman die!
it is 2011….Bermuda public schools have sailing classes for crying out loud. furthermore who cares if the sailors are black or white…..every other Caribbean island is proud of their nationality and that is equal to but separate from the pride of their race.
Don’t think Pastor Syl was saying what you are saying, but rather implying that race is not the issue before someone made it the issue, which is exactly what you have done here.
c’mon sylvia there are several opportunities for kids to sail these days, not like it was when we grew up. check out colin clarke at east end mini yacht club. there are always a couple of comet skippers who need crew on any given sunday. when my boat is ready, I’ll give you a call (seriously)
Colin Clarke was one on my mentors , and I’m white ! !
Thanks for reminding me of what a great guy he is .
Please do give me a call @ Research. My grandson is 6 and I don’t know of a program at his school, but I will ask. I will also try to reach Colin Clarke.
@ everybody else: please read my post again> I said it was NOT a race issue, but a financial issue. What happens? People see the word ‘race’ and automatically assume someone is ‘using the race card?’
I said I couldn’t afford to send him, his mom definitely has more urgent demands on her budget and there is no one in his (or my) family who learned how to sail or could take him out in a boat.
@wondering – You really need to check yourself. Read first, understand second then you won’t have to jump!
Just proves yet again that Bermudians can make anything into a race issue. Pity the summer sailing has come to an end or you could come to RBYC any weekday and see quite a few black children in the class. They all play together and nobody acts up. They don;t even see the difference in colour thank God. Lats pray the next generation stays that way and doesn’t get all caught up in race.
One wonders if Pastor Syl even lives in Bermuda – where absolutely nobody is a mile away from the water. Make it happen Pastor Syl – stop f*cking moaning and do something.
@ say say say: I thought I made it clear it was a financial issue, not a race issue. Please read my post again.
I myself know several black (and other) children who sail. Now, it could be that I think the program is more expensive than it actually is, but even so, my budget is stretched to its limit, with no wiggle room at all. I would say the same probably applies to most if not all of my great grandson’s immediate family, some of whom have searched for work for months without success.
Sailing’s what ever you want it to be in your life. I grew up in a family that didn’t sail so I don’t miss or care for the sport. However on an island this small if you love sailing you don’t have to go far to find a boat or lessons. My uncle has sailing in his blood and has travelled all over the world taking young men and women to sailing regattas. He is by no means affluent or of a particular race but what he does have is passion for a sport and pastime that he has shared with generations of Bermudians and foreigners alike. When you decide to make obstacles stepping stones and just go enjoy YOUR life it may surprise you what opportunities come your way.
Perhaps some of that $11,000 per day that has been allocated by Government to the so called ‘national’ sports soccer & cricket should be allocated to sailing instead of the obvious effort to sink sailing. What is happening at Whites Island? The perfect sailing center location. Thousands, generations of kids got their introduction to sailing there. There was always a good representation of Bermuda demographics there. Perhaps that was the problem.
RBYC & RHADC have always been open to non members kids in their sailing programs.
Sailing has been around long before any other sport. Without sailing Bermuda would not be, period.
Oh & no, I am not a sailor.
I think that’s a heck of an accomplishment Matilda ! You must have left your crew’s heads spinning !
Maybe someone intimately familiar with the local sailing programme will see this and chime in with how it really works. I was recently down at the RBYC dock one morning and there was a load of black kids there , and they didn’t seem to come from any families of priviledge.
First and foremost , parents have to have the interest in their kids to see what they’d like to do and then follow through on the available avenues. No one goes around recruiting children off of the roadside and puts them in these things.