ItB次元官网网址檚 still a little ways off from its official opening, but the Victoria International Marina in the Songhees has enjoyed the distinction of hosting a world-class event this week.
The Melges 24 World Championships, which followed up last weekendB次元官网网址檚 Canadian championships here, has been plagued by a lack of wind, but the visiting sailors are enjoying the hospitality and their time in the city.
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 a beautiful marina and weB次元官网网址檙e loving being here,B次元官网网址� said Kevin Nixon, skipper of the Australian boat Accru. HeB次元官网网址檚 in Victoria for the first time with a family crew that includes wife, Glenda, son Daniel and daughter Bonnie, and DanielB次元官网网址檚 girlfriend, Heidi Kiakebosch-Fitt.
| Crew members from the Syndey, Australia-based Accru (from left) Heidi Kiakebosch-Fitt, Daniel Nixon, Bonnie Nixon, skipper Keith Nixon and Glenda Nixon, are in Victoria this week racing their boat in the Melges 24 World Championships. The family have been sailing together for a number of years. Don Descoteau/Victoria B次元官网网址 |
The Nixons, whose boat sat 18th in the fleet of 41 after five races here, dove headfirst into international Melges 24 racing after buying boat No. 812 five years ago in San Francisco. The identical 24-foot monohull sailboats are numbered in order of their completion at the Melges company in Wisconsin.
Kevin, who began sailing at a young age and did so professionally for some years, is the lynchpin of this sailing family, having inspired them all to get into the sport.
Said Glenda, B次元官网网址淲e met when we were teenagers and I wondered where he was going most weekends, and I decided to check the sailing thing out. After a while I got good enough that he would allow me to sail with him.B次元官网网址�
The purchase of the Melges came after their children moved out and was a good way for them to do something together as a family, Kevin added.
Daniel and Bonnie Nixon, sailing since they were wee ones, were fully on board when their parents decided to dive full into this popular class of racing. They agreed the family works well together on board, with everyone handling slightly different duties during a race.
based Melges 24 boat Lekker, skippered by Gord Galbraith, sits 15th overall entering today's races. The Victoria International Marina-hosted event wraps Saturday see story at
B次元官网网址� Victoria B次元官网网址 (@VictoriaB次元官网网址)
While Lower Mainland and U.S.-based crews comprise well over half this fleet, eight boats competing are Royal Victoria Yacht Club based. Not surprisingly, family connections and longtime friendships are a common thread running through those crews.
Two sons of race chairman Terry Stamper from the RVYC are in the mix, including Tim, crewing on the Lekker (No. 371); and Duncan, who skippers Goes to Eleven (No. 011).
The latter boat, co-owned by Mark Malleson, was built in 1993 and is among the first constructed by Melges. It is the oldest vessel in the fleet and sat in 17th overall heading into todayB次元官网网址檚 (June 8) races.
Speaking after a largely windless day in which only one race could actually be staged B次元官网网址� no racing happens in winds less than six knots B次元官网网址� Duncan Stamper joked about what happens during the waiting times.
B次元官网网址淲e fix stuff thatB次元官网网址檚 broken, we went through our lunch leisurely; after that we had a cheese platter. It was quite civilized B次元官网网址� what a beautiful place to be doing nothing,B次元官网网址� he said.
Stamper, a renowned good starter who has contested an Olympic qualifying campaign, and Malleson were previously part of three world championship wins in the Thunderbird racing class. They bought their Melges in 2013 from clubmate Gord Galbraith, co-skipper of Lekker with Malcolm Smith.
B次元官网网址淲e got into Melges because thatB次元官网网址檚 the hot fleet in Victoria,B次元官网网址� Malleson said. B次元官网网址淒uncan and I bought this and put a bunch of money into it, put some stiffeners under the deck, prettied it up, new rigging and got new sails from an ex-world champion. This is our third world championships in this boat B次元官网网址� we all work well together.B次元官网网址�
Crewmate Keith Provan pointed out that this class of racing, with its identical boats, no handicaps and similar top speeds, appeals to competitors at all levels.
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 super competitive, and thereB次元官网网址檚 a lot of the best sailors in the world weB次元官网网址檙e sailing against,B次元官网网址� he said.
Meanwhile Galbraith, whose boat sat 15th overall entering today, was enjoying the competition and spoke highly of the new marina.
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 a beautiful facility and it doesnB次元官网网址檛 impose on the harbour in the way that some people seem to think that it might,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淛ust the excitement of being right in the centre of Victoria, and the planes landing and the ferries going in and out, itB次元官网网址檚 quite amazing. WeB次元官网网址檙e very lucky to live here.B次元官网网址�
Youth boat making waves at worlds
Their slip tucked in behind a behemoth yacht with the name Scout II emblazoned on the back, the competitionB次元官网网址檚 youngest crew gathered to chat about their route to the worlds, which included trailering their boat up from Lake Tahoe on the California/Nevada border.
Boat owner Ryan Conner first described how the name Blue Dream (No. 219) came to be.
B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檙e from Lake Tahoe, which is known for being super blue, and itB次元官网网址檚 been our dream to own a Melges 24, so thatB次元官网网址檚 where it comes from,B次元官网网址� he said.
Rudi Arntson, the helmsman on the crew, was excited about the opportunity to compete here and grateful for the help theyB次元官网网址檝e received from some veteran racers.
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 been pretty amazing as far as worlds go,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淲e got donated some [year-old] sails from Monsoon, a pro boat thatB次元官网网址檚 sailing here. EverythingB次元官网网址檚 been coming together on the boat and itB次元官网网址檚 finally sailable and raceable to our full potential.B次元官网网址�
He gave kudos to the rest of the crew, noting that theyB次元官网网址檝e learned a lot and worked well together as a team.
On this young California crew, Casey Tolan and Ian Collignon are still in their teens but have plenty of sailing experience. Tolan, the only female in the group and an accomplished solo sailor, admitted she wasnB次元官网网址檛 sure how the dynamics would play out.
B次元官网网址淗onestly, itB次元官网网址檚 come to be a really great experience and theyB次元官网网址檙e all ready to race, really focused B次元官网网址� we have our moments for being goofy but I like that they can snap into gear and be ready to race whenever,B次元官网网址� she said.
Lincoln Riley, a strapping young man who attends the University of Nevada-Reno with Conner, was plucked out of the schoolB次元官网网址檚 intramural sailing club for the worlds. This weekB次元官网网址檚 races marks his first foray into competitive racing.
B次元官网网址淚t just kind of all fell into place in February,B次元官网网址� Riley said. B次元官网网址淏efore that, this was not even a thought at all B次元官网网址� it just came out of nowhere, but itB次元官网网址檚 definitely worked out. This is the best boat IB次元官网网址檝e ever been on, hands down.B次元官网网址� Asked if he hopes to continue sailing at this level, he didnB次元官网网址檛 hesitate: B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 hooked!B次元官网网址�
Blue Dream sat 27th overall after five rounds, having posted a 13th place finish in round 4 and with today and SaturdayB次元官网网址檚 results still to come.
The Italian boat Altea (No. 722), skippered by Andrea Racchelli, has been the class of the field so far, posting three first-place finishes and two fifths. They lead California Yacht Club entry WTF (No. 829) by six points after five races.
FridayB次元官网网址檚 races, pending enough wind, were due to get underway at 11 a.m. this morning (June 8), with SaturdayB次元官网网址檚 final races set for the same time. Best public viewing sites are from Esquimalt Lagoon, Royal Roads and Saxe Point Park.
editor@vicnews.com
