New sailors test skills in competition

MOSSEL BAY NEWS - A sailing competition, held by the Mossel Bay Sailing Club, took place at Skippers at the Mossel Bay Harbour on 25 and 26 February. The area at the harbour in front of the old yacht club building is now called Skippers.

The Skipper Foundation NPO coordinates activities at both slipways. The NPO entered a good number of sailors in the competition.

There were 12 dinghies with a high handicap and four boats in a different fleet with a lower handicap - the fast boats - in last weekend's competition.

Eight races were sailed in varied conditions.

Mossel Bay Sailing Club commodore Elfie Holden said that on Saturday there was a good south-wester of 18 knots, which was good for the fast boats, but the new sailors had some difficulty coping with the wind.

Holden is also chairman of the Skipper Foundation, which offers sailing coaching in Mossel Bay.

On Sunday there was a good easterly which built up during the day, reaching 15 knots, which was good for the new sailors as well.

The winners of the high handicap fleet were Lonke Lenks and Anesco Abrahams. They came first and second on their RS Teras.

In third place was Martin Rossteck from George Lakes Yacht Club, sailing a Laser.

On the lower handicap, Christian Cilliers and Oliver Holden came first on a 29er and Robert Holden came second on a Topaz 14 catamaran.

It was an annual event. which will be held next year at the same time.

Holden is grateful to all who assisted in making the event a success. "They were all newly trained," Holden said. "I was so proud of them."

Lonke Lenks, winner of the higher handicap fleet.

Sailors, pictured at Munro Beach, taking part in the Mossel Bay Sailing Club Championships held on 19 February. It was good preparation for last weekend's competition.