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Santa Irene Club de Vela Newsletter - 1st July 2009
I arrived home from another “fun day” sailing at the Cuevas Canal on Sunday the 28th. Putting my feet up to watch the TV. Coverage from Glastonbury, I was in time to see Tony Christie performing, he is looking good. Some of you will remember Tony as a resident of Mojacar.
Back to Cuevas, it would seem we are the only Sailing Club using it regularly. Certainly ideal for beginners no no matter what age and it can be testing for our regular Sailors in gusty conditions.
One thing we all agree on is we enjoy being there. Naturally, we are looking forward to the day when the new slipway is available to us at Garrucha. So, what´s happening elsewhere? There is one “Big Event” in Pescara on the east coast of Italy which started on the 25th of June. It´s the 16th edition of the Mediterranean Games and ends on the 5th of July, I will try to get the sailing results. It has been called the Mini Olympics but gets very little coverage, we found it on Moroccan TV. 23 countries are involved, it all started in 1951 and is held every 4 years. In 2005 it was in Spain, Almeria and Cuevas. The next Mediterranean Games will be 2013 in Greece.
The Final and 10th Leg of the Volvo Ocean Race ended at St. Petersburg, Russia on the 27th of June. Telefonica Black was the winner of this short Leg of just 400 nautical miles. The overall Winner after 37.000nm. And 11 ports visited in 10 countries and 5 Continents was Ericsson 4.
It concluded with a parade and Leg of Honer up the Neva River with all the Boats that started the Race in Alicante last October. Santa Irene was there to wave them off.
The good news is: we can all be there for the next 3 starts, yes! Alicante Port has been chosen to start the Race in 2011 – 2014 and 2017. You really should see it. The” Race Village” is worth a visit.
Another Race to finish was the “Single Handed Transatlantic Race” where our very own 22 year old Katie Miller (from Birmingham), the youngest ever Solo sailor to complete the Race, she finished 9th out of 34 starters from Plymouth, in her yacht of only 33ft. I have no doubt her aim is to to compete in the “Vendee Globe” following in the footsteps of Ellen MacArthur, single handed around the world.
If you are a youngster, what are you doing? You could start by learning to sail and make it you Career, come and talk to us any time.
Take care, see you at Cuevas next Sunday.
John Talliss
Tel : 950 475 157
Movil: 658 548 790
E-mail johntalliss@gmail.com
Sailing News Sol Times - 8th July 2009
A “Small” step from where we are now but it could be a “Giant leap” for the Club. Who said that? Think back forty years to July 1969. I´m talking about the opening of a beautiful new Slipway at Garrucha and the possibility of us establishing our selves there. If the Port Authority accepts us, we will have made that “Giant leap” and the last seven years will have been worth while. If not, we revert to Plan B. What ever happens, we will keep our toe in the water at Cuevas, where last Sunday the 5th of July where a few of us were enjoying being on the water, just messing about in boats.
For some of our Members its a very busy time , for others, its back to the U.K or Iceland to check on their investments. When I was a Kid, I thought Banks were a “Giant Safe” were you could keep your spare cash if you had any!!
What has been the best kept sporting secret this last month? certainly not Cristiano Ronaldo! Its the 16th edition of the Mediterranean Games. Known as the mini Olympics and held every 4 years since 1951. This year it took place in Pescara, Italy. Opening ceremony on 25th of June until the closing date 5th of July. Involved were 23 countries bordering on the Mediterranean, 2009 athletes competing in 28 sports. The result of the Sailing were the Ladies and Men “470” Gold medals for Italy, in the Laser Radial Ladies and Men, France won the Gold Medals. Sorry its very difficult to obtain more information, it was the same in 2005 when the Games took place in Almeria, Spain.
In the Transatlantic Race, which was created by Blondie Hasler and Francis Chichester in 1960, now known as the “OSTAR”, its from Plymouth to Newport Rhode Island, 2.800 nautical miles. All the finishers are home and dry. Among them were some of our young sailors: 19 year old “Oscar Mead”, the youngest ever competitor, 22 year old, “Katie Miller”, the youngest ever female competitor and “Hanah White”, to know more about them, do a”Google search”, you can do the same with “John Talliss”.
See you on Sunday at the Cuevas Canal.
Take care
John Talliss
Tel : 950 475 157
Movil: 658 548 790
E-mail johntalliss@gmail.com
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