A pair of young sailors from Sooke have set a course to compete in the B.C. Summer Games.
Finn Unger, a Grade 10 student at Edward Milne Community School and member of the leadership class, and Grade 9 student Vincent Magdziarz have qualified for the Games, which take place in Prince George in July.
The 15-year-olds, who became friends through their involvement with sailing, will represent lower Vancouver Island in the division 6 competition.
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Although the pair have only been sailing together for a year with the Sooke Sailing Association, they will be the first ever from Sooke to compete in sailing events at the Games.
In the past, it has been primarily competitors from larger established sailing clubs along the east coast of the Island, like the Royal Victoria Yacht Club, that made it to the Games.
The lads have undergone a baptism by weather to qualify, including racing in what Unger described as B次元官网网址渃razy but totally doable windsB次元官网网址� off of Kitsilano on the day a tornado descended on Vancouver and passed through English Bay.
The challenging conditions may have been surpassed during qualifications for the Games in the Victoria area, where winds gusted up to 75 knots per hour.
B次元官网网址淲e capsized five times,B次元官网网址� Unger recalled. B次元官网网址淲e were wet and cold, but we righted our boat each time and kept going because we wanted to finish, place, and qualify.B次元官网网址�
Only three of 14 boats in the race finished.
B次元官网网址漌e were very proud to finish, and we finished in a very Sooke way. We didnB次元官网网址檛 give up, we kept on going, and we made it happen,B次元官网网址� Unger said.
Unger said he was drawn to the sport because he enjoys communing with nature out on the water, and itB次元官网网址檚 been interesting finding out how the boat functions.
B次元官网网址淪ooke Sailing Club isnB次元官网网址檛 a fancy club, but itB次元官网网址檚 a feisty club,B次元官网网址� said Magdziarz, whoB次元官网网址檚 been involved with sailing during his four years with the Royal Canadian Sea Cadets. B次元官网网址淥ne thing I like is that unpredictability. As soon as you get in the boat, you donB次元官网网址檛 know how the day will end, and thatB次元官网网址檚 cool.B次元官网网址�
The boysB次元官网网址� home base is a shipping container in a gravel parking lot at the marina and shipbuilding site on West Coast Road off Ella Beach.
B次元官网网址淥ur boats are OK, but not top of the line,B次元官网网址� Magdziarz said. B次元官网网址淲e didnB次元官网网址檛 have a spinnaker, that third sail that catches the wind on the last leg of the race to push you over the finish line, so our learning curve will be steep in the next few months.B次元官网网址�
Although participating in the B.C. Summer Games is a great honour, but itB次元官网网址檚 also an expensive proposition.
The pairB次元官网网址檚 budget to participate in the event, including the cost of a spinnaker sail, newer used boats, gear, training, and transportation, is about $25,000.
Following a presentation to council, the District of Sooke recently issued a grant of $5,000 to the Sooke Sailing Association toward the boysB次元官网网址� expenses.
B次元官网网址淭hat will definitely help out,B次元官网网址� Unger said. B次元官网网址淏ut we still have a way to go.B次元官网网址�
Both boys said they are grateful for councilB次元官网网址檚 donation and the way the community has stepped up to help them. They are approaching local businesses and organizations for assistance as well.
Anyone who would like to help them reach their target for funding can call 250-881-0502, or email randy@sookesailingclub.com.
Check out the Sooke Sailing ClubB次元官网网址檚 Facebook page for more information.
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