This Saturday, as part of the club’s plan to educate and familiarise the community with the sport of Sailing, a new initiative will take place at the Saint Lucia Yacht Club called TRY SAIL! The coaches and leaders of the Youth Sailing Program will host the TRY SAIL! Event between 1.30pm and 4.30pm, and everyone is invited to come along to the clubhouse on Reduit Beach to try their hand at sailing for free!
Although the sport of dinghy sailing is on an upward trajectory in Saint Lucia, there are many kids, teens and adults who aren’t familiar with the experience of getting out on the water in a one- or two-man boat, and SLYC hopes that by launching a series of complimentary TRY SAIL! days at the club and in the community, more people of all ages will get interested in sailing, both as a sport and as a pathway to a career in the marine industries.
In other news from the Youth Sailing Program, the International Sailing Federation (ISAF) has confirmed acceptance of sixteen year old Saint Lucian Marc Spurway in their Athlete Participation Programme (APP) for the 2014 Youth Worlds.
The ISAF APP was introduced in 2002 to assist athletes from developing sailing nations with the costs associated with attending an event. The World Youth Sailing Trust supports the APP by supplying world class coaching to the sailors at the ISAF Youth Worlds.
Spurway is one of the Saint Lucia Youth Sailing Program’s top Laser Radial racers, and he recently returned from the annual Schoelcher Regatta in Martinique, where he competed against the best in the Caribbean region and came a laudable 18th out of a fleet of 33. Luc Chevrier (15) is also training and competing in Laser 4.7 regattas, chasing a place at the Youth Olympic Games in Nanjing this year; he recently competed in the Byte CII North American Championship at the US Sailing Centre, Martin County, Florida, a continental qualifier event.
Over 300 of the world’s top youth sailors are expected to travel to the ISAF Worlds in Tavira, Portugal, competing from 12-19 July 2014 in a bid to add their name to a star-studded list of winners that includes Olympic gold medallists and America’s Cup winners such as Ben Ainslie, Alessandra Sensini and Russell Coutts.
ISAF Youth Worlds Technical Delegate Antonio Gonzalez de la Madrid says, “The ISAF Youth Worlds is the most important event in the (competitive sailing) calendar for young athletes and it is a major achievement to be selected to compete. Tavira has a fantastic venue and we look forward to an excellent competition.”
Spurway will represent Saint Lucia in the Laser Radial Class, which expects approximately 50 competitors. To see the Youth Sailing Program in action, and to experience life on the ocean waves for yourself, visit the Saint Lucia Yacht Club on Reduit Beach this Saturday from 1.30 to 4.30pm – you’ll be given a warm welcome and an exciting ride over the waves in Rodney Bay.
