There was good support for the day's activities with over 30 sailing boats on the water.
The fun race took the form of a pursuit race, where the slowest boats go off first and the fastest goes last, at intervals calculated that (in theory) all should finish simultaneously. Race officer Jeremy Dee set the Optimists off first on a course around the whole lake, but in very light, patchy wind. They had got almost all the way around well ahead of the rest of the fleet, but were then becalmed.
A south easter then filled in, bringing up the faster boats. The GP14 of Jayan Smart and Evelyn Osborne took the lead, followed by the Lasers. Then the Fireball of David Laing and Mark Dee came into contention. The GP14 was able to hold the lead to finish first, ahead of the Fireball. Ashleigh Hellstrom sailing a RS Feva single handed was third over the line, with Henry Paine first Laser in fourth place.
The fleet then assembled at the eastern end of the lake for the sail-past. Lead by Rear Commodore Henry Paine, first the Optimists ran down to the committee boat to salute the Commodore Malcolm Osborne, followed by the Dabchicks, Lasers, GP14s and the Fireball.
At a function held in the club house, Malcolm Osborne thanked the members for their excellent support of the club and congratulated those who had done well in local and away events.
Then Evelyn Osborne, chairman of SA Sailing Southern Cape explained the new South West Districts Sailing Colours scheme, being launched for the first time. With this scheme, points could be gained at the inter-club regattas sailed at Kynsna and George Lakes Yacht Clubs and at the district championships sailed at Mossel Bay. To get the scheme under way, colours would be awarded to those who had achieved at the recent Youth National Championships held in December at Swartvlei. These youth colours were then awarded.
2012 SWD Youth Sailing Colours were awarded to:
Jayan Smart - Dabchick Class; John Marc Olivier - Laser Radial Class; Jonathan Rees - Laser 4.7 Class; Nathan Page - Laser 4.7 Class; James Hellstrom - RS Tera Pro Class; Jedd Page - RS Tera Sport Class; Georgou Divaris - Optimist Class; Cundell Peter Statt - Mirror Class; Steven Nobre - Mirror Class.
For more information on George Lakes Yacht Club, consult the club website www.glyc.org.za
Recipients of SWD Youth Sailing Colours were (from left): Jedd Page, John Marc Olivier, James Hellstrom, Nathan Page, Jayan Smart, Steven Nobre and Cundell Statt. (Photo: Helen Olivier.)
