Creating the sailors of tomorrow in Weymouth and Portland

9:10am Saturday 31st October 2009

By Laura Kitching

AN UNRIVALLED sailing and training venue is already creating a legacy in the borough for both Olympian and novice sailors alike. Last November, Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy (WPNSA) became the first London 2012 Olympic venue to be completed – more than three years ahead of the big event.

In 2009 the academy hosted an unprecedented three back-to-back international regattas – the IWA Junior, Youth and Masters Windsurfing World Championships, the windsurfing RS:X World Championships and Skandia Sail for Gold Regatta.

Sail for Gold attracted more than 500 boats in all 10 Olympic classes and three Paralympic classes and also doubled up as the seventh and final round of the 2008-09 ISAF Sailing World Cup series.

A public open day saw families take to the water for sailing taster sessions while other community events included a RYA OnBoard festival involved 40 children from Dorset clubs and dragon boat racing.

The Sail for £5 Chesil Trust legacy programme, founded by the late chairman, Bill Ludlow, has enabled more than 2,000 primary school children to Sail for £5 in the past two years with SailLaser sailing centre.

The Trust also provides opportunities for less-privileged Dorset children and disabled people.

Double Olympic gold medallist Sarah Dempsey, who lives with her Olympian windsurfer husband Nick and son Thomas in Wyke Regis, Weymouth said the 2012 Games was already benefiting an ‘incredible’ amount of youngsters.

She said: “It’s not just about after the Games, it’s about now – getting people out and enjoying the water.

“The number of people down at the sailing academy has tripled over the last couple of year’s thanks to the Laser centre’s Sail for £5 and with PGL.

“That’s the most important thing – giving kids the opportunity to go sailing and get active – and hopefully that will continue after the Games.

“At Sail for Gold this year, such a lot of local people came to see what was going on and that’s a big thing.”

The academy was developed to take advantage of the ideal small boat sailing waters with a unique combination of clean winds, sheltered waters and weak tides.

The venue has already provided training facilities for the 2008 Games medal winning heroes, helping an overall medal haul of four golds, one silver and one bronze.

Olympic sailing and windsurfing stars, who live or train in the area, include Paul Goodison, Pippa Wilson, Saskia Clark, Bryony Shaw, Simon Hiscocks and Andrew Simpson, and Paralympic sailor Alexandra Rickham, with many up-and-coming sailors as well.

John Tweed, academy chief executive, said: “We’re absolutely delighted that one of the benefits of being the first venue finished for 2012 is that we have a pre-legacy if you like.

“The amount of young people sailing here regularly is a remarkable achievement and something we want to continue well into the future.”

He added: “There will be a lot of aspects to the lasting legacy right from the activities here and young people sailing to the benefits 2012 will bring to the town.

“It’s an opportunity for us to do a lot of improvements to the town and give a lot more pride to the people and infrastructure improvements like the Relief Road are a lasting legacy of the event.”