News - 2017

11:38 Sunday 30 Jul 2017 Sue Pelling/LCWFamilies embrace the day

Ian Wilson and family looking forward to an exciting race on Family Day – photo Tom Gruitt

Competition on the Solent is particularly hot among families today in celebration of Lendy Cowes Week Family Day. Because sailing is such an inclusive sport, more and more families enjoy teaming up and, importantly, parents have even identified regattas like Lendy Cowes Week as a good way for families to share quality time with each other.

Andrew Dallas one of the three families sailing aboard Boo, Neil McGrigor’s J/109 said Lendy Cowes Week is one of the best times they share together. “We started off sailing this event when the children were all really young now they are turning into teenagers and it’s an absolute delight to sail with them all.  It’s not about giving back, but it is having a laugh with them. It is the mix of the young with the not so young that works so well.”

Inter-class family rivalry is fairly common at Lendy Cowes Week too and the J/70 class has plenty of family connections. Before they raced this morning, we caught up with the four-strong Wilson family (Ian – father, Nicholas, Peter and Anna) from Hamble racing Shiver. This week not only are they racing as a family team, with Anna 16 on the helm for the first time, but Ian’s usual sailing partner – Marshall King – is racing his own J/70 (The Janitor) with his family this week, so competition is extremely intense.

Ian Wilson said it is a joy to be sailing as a team with his family.  “I am sailing with my eldest Nicholas (19), Anna (16) and Peter who’ll be 18 on Tuesday so he will be buying his first legal pint then. As far as results go, we really don’t mind too much because for us it’s just about enjoying the sport we know and love, and have spent a fortune on over the years!”

Anna commenting on sailing with her father and siblings added: “I am really enjoying but it is quite daunting because there are so many boats. Thankfully but my dad is helping me learn but I can feel he is trying not to shout too much.”

Ian continued: “We generally get on really well. Naturally we have our little family niggles now and then but we’re a good team and work well together. There is always a lot of banter on and off the boat.”

After what they described as a poor day, results wise, on the water yesterday, they are looking forward to an exciting day in a good breeze today.  Ian concluded: “We’ll certainly be flying the flag for Family Day but naturally we’ll be keeping a close eye on The Janitor. The aim, of course is to beat them.”

The Squib class has a particularly strong family presence. There are three pairs of boats in which different generations of the same family are competing, including the Downer family on Panther 3 - Alex (son), and Mark Downer (dad). The other Downer boat is Wight Tiger  – George Downer (son) and Amy Gaskin.

The White family are on Hussar with Charlie, Harry, Thomas White (triplets, age 17), and also on Kestrel – David Longford and Angi White (mum).

The final of the three family teams in the Squib class are aboard Satu – Kev and Marney Gibson (parents), and Wizard – Christopher and Ben Gibson (adult sons).