WEYMOUTH Sailing Club celebrated their annual prizegiving in the Spinnaker Restaurant at the Weymouth & Portland National Sailing Academy (WPNSA).

Guests of the commodore, Euan McNair, were the mayor and mayoress of Weymouth and Portland Richard Kosier and Caroline Churchill, coxswain of Weymouth Lifeboat Andy Sargent with his wife Helen, and Neil Lewis, the lead coach of strength and conditioning to the GB sailing team.

The prizegiving is when the racing trophies for the previous year’s sailing season are awarded, but also the opportunity for

all club members to gather together and enjoy a convivial evening at a quiet time of year for the sport.

McNair welcomed his guests in his after-dinner speech and told his audience that the mayor and he had worked together previously in their Navy days.

He was profuse in his thanks to volunteer club members and said he was looking forward to another successful sailing year in 2017.

The evening also highlighted the sailors who took their sailing to other waters during the year.

There were some remarkable achievements from as far afield as a World Championship in Tasmania, Antigua, Cannes, Greece, a round Ireland Two Handed Race, crossing the Atlantic in the ARC, and cruising Turkey and the Baltic, as well as dinghies sailors who followed the national circuits and even trailing Squibs to Southern France.

A good fleet of boats crossed the Channel to Cherbourg and several boats did the Round the Island Race and Cowes week, an example of how sailing is changing in a world that has become more accessible.

The final trophy awarded was the Vincent Shield, traditionally given by the Commodore to the person he considers has contributed most to the club during the year.

This year the award went to David Dunn. David has stood down from the committee after being class captain of the Squib fleet and he was also the very successful chairman of the Squib Nationals committee, which was hosted by WSC in 2016.

Club members were invited to start their evening at the Acquabeach Hotel on Weymouth Esplanade, run by club member Charlotte Weaver and members enjoyed a Happy Hour of cocktails before making their way to WPNSA.

There, they were greeted with glasses of Prosecco and after a very good three-course dinner there was dancing to a jukebox disco, as guests were invited to make the selection of music.

A draw was held to give out £50 of vouchers donated by Beecars and Weyline Taxis.

It was a very pleasant evening heralding the lighter evenings and plenty of hard work on boat keels.