Will Smith zaps bugs at Hollingworth OnBoard Laser Bug Day
by Alan Henderson 11 Jul 2009 01:47 NZST
4 July 2009
The fleet start a race at Hollingworth Lake during the OnBoard Laser Bug Day © Adam McGovern / RYA
Hollywood action hero Will Smith is famous for saving the Earth from nasty aliens, notably on the 4th July, Independence Day. At Hollingworth Lake on 4th July, his nine year old namesake was in action on the water, and he zapped a big swarm of bugs just as effectively as the famous movie star.
Will Smith was just one of 43 youngsters who took part in the OnBoard Laser Bug Day. All the kids had been introduced to sailing by their six local OnBoard sailing clubs, and this event gave them all the chance to try out racing for the first time. The youngsters came from Hollingworth Lake SC, the Hollingworth Lake Water Activity Centre, Burwain SC, Salford Junior SC, Glossop SC, and Astbury Sailsports. The weather was sunny with an ideal force 2 to 3 wind.
The event was kindly sponsored by Laser Performance, who brought along a big fleet of 30 Laser Bug dinghies for the kids to race. The youngsters ranged from age 7 up to 17. Organiser for the RYA, Adam McGovern, gave them a mix of games and race training in the morning, then three short races in the afternoon. The youngsters were racing in three groups in the afternoon, a Bug Race group, a Bug Standard group, and a Mirror (another type of boat) racing group.
Adam McGovern said, “The kids got to choose which group they wanted to be part of in the afternoon, and this went down fantastically with the kids, who were eager to show what they could do.”
Winners were Anna Bett, 12, in the Bug Race group, Rob Kinsella and Max Webb in the Mirror group, and local Will Smith, 9, in the Bug Standard group.
Adam McGovern said, “It was fantastic to see so many youngsters out racing on the water. Will was really happy to win his first sailing event, and wished his Dad similar luck the following day at a big sailing open meeting.”
Run by sailing’s National Governing Body, the RYA, OnBoard is a highly successful industry supported grass roots programme which seeks to make sailing easier to get into for young people. Over a ten year period the programme aims to introduce a minimum of 500,000 children to sailing and windsurfing in the UK, converting over 10% of them into regular participants. So far it’s nicely on track.
For more information about how to get involved in sailing visit the RYA’s website www.rya.org.uk or the OnBoard website www.ruob.co.uk