Tweed Valley Sailing Club were proud to be represented by 5 of their members crewing in the races at the Sail Paradise Regatta week at Southport yacht club this year. Experienced sailors Craig Foley from Tugun on Stormy Petrel V & Deborah Flannery from Bilambil on Shirley Valentine & John Pring on Wildflower 2 have been regularly sailing on the “big boats” during 2017. Their experience on dinghies on the Tweed River gives them a head start on other potential crew. Even with only a few months of sailing experience with TVSC Andrew Jaggers from Chillingham and Jessica Normand from Byron Bay found spots on KD Girl and Ramble Tamble respectively and had the time of their lives in the winds gusting to 20 plus knots.
There were other TVSC connections though. One of the club’s inital start up members back in 2011 – Rob Westmorland from Bilambil still sails his Laser dinghy for fun but now spends his spare time on some of the best yachts in Australia. His love for sailing has really paid off and he and John Pring have started 2018 on a real high.
The yachts competed in 5 races over 4 days with TVSC’s best result being Wildflower II coming FIRST in their division and Stormy Petrel V coming in 2nd in the Cruising Yacht Spinnaker division.
I think we’re likely to see more TVSC members up at this great regatta in 2019. in the meantime they have a year to practice with competition no less fierce (but friendly!) on the Tweed with another club race with TVSC at Fingal Head this Sunday afternoon.
If you too would like to have a taste of sailing contact the club by email tvscmail@gmail.com or call club Commodore Bill Fenelon 0411 123 405.