Archive - Thursday, 4 July 2002


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Young Ben overcomes bad conditions to take victory in Persimmon Youth Regatta

OVER the weekend Barry Yacht Club ran the Persimmon Homes Youth Regatta in the No 1 Dock.

The event in spite of the wet and windy conditions was attended by several hundred people on the Waterfront.

They enjoyed a thrilling spectacle of 20 or so racing dinghies crewed by boys and girls aged between 10 and 18 sailing for the Waterfront Challenge Cup which had been presented by Grosvenor Waterside.

The racing on Saturday started with a very strong wind blowing straight up the dock from the west, the course around a number of marks testing the skills of the various crews.

Before the finish several boats had capsized, requiring the rescue boats to stand by, while the crew righted the boat and continued the race. During the race several boats sustained some damage which required repairs to be undertaken on the shore.

On the Sunday the weather deteriorated even further, and several of the boats sailed by the youngest competitors found the conditions too much especially after one of them had a broken mast and needed to be towed back into the launching area.

During the weekend a representative of the Welsh Yachting Association came along to view the activity, he was full of praise for the event, and the venue and asked if Barry Yacht Club, would consider hosting a major dinghy yachting event in the dock next year, this would involve boats from all over Wales.

The Commodore Roger Donkin and the organising committee readily agreed providing they can again raise the necessary sponsorship.

The club was full of praise for the support and sponsorship from Persimmon Homes, Westbury Homes, SHS Scaffolding, Jones Dairies the Vale Council and the help given by ABP/Grosvenor Waterside.

The overall winner for the Waterfront Challenge Cup was Ben Pym aged 13 from Rhoose sailing an Optimist dinghy.

Ben is a member of the Welsh and GB Sailing Squad travelling to many of the major youth regattas around the world.

The results for the two fleets.

Fleet A: First Ben Pym - British Steel Sailing Club sailing an Optimist; Second - Phill Williams and Alun Biffin, Barry Yacht Club, sailing a Mirror.

Fleet B: First - William Edwards, British Steel Sailing Club, sailing a Topper; Second - Emily Penn, Penarth Sailing Club, sailing a Topper; Third - Alex Claxton, Penarth Sailing Club, sailing a Topper.