A half-dozen teens and pre-teens from the North Shore have their course set for a prestigious world sailing competition taking place this spring in Florida. Six members of Hollyburn Sailing Club's Youth Race Team will be one of three Canadian teams at the 2018 FEVA World Championships.
Photo courtesy Hollyburn Sailing Club
These seafaring youngsters recently took first place in the 2017 BC Provincial Championships Feva Division.
Feva, for most of us landlubbers, is an International Sailing Federation (ISAF) International Class. “Fevas” are two-person dinghies specifically suited for young racers as a pre-Olympic development boat.
This year, the World Championships are happening in Clearwater, Florida, though the event typically takes place in Europe. In 2017, 17 nations were competing in the waters off the Netherlands.
Photo courtesy Hollyburn Sailing Club
You may see, or have seen, the Hollyburn kids with their yellow sails off Ambleside; they have been training hard, even in terrible weather conditions.
"They are tough, and they have worked hard for this event," attests Coach Matt Humer.
The event takes place April 1-8, 2018, and until then, the young Hollyburn sailors are piloting a few fundraising initiatives to support their participation in the race. One such endeavour is a Go Fund Me campaign with a $5,000 goal.
