Youth Sailors Brace For Heavy Winds
The wet and windy forecast is doing little to dampen the spirits of the Sandys Boat Club (SBC) as they get ready to host the 2011 Bermuda Open and National Championships this weekend along with the Bermuda Optimist Dinghy Association (BODA).
78 young sailors will be based at the west end club for three days starting this Friday. Regatta Chairman Martin Siese is excited to showcase the hospitality and beauty surrounding the Mangrove Bay club along with the race management expertise of their home grown race chairs, SBC members Peter Bromby and Lisa Siese.
Photo of last year’s action by Somers Cooper:
“We expect to have some challenges with the weather on Friday but overall the weekend should provide us with great sailing conditions” said Siese.
“The effects of Tropical Storm Sean could see us experiencing southerly winds in excess of 30 knots which if correct, may force us to postpone Friday morning’s racing until calmer conditions prevail,”
Siese added. The SBC regatta committee has already changed the location of the novice Green Fleet course to Hamilton Harbour to allow for a more protected setting. The Championship fleet is scheduled to race in the Great Sound.
The Sandy’s Boat Club is hosting their first truly international event in their club’s seventy-four year history. 38 sailors from the Dominican Republic, USA, Canada and Europe will be joining the local sailors creating a record fleet of 78 competitors. 2010 Bermuda National Champion Sam Stan will not be defending his title this year, opening the door for the likes of local sailing aces Antonio Bailey, Rory Caslin, Chase Cooper, Makai Joell or Ceci Wollmann to lift the trophy. Sponsors for this year’s event include Bermuda Container Line, Bermuda Department of Tourism, PriceWaterhouseCoopers, Salt Rock Grill and McLaughlin Boat Works.
For more information visit the SBC website or the event blog.
When the weather gets tough, the tough go sailing. Quit is not in these kids vocabulary. Never let the weather win.