 Kirklands talk to Waterwise Youth IslandStats.com
The Kirkland's will depart Bermuda on Thursday, as the next chapter in their quest to qualify for the 2012 Olympic Games gets underway.
The brothers will be traveling to France for some training before they begin the European Championships.
The Kirklands took time out this morning to give some advice about sailing to a group of Waterwise Program youngsters from the Whitney Middle School.
Zander Kirkland told the youngsters that sailing is a fun sport that takes a lot of hard work, it is something that you have to challenge yourself with, “Jesse and I will be working extremely hard over the next few months to fine tune our skills to make sure that we are on track”.
“We sail in a boat that has taken us back to when we first learned how to sail, but you have to be strong if you set yourself a goal and London is our focus and we are looking forward to the task as hand”, continued Zander.
“Now that I have finished school I can put all my focus and concentration into the bid to break into the top half of the 49er Class in the next few years”, said Jesse.
The Polish Yachting Association, the Gdynia Sport and Recreation Centre as well as the International 49er Class will play host to the Seiko 49er European Championship to be held 3rd - 10th July 2010 in Gdynia, Poland.
Newport Bermuda Race
After putting his signature on the sponsorship agreement, Mark Watson called his friend and North Sails advisor Ken Read and said, “Ken, I think I’ve gone and done something kooky.” Kenny replied, “Knowing you, I don’t think so, but tell me what you’ve done.”
Watson replied, “I’m going to sponsor and skipper Genuine Risk in the Bermuda Race.”
Read quipped back, “Now that’s kooky.”
Mark Watson is excited and anxious about this ride in the Newport Bermuda Race that starts June 18 in Newport Rhode Island. He has stepped up as the sponsor and skipper of the US Merchant Marine Academy cant-keel, offshore rocket, the Dubois 90 Genuine Risk.
No novice to offshore racing, Watson owns the Swan 42 Tiburon. He won the 2008 Swan 42 National Championship. Once again he is looking forward to racing with and against some of the best sailors in the world. It’s a genuine risk, just not the kind he is used to.
“This is really as close as we can get to a Corinthian campaign,” Watson said. “We are joining three racing teams, amateurs who have sailed with me before, a few pros who know the boat well to handle its complex systems and five Merchant Marine Academy cadets and one recent graduate who have also sailed her. This is my way of passing on the spirit of offshore yachting to the next generation.”
Newport Bermuda will be quite different for Watson. It has been one of his dreams to do the race. He has been invited, but unable to fit the time into his schedule as CEO of Argo Group, based in Bermuda.
“Fellow Royal Bermuda Yacht Club members had teased me about not doing the race.’ he remarked. “And after I sailed the Fastnet Race aboard the TP52 Lucky, I decided this was the year for Newport Bermuda.
Ben Nichols from Bermuda, who sails aboard Tiburon with Watson, will join him on the 90-footer. Jim Marshall will be the navigator. Andreas Josenhans joins the crew as a project manager and watch captain. Ralfie Steitz, sailing director for the Merchant Marine Academy, will also be aboard with five cadets and one recent graduate.
|
