Racing for the rich only

[DavidofMersea]

It is often said that only rice people sail - I have always rubbished this, but now I am thinking again.

Three years ago I bought my, then 8 year old granddaughter an old Optimist. She did well in the local club racing, and the next year she wanted a better boat to race around the region.

Her father bought her a better boat and she got better and better, but by the end of the second season, she wanted an even better boat.

Her father bought a tip top boat, and last year she was the fastest 10 year old in the UK

Because of her record she has been invited to race in the selection trials for the British team to race in the Europeans and World championships. There are two events, one in north Wales and the other in Weymouth.

The entry fee is £140 each, (is that a con, or have I missed something) there is petrol money, accommodation for her and mother.

There will not be much change out of £1,000, and that is only for the two selection trials, and only 5 people out of over 80 will be selected.

Should she be good enough to be selected, it will be off to Lake Garda, and then Turkey.

....and all this is just for an 11 year old with an Optimist.

She is a good child, is appreciative, polite, works hard at school etc., so I don't mind putting my hand in my pocket, but what chance would she had if I could not afford it?

 

[FullCircle]

The thing is David, you can, and she should. Great opportunity, and stretches her talent.
Places like Southend Marine activities centre do run courses for free, and maybe they will develop from there.

I wouldn't beat yourself up over it, after all not everyone can get into Formula 1 either, or many different sports or activities.

I come from a ghetto in South London, and now, wonderful thing, I can afford my own boat. Social mobility is alive and kicking..

 

[Appleyard]

She obviously has a talent,which should be encouraged.With her record ,surely she can attract some sponsorship?

 

[Eastermaid]

Wait till she gets selected, and progresses to youth sailing. My son sails 29ers (team GBR) in last 12month been to Argintina, Italy, Spain, Australia, Sweden, not to mention 1000s of mile in Uk and shipping the boat to the southern hemisphere is not cheap, oh and by the way while the boats in a container for 4 months, she'll need another boat to train in!!! All to further his progression into 49er, where it gets worse

Speak to your bank manager or remortgage.

What price Olympic gold!!! My advice is dont go down the road unless you are very prepared as it snowballs the better they get the more it costs, and the harder it becomes to say no.

 

[DavidofMersea]

She has been selected by the Oppi people for special training, and this is proving useful, but it is more expense.

This is all very expensive, and I can afford it, but the point that I was making was that only those who can afford these things can be successful.

Like you FullCirle, I was also from humble beginnings, and now I can afford to pay for my granddaughter, and I am happy to do so. Perhaps our upbring makes us fighters.

 

[bedouin]

Unfortunately that seems to be true. Behind almost all great sportsmen in any field you will usually find dedicated parents spending a lot of money, and even more time, supporting their child.

To take any hobby to the highest level requires dedication support and cost. In some popular sports with rich national associations (e.g. Soccer and Tennis) there may be local facilities available cheaply that are in part funded by massive TV revenue. In sports without the TV money that rarely happens.

 

[Eastermaid]

I know what your saying there is probably a lot of talent out there which never gets chance to show itself due to cost, but I dont think sailing is alone in this tennis for one is just as bad.

I dont earn a fortune and have worked for what I have, its very frustrating when team mates fathers all have there own business and buy new sails every other regatta. As you go up the ladder there are fewer and fewer not so well off people involved, many fall by the wayside as cost increase. There is funding available but usually not a lot.

Good luck to your grandaughter, Im sure you'll enjoy sitting on the shore for hours on end!!!

 

[snowleopard]

It does sometimes come good. The son of a friend was a very keen sailor as a kid, progressing up through 420s etc. He hoped for olympic selection in the 49er but grew too tall. Currently he is in the match racing world champion crew and gets paid (by sponsors) to go around the world to compete.

Just be thankful the granddaughter doesn't want to be a showjumper. That gets really expensive!

 

[benjenbav]

I find this a fascinating area. Leaving aside the individual hardships, I would argue that it means that the performance level of the top players in any sport is proportional to the ease of participation.

In simplistic terms what I mean is that, to contrast football with motor racing: it is highly unlikely that there are any kids out there who would be capable of being better than Wayne Rooney because virtually everyone will have had the opportunity to kick a football around and progress through teams to the limit of their abilities. Conversely, because motor racing is relatively expensive and elitist it is statistically more probable that there are kids who would have the potential to be better than Lewis Hamilton.

Obviously, this argument needs to take into account exceptional individuals and it may well be that Lewis Hamilton is so exceptional that it wouldn't be possible to find a faster driver. I certainly am not seeking to diminish him.

I suppose it's why, in the days when pugilists used to take on all comers in exhibitions, there would always be a frisson of excitement when the village blacksmith took off his shirt and tried to beat seven bells out of the fancy-dan champion.

 

[savageseadog]

[ QUOTE ]
It is often said that only rice people sail - I have always rubbished this, but now I am thinking again..............

[/ QUOTE ] Do you mean the boat people like the Vietnamese that eat rice?

 

[Resolution]

I've always been thankful my children did not want to take up competitive swimming (it was a serious possibility). The 6am training sessions at the pool would have required a nasty adjustment to my personal timetable. There can be nothing more boring than watching swimmers plow up and down length after length. And few things worse for a hangover than the chlorinated atmosphere of an indoor pool.......

 

[wotayottie]

Like other grandparents your frame of reference has been left behind. The money you are talking of isnt a great deal these days. After all, its no more than 2 months of an annual contract in a Solent marina for a 35 footer.

Cant take it with you!

 

[Kylora]

[ QUOTE ]
Conversely, because motor racing is relatively expensive and elitist it is statistically more probable that there are kids who would have the potential to be better than Lewis Hamilton.

[/ QUOTE ]

Lewis Hamilton's dad wasn't rich. Dad was dedicated and focused. Lewis was talanted, and was spotted, and supported by Maclaren.

Ash

 

[Beadle]

You might try dropping a line to Sport England (the address on the web)

They have oodles of money from Gov and lottery - or at least they did before olympics.

They are supposed to help support promising young sportsmen and women.

 

[Kurrawong_Kid]

A tale of 2 world class hopefuls! One, crewing in the 29er, got so fed up going to Weymouth one weekend and Derwent Water the next that he told his Dad No! he was going to get a life and go skateboarding with his mates down the park. Still dinghy races, but now for his pleasure, not the glorification of the RYA and its coaches. A son of a colleague of mine was a very good shot. One day returning yet again from Bisley he told his Dad, who was heartbroken, at Newport Pagnell Services that was that and he was going to get some pleasure out of life rather than spending so much of the weekend travelling to practice for some national team or other.
What grieves me is that so much money is spent on the Olympics for national pride and so little at Club level which might begin to help to solve the problem of antisocial bored youth.

 

[Sybarite]

If I were rich and wanted to sponsor sailing I would choose the oppi class. For what one puts into one America's cup boat, you could have thousands of oppis all over the country ( in places where people can see them ) with my company's name on all those sails... and you would be helping kids to get into the sport.

Unfortunately I'm not rich.

John

 

[golden14]

I saw the Oppi worlds in Germany some 20 odd years ago, amazing as I recall to see some 1,000 odd entrants, slow boats but very competitive racing, flights of 200 struck me as amazing at even a young age

 

[jema]

theres a team of people to speak to at the rya, for help if she's going to progress upwards,

 

[wotayottie]

[ QUOTE ]
A tale of 2 world class hopefuls! One, crewing in the 29er, got so fed up going to Weymouth one weekend and Derwent Water the next that he told his Dad No! he was going to get a life and go skateboarding with his mates down the park. Still dinghy races, but now for his pleasure, not the glorification of the RYA and its coaches. A son of a colleague of mine was a very good shot. One day returning yet again from Bisley he told his Dad, who was heartbroken, at Newport Pagnell Services that was that and he was going to get some pleasure out of life rather than spending so much of the weekend travelling to practice for some national team or other.
What grieves me is that so much money is spent on the Olympics for national pride and so little at Club level which might begin to help to solve the problem of antisocial bored youth.

[/ QUOTE ]

Sad stories which reflect the culture in the UK and are the reason why we arent good at most any sport. Dont think its an issue of money and certainly dont agree with taxpayers money being spent on supporting sport nationally or locally. Your two examples show that providing facilities for bored youth doesnt work - they need to have reduced the time on their hands. Longer school days, much longer terms etc.

 

[harvey]

Yes and no.
There's a charitable trust (The Chesil Trust) alongside the Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy that doesn't have loads of money but did manage to get over a 1000 kids sailing last year for a fiver (the Trust provided the rest) and these are youngsters who otherwise wouldn't have got afloat and don't come from sailing families. Some of them have proved very good and are beginning to climb onto the greasy pole but since the Trust finds it difficult to raise funds, it can only help very few of the very best.
If anyone reading this is able to help provide some sponsorship funding and believes in the value of getting underprivileged children sailing, then I'd be delighted to receive a pm.
I ought to add that I'm a Trustee on the Chesil Trust.
John