World Championships sailing into Looe


All roads lead to Looe in August when Looe Sailing Club host one of its most prestigious events with 130 GP.14 sailing dinghies arriving, ready to start competing on Sunday, August 12.


Plans have been under way for many months for the event which will be one of the largest the club has run in recent years.


The success in bringing the World Championships to Looe is testament to the host club’s organisation of events, now staged there annually – a waiting list of classes wanting to visit the town also exists – and to the tourist resort reputation of the town and the South East Cornwall area in general.


‘We never dreamed we would fill up the entries so quickly,’ said principal


race officer Roger Hocking, now in his 29th season as the leading man on the water, where he will be assisted by Arthur Kinver.


‘Yes, the sailing club does have a good reputation for staging events like this, but it’s also a team effort with the people of Looe and every organisation and business in the town getting behind us.’


The GP.14 has a Bermudan sloop rig with a spinnaker and was designed by Jack Holt just after the 1939-45 War. More than 14,000 have been built so far.


Last year’s champions Ian Dobson and Andy Tunnicliffe from Burwain Sailing Club will be defending their title, with competition coming from as far afield as Australia, Sri Lanka and South Africa.


The World Championships follow on from the Olympics and 470 crewman Stuart Bithell, who will be sailing with Christian Birrell at Weymouth, would love nothing better than to bring a medal to Looe when he arrives to campaign his own GP.14.


And he won’t be there for a summer’s break, either, aiming to take on the very best dinghy sailors


in the UK and abroad for the honour of claiming the World title to add to the other crowns he has won on past visits to Looe Bay.


Bithell, who was born in Rochdale but now lives at Portland, close by the Weymouth Olympic sailing centre, will celebrate his 26th birthday ten days after the Looe event.


He said of his Olympic call up: ‘Although we never doubted ourselves, it’s still a big relief to have been selected.’


‘As our coach put it:“We’ve climbed one peak, now we need to climb another, and the sunset’s a whole lot nicer from the next one.”’


Racing will take place at Looe with a nine-event series over five days and, weather permitting, a rest day on the Wednesday.


Everyone will be praying for a good week’s weather to give them good sailing conditions.


Dominic Lozynski is once again the club’s safety boat co-ordinator and Steve Sargent, as beach master, will be looking after things on dry land.


Most of the official receptions, evening entertainment and prizegivings surrounding the Worlds in Looe will be staged on the Fish Quay at East Looe.


But because the port remains a thoroughly active and working one, it


Great Britain’s Olympic 470 crewman Stuart Bithell,(right),will head straight for Cornwall after the Games regatta in Weymouth to campaign his GP


.14 in the World Championships, being hosted by Looe Sailing Club. Picture:Skandia TeamGBR


means that whatever the Sailing Club require, in terms of a bar, seating and the like, it will all have to be constructed, and then taken down again each day, in a routine which will be repeated for each of the six days the regatta is in town.


Many people will be giving up their time during the week both on and off the water to ensure the event runs smoothly.


However, it couldn't be done without the assistance from other organisations in the town, in particular East Looe Town Trust, Looe Harbour


Commissioners and the RNLI whom the club thank


wholeheartedly.


Get on track for


excitement and nostalgia Discover the excitement and


nostalgia of steam travel with a journey back in time on the Bodmin & Wenford Railway, Cornwall’s only full size railway still regularly operated by steam locomotives.


Relax in style and enjoy a leisurely 13 mile return trip through beautiful countryside, taking in the sights, sounds and smells of a bygone age.


Trains are now operating daily until October 5. The majority of trains are steam hauled.


Come along to Bodmin General Station on Friday-Sunday, 3-5 August, enjoy a steam train ride, and meet the children’s favourite Paddington Bear, who will be


mingling with the crowds and appearing at various intervals throughout the day.


There will also be brake van rides behind one of our two smallest engines Alfred and Judy (the inspiration for Rev Awdry to create the characters Bill and Ben in the original Thomas the Tank Engine books) and miniature railway rides.


Later the same month, on Sunday-Monday, 26-27August, the great Firemen Sam will be making a similar appearance. Don’t miss him too!


The Bodmin & Wenford Railway looks forward to welcoming you. Come and discover Cornwall’s railway heritage at its very best – a great family attracktion!


Bodmin & Wenford Railway, Bodmin General Station, Bodmin, Cornwall PL31 1AQ. Tel: 01208 73555 Fax: 01208 77963. E-mail: enquiries@ bodminrailway.co.uk Website: www.bodmin railway.co.uk


Discover the excitement and nostalgia of train travel with a journey back in time on Cornwall’s only full size railway still worked by steam


Trains run throughout the year, daily late May to early October


PADDINGTON BEAR Friday-Sunday 3-5 August


FIREMAN SAM Sunday-Monday 26-27 August


Join the fun and excitement - come and meet these children’s favourite characters who will be appearing at various intervals during the day. Don’t forget your camera!


A great family attracktion! 01208 73555


www.bodminrailway.co.uk LOOE NEWS AUGUST 2012 15


Summer of fun


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