Youth Sailing Program

June 12, 2010 9:00 AM

June 13, 2010 7:00 PM

NATIONAL OPTIMIST & LASER SAILING CHAMPIONSHIP 12th & 13th June 2010

The National Optimist and Laser Sailing Championships were held this weekend, hosted by the St. Lucia Yacht Club. This was the 4^th annual Championship regatta and the biggest, most exciting yet!

This year’s new sailing class, Benjamin Optimist , had 8 young participants aged 6-10 who were new comers to the sport of sailing but raced well in perfect conditions on Saturday morning. The Optimist Class had 9 competitors aged 8-14 yrs who fought through variable conditions on the water on Saturday , including extreme winds of 23 knots, ( that ‘s white caps in the bay!) and heavy rain . They all showed great determination and perseverance and wonderful sailing skill which made for exciting races both on Saturday and Sunday. The laser classes had a record 10 competitors, the biggest fleet ever. Again, there was exciting competition in this class on both Saturday and Sunday.

The prize giving ceremony was attended by St. Lucia Olympic Committee President Mr. Richard Peterkin and regatta sponsors, including IGY Marina manager Adam Foster who publicly committed his support of the St. Lucia Youth Sailing programme and to providing sponsorship for 20 young people to join the SLYC sailing programme. Sponsorship will include sailing lesson fees and transportation to the sailing facility at the SLYC. Mr. Foster’s commitment to sailing was gratefully acknowledged by SLYC Commodore, Dr. Stephen King. In his address, Dr. King celebrated the sport of sailing and the opportunity this sport provides to young St. Lucians for the development of character, self esteem, self confidence, self discipline and self respect as well as respect for others including the sea. Congratulations were given to all sailors and prize winners as well as regatta organizers, especially coaches, Max Todd and Fredric Sweeney. The regatta committee and sailors thank the regatta sponsors: IGY Marina, Island Water World, Bryden & Partners, JE Bergasse & CO., Mr. Chris Renwick and Home Services Ltd.

St. Lucian sailors will be travelling over the summer months to compete at a North American and World level: Stephanie Devaux-Lovell, Luc Chevrier, Marcus Sweeney compete in the North American Optimist Championships in Kingston, Ontario, Canada at the end of this month; Jasia King will compete for her second time in the VOLVO Youth World Laser Championships in Istanbul, Turkey, in July; and Stephanie Lovell travels with the St. Lucia team to the Youth Olympic Games in Singapore in August. All are training intensely for these upcoming events and we wish them success.

REGATTA RESULTS:

BENJAMIN OPTIMIST CLASS

1^st – Danny Dillon

2 d – Amit Zevi

3d – Kai Wagstaff

OPTIMIST CLASS

1^ST – Stephanie Devaux-Lovell

2^nd – Marcus Sweeney

3d – Luc Chevrier

4.7 LASER CLASS

1^st – Stephanie Devaux- Lovell

2^nd- Raina Bergasse

3d – Marc Spurway

RADIAL LASER CLASS

1^st – Beth Lygoe

2^nd- Thomas Meixner

3d – Jasia King

History of the Youth Sailing Programme

The St. Lucia Yacht Club Youth Sailing Programme, now known as the “Kids’ Sailing Programme”, was started in 1995 by Dr. Michael Camps, at the suggestion and with the help of Robert Geoffroy. Over a period of ten years Dr. Camps, ably assisted by Dr. Brigitte Schuling, taught sailing to hundreds of young people in St. Lucia. In 2005, sadly, Dr. Camps had to retire through ill health.

Boats

Beginners learn the basics of sailing on the small, easy to handle, Optimists. Those with the ability and desire to do so go on to learn racing techniques.

St. Lucia has been represented at several international Optimist Championships over the years.

The older kids, with the necessary skills and strength, can progress to sailing and, thereafter, racing lasers.

The Present 2010

The St. Lucia Yacht club Junior Dinghy Sailing Programme started its new season in October.
The SLYC welcomed two instructors, one of them new to us, Callum McArdell from the U.K, fully qualified RYA instructor holding a senior instructor title at his young age of 20!

The other one a repeat offender, Benjamin Todd, well known to most of the membership, whose main job is to oversee and guide the beginners programme managed by Callum and to take our youth team to several regattas with the highlight being the Youth Olympic Games in Singapore in August 2010. St.Lucia has received a wild card for this event and Stephanie Lovell has been chosen to represent St.Lucia at these Games.
Alexandra Prowse is helping the two instructors with the Optimist kids training programme. She as well is a qualified instructor volunteering her time and effort.

Ben is keeping a competitive J24 Youth team on a tight leash which hopefully will compete with two boats in Bequia this April.

Our junior membership at the moment is 40 youths ranging in age from 7-18. Rodney Bay is a beautiful sight on Saturdays with all the white sails flitting across the water. The two beginner classes scheduled for Wednesday and Friday afternoons are full at the moment, but if there is demand we will offer a third beginner class on a weekday. If you are interested please contact Lily Bergasse.
Callum has a men’s training session on Wednesdays. Our sailing log book is at the bar at the Club and holds all information about what is going on with dinghy sailing. Check our bulletin board too.

We have embarked on a new sailing programme for the Gros Islet Grow Well programme which will go on for 5 weeks. These children from Gros Islet will be trained to sail on J24’s by Callum and Ben after which the Club will endeavor to provide swimming classes for other interested children from the Grow Well Programme.

I invite all who read this to come to the Club on a Saturday to see the bright faces and the action!

Thank you to all who help to make the sailing programme a success.

Lily Bergasse
Administrator,
SLYC Junior Sailing Programme