It was a cold morning in London, zero -2-3 degrees, with plenty of salt spread for pedestrians at the above ground railway stations. Might be 7/7 cloud cover, but at least it was not snowing as it was for the start of the London Boat Show back in January.
While many took the shuttle buses, lots of well wrapped sailors made the long walk up the hill from the Rail station to the historic Alexandra Palace, where there was already a good crowd, keen to get into the relative warmth of the Exhibition Halls
At 10am London 2012 and now Team Volvo sailors Annie Lush and Kate Macgregor and and fellow Skandia Team GBR sailors Nick Thompson and 49er skipper Dylan Fletcher opened the show, no mucking about short and sharp so the crowds could do what they came to do, touch and feel, look and talk.
While sailing organisations world-wide wring their hands over the ever increasing age of sailors, the RYA and the British marine industry is working hard to engage the next generations of sailors and this Show would win hands down any competition for the youngest audience.
OziOpti
OziOpti is all about 'getting kids in boats' and the Australian company supporting the introduction to of the world’s most popular junior sailing yacht, the 'International Optimist Dinghy' [More info]
http://www.oziopti.com.au
Performance Sailcraft Australia (Asia Pacific)
Laser builder Performance Sailcraft Australia has taken on the successful RS Sailboat range from Britain, and is now licensed to build and distribute all of the RS range in the Asia Pacific region. [More info]
http://www.lasersailing.com.au
Sealink Magnetic Island Race Week
Entries for the fourth annual Sealink Magnetic Island Race Week have opened! 4 days of racing, 5 days of fun – that is what you can look forward to from 3-7 September at Magnetic Island. [More info]
http://www.magneticislandraceweek.com.au