Mini boats take on waves
Winning sailors come prepared for strong winds
at 7th annual Old Town Pond Sailor's Regatta
Robin Grant
Northern News Services
Wednesday, August 31, 2016
SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
First-place winner of the 7th annual Old Town Pond Sailor's Regatta Milo Martin, 12, said his miniature vessel was prepared for the strong winds on Yellowknife Bay with the help of a steel rod fastened under his sailboat. It steadied the boat and helped win the competition.
Second-place winner of the Sailor's Regatta Eva Tihor, 8, left, first-place winner, Milo Martin, 12, and third-place winner, Maliq Barnard, 9, pose for photos after hearing they placed in the 7th Annual Old Town Pond Sailor's Regatta on Saturday evening. - Robin Grant/NNSL photo |
"It keeps it flat no matter how much wind comes toward it," Martin said.
The first-place winner was one of many family teams competing in the regatta at the government dock on Saturday.
After a brief show and shine at 6 p.m., the young sailors released their miniature boats on the choppy waters off the government docks in Old Town and cheered as the wind took hold of the sails. Some sailboats only made it about a metre before collapsing in the waves. Other boats took off swiftly toward the finish line in the middle of Yellowknife Bay.
Martin said he is an avid sailor and enjoys the sport because there is more skill involved than riding in a motorboat, for example.
"I like sailing a lot because there is a lot of speed and it's harder to control than a motorboat, and you got to control the whole boat so there is so much to do," he said.
Third-place winner Maliq Barnard, 9, said her sailboat was stronger than last year because she designed the sail so it stayed in place instead of moving around. The adjustment helped streamline its movement helping her nab third place.
"I used the same boat as last year and last year it nearly won but it didn't win," she said. "I actually think it may have actually been just how the wind was. Because last year, it did a really big sail that was not intended ... and it got broken and we fixed it in a few different ways, so it may have been how we fix it."
Regatta volunteer Richard McIntosh said it was fantastic to see all the families participate in the event.
"There was a lot of thought and time put into the design and construction of many of the boats and any one of them could have won under the blustery conditions. It's fun to see the friendly competition, cheering and laughing," he said.
The event was created to encourage families to work together toward a common goal and foster a sense of accomplishment.
