Download PDF - Oyster News 66 - Oyster Yachts

HANNAH STODEL
52 www.oystermarine.com
Countdown to Qingdao
and the Beijing Paralympics
Cowes 2 Sail Open Regatta
As we had no more international
competitions scheduled before the
Paralympic Games, Team Oyster decided
to create our own regatta.
Enlisting the help of long time Sonar sailor,
Andy Cassels and the Cowes Corinthian
Yacht club, we got a fleet of seven boats
to join in, including the Irish and Norwegian
teams and, the current Paralympic Gold
medallists, the Israeli team. We also invited
some able bodied sailors, including our
long time tuning crew of Dan Parsons,
Jon Waite and Joe Erskine.
All in all we had four days of great
competitive racing. In the end it came
down to the last race between
Team Oyster and the Norwegian team.
Going into the last race on equal points
is something we have been discussing
recently as a possible scenario for the
Games so to have some first hand
expereince in Cowes was brilliant.
Following a textbook start we covered
the Norwegians all the way for two laps
of the course, putting us last and last but
one. Then on the final lap we sailed them
to the wrong side of the course and split
with them to what we knew was the
favoured side. In the end we even
managed a last race win, leaving the
Norwegians fighting it out at the back.
So Team Oyster took the title with our
tuning crew coming in a very credible 4th.
Great job boys!
A huge thank you to the Cowes Corinthian
Yacht club especially Debbie Macdonald
for all their help with the organisation.
Finally thank you to Andy Cassels and
your Foundation for the loan of charter
boats and the fantastic prize-giving dinner!
Irish 2 Sail Open Regatta
Following our regatta in Cowes, the Irish
team decided to host a similar event in
Kinsale, Cork. Loading up two boats, six
sailors and one coach, Team Oyster took
to the road once more. A special thank
you must go to our driver, Steve Wood,
for the two trips all the way from our
warehouse in Colchester to Ireland – it’s a
pretty long way, and we really appreciate
how much effort it takes to get two boats
and all the kit that we carry around to the
various venues!
We welcomed Martin Boatman to the team
for the first time, taking over from
Dan on the helm. All in all it was a great
regatta with the Australians making the
long journey over together with the
Norwegians and of course the Irish!
Nine boats took to the water from the
stunning Kinsale Yacht Club and made for
some incredibly tight racing in conditions
not that dissimilar to those we might
find in Qingdao.
With nine races scheduled over three days
we had some very long days on the water
but it was well worth all the effort. Martin
and the boys must be congratulated on
their brilliant sailing – they came away
to take the title and gave us some
well-deserved grief around the racecourse.
We finished 2nd, 16 points clear of our
old rivals the Norwegians.
Photo: Liz Harrison
It sent a great message to all of our
Paralympic competitors, as effectively it
was the British that came out on top once
again. Things are certainly looking up and
finally all those long hours on the water
are starting to stick.
We fly out to Qingdao on August 21
with our tuning crew. Let’s hope the
outstanding Olympic sailing success
rubs off on us!
So the waiting is almost over and my next
report will tell the whole story of our
Paralympic regatta. Without all the support
over many, many years from Richard,
Oyster and a number of Oyster owners
there would be no story to tell so a big
thank you to you all.