Orcas kids compete at Vancouver Lake regatta
Published 10:16 am Friday, July 1, 2011
Orcas Island sailing is taking it up a notch, and they’re doing it with gusto – six local junior sailors ages nine to 12 took to the road and traveled to their first Northwest Youth Racing Circuit Regatta June 25 and 26 on Vancouver Lake.
“These young kids were on the water sailing in the early morning before the racing and they were on the water after racing, sailing until the sun went down,” said Sail Orcas coach Burke Thomas.
To prepare for their first regatta the sailors spent the past month practicing twice a week on West Sound under the watchful eye of coach Ian Wareham.
The practicing paid off: nine races were completed in the 14 boat Open Bic class over the two day event, with Orcas placing five sailors in the top six. What Thomas calls “even more impressive” is the kids’ enthusiasm for sailing.
“All these sailors took sailing lessons last summer from the Sail Orcas junior lesson program, and it is very exciting to see them apply what they have learned on the race course,” said Thomas.
For more information on summer junior sailing lessons visit sailorcas.org.
Complete race results are online. The regatta was promoted by the Willamette Sailing Club.
