2017 JERSEY CLIPPER BURSARY GOES TO ONE OF BRITAIN’S TOP YOUNG SAILORS

St Catherine’s Sailing Club assistant instructor Tom Pollard has been awarded the 2017 Jersey Clipper Bursary, worth £1,000.

The award, made in association with the Jersey branch of Swiss bank UBS, will help to fund the 16-year-old’s participation representing Great Britain in the Laser 4.7 World Championships in Nieuwpoort, Belgium, in July.

In addition, thanks to an Inflatable Water Slide anonymous donation, the Jersey Clipper Bursary trustees have been able to present a runner’s up award of £500 to 17-year-old Hobie Cat sailor Ollie Voak who is travelling to Noordwijk in Holland to race in the European Multihull Championships.

‘I feel very honoured and proud to be selected as the winner of the Jersey Clipper Bursary,’ said Tom, ‘and I look forward to the opportunities it will provide.

‘Since my application I have also been selected to represent Great Britain in the Laser Radial Youth World Championships taking place in Medemblik, Holland, in August, and with these international experiences I hope to inspire the younger members of St Catherine’s Sailing Club and help to improve the standard of sailing.’

Ollie Voak, who like Tom goes to Victoria College, has been racing Hobie Cats since he was ten and has recently been busy training for the European Championships in July.

‘I have gained first position in the local Spring Series Hobie Spinnaker class and, with upcoming training days with top UK multihull coach Brian Phipps, I believe I have a great chance of successfully representing Jersey at this event,’ he said.

‘Competing in the Europeans against world-class sailors of many different nationalities has long been a personal goal, and the award will make a big difference to me in funding this exciting challenge.’

The annual Jersey Clipper Bursary, a legacy from the three Jersey campaigns in the Clipper Round-the-World Race, was established in 2007 through the generosity of Dandara, Les Pas Holdings and UBS. Further funding has since been provided by local boat-owner Nigel Philpott, the Island’s three former Harbourmasters – Capt Roy Bullen, Capt Brian Nibbs and Capt Howard Le Cornu – and, most recently, UBS.

We all at St Catherine’s sailing club wish both Tom and Ollie congratulations, and the best of luck in this year’s events.

Dear Sailors and Friends.

Liberation Day Regatta is upon us again and as is customary at St Catherine’s S.C. there will be a full day of activities at the club.

Starting at 10am will be the Vega Pursuit Race, open to all classes. There will be information posted in the club after 0930 for the order of the Pursuit race.

After the first race, sailors will come ashore over low tide for lunch, provided by the House Committee, (please sign on for lunch before you go sailing!) Bring you own drinks as required.

After lunch will be the Beagle and Liberation trophies sailed back to back, providing an excellent opportunity to get out again in good forecast conditions.

Here’s an explanation of the history behind our races….

St. Catherine’s Liberation Day regatta has been held every year since the club started in 1953.  The 3 races held on Liberation day are The Vega, The Beagle and The Liberation Day Inflatable Water Slide Trophy all with historic significance to the Liberation of the Channel Islands.  First race of the day is the Vega named after the Red Cross Ship SS Vega that made several trips to Jersey with Red Cross parcels, then on 9th May 1945 HMS Beagle arrived at St. Helier Harbour and later that day the island was liberated, hence the order of our races!

Looking forward to seeing you at the club house or on the water.

Justin.