USA - FISLY

News from the Brits!
UNITED KINGDOM
We have had some excellent racing in the UK
over the last 12 months and, once again, competition
for a place in the British Team has
been very strong.
The British Championship Series, held over 6
events around the country, has provided us
with two very worthy Champions – Dave Green
in Class 5 and Steve Borrill in Class 3.
In Class 3, Gareth Rowland made a good start
to the season by winning the first event but, due
to business commitments, he missed two
events leaving Alan Scantlebury to make a bid
for the Title. Steve Borrill had other ideas and
before Alan could compound his winning start
to the year, Steve returned to form and won
three of the last four events. Jon Cookson also
had brief moments of glory although his mind
soon became focused on building a new superlightweight
yacht in time for Tershchelling 2000.
The story was much the same for the class 5’s,
Chris Wright took the first Regatta win on an
airfield but Dave very quickly staked his claim
on the Title by winning four of the remaining
five events. Roger Leah and Mark Sidey were
always up there with them, ready to capitalise
on any mistakes, as were Ray Thompson and
Brian Norman – the top 6 places being very
close.
Despite the high quality of racing, the number
of pilots has fallen over the last couple of
years….. is this trend peculiar to the UK or are
other countries also experiencing a decline in
support? At a time when sport and leisure interests
are on the increase – what are we doing
wrong? Surely everyone can see the fun in
standing out on a cold, wet, windy beach for
hours on end? Can’t they?!!!!
Whatever the reasons, they can’t compare to
the tactics being used by New Zealand to increase
their own numbers – they infiltrate the
ranks of a friendly nation – then marry 50% of
the Ladies Team! (there being only 2 in it!!) As
if it wasn’t enough to whisk Andy Mitchell off to
Kiwi-land, Ian McLachlin married her to make
sure she never sailed with a “K” again. They
came half-way round the world to do it, bringing
half the Kiwi population with them, but what a
party that was!
The “wedding of the year” was tacked onto the
end of the PACRIM Championships in the USA
earlier in the March. The UK sent a small, but
keen, Team of pilots to fly the flag – defending
champion Chris Wright, Mark Lloyd, Andy Parr,
Si Holder and John Andrews. Chris managed to
retain his title and a good time was had by all.
So much so, that Chris and Andy were thrilled
at being invited over to Tunisia to represent the
UK in some team racing – only to discover it
was for parakarts! Still, the weather was warm!!
Over the last few months, small fun yachts
have been seen at several regattas, particularly
coming into their own when conditions were too
strong for safe racing. Having no set specifications,
most have been put together in the garden
shed, which keeps the cost down and the
fun value up! Could this be the way forward for
the Millennium?
2001 will be the 50 th Anniversary of the Fylde
International Sand Yacht Club at Lytham St Annes
and a special Regatta will be held on 11/12
August 2001 to celebrate the event. You are all
invited! More details will be available nearer the
time
Pilots in the UK have already attended the first
Regatta towards qualification for the British
Team 2001 and no doubt many hours will be
spent over the winter months building and rebuilding
yachts in readiness. But for now, it just
goes for me to wish all competitors good luck
here in Terschelling.
Paula Leah
K23