Hebe Jebes Dec/Nov 2013 | Page 52

Sailability 1st Prize to the ‘Saturday Sailors’. A really happy but tired lot! Asian Para Games—Team A awarded 2nd Prize. A tremendous effort from all Sailability Charts New Waters Words Mike Rawbone Sailability今年有幸獲選為「聖誕老人行動」受益人﹗項目獲 發604,000港元善款,作為培訓殘疾選手出戰明年十月韓國大 賽之用。 對白沙灣遊艇會、Sailability及參與人士而言,24小時慈善小 艇賽取得空前成功,甚至獲「 now寬頻電視」新聞採訪及香港 電台拍攝比賽過程,我們深感榮幸﹔本會總共派出6艘 Access 303小艇參賽,其中4艘航行了整整24小時﹗ 我們3艘全新Access 303小艇(分別有粉紅色、藍色及橙色, 由本遊艇會、 ABC及香港遊艇會贊助)。 順帶一提,我們正為明年出戰韓國大賽搜尋小艇,需要2.4米 單人小艇(除Access 303外),已獲一名贊助商支持,尚欠兩 名贊助商,請大家多多幫忙! 最後,我們誠心感謝白沙灣遊艇會及所有志願人士幫忙, 堅持逢週五、週六及週日出席活動,風雨無間﹗ 30 Hebe jebes • NOV/DEC 2013 For those of you with a memory, the last Sailability article finished with the comment, “Whatever next?” Well, I am pleased to report a lot has happened since that question was posed… Firstly, and as many of you will have read in the SCMP and/ or heard on RTHK, Sailability has become a beneficiary of ‘Operation Santa Claus’ this year. Our project is to be given $604,000 as a contribution towards training our Para sailors and getting our team to South Korea next October. Wonderful news as the balance of costs will be met by the Hong Kong Paralympics Committee. All we need now is the winter kit! Secondly, the 24-hour event was an outstanding success for HHYC, Sailability and all those who participated. It was also good to see the event covered by ‘now TV’ news and filmed by RTHK. In all we had six Access 303s competing, four of which sailed for the full 24 hours. Prizes were subsequently awarded in the Access 303 class to: 1st Saturday Sailors—Sailors with learning difficulties (accompanied by instructors or volunteers) 2nd Asian Para Games—Team A (potential Asian Para Games athletes with physical disabilities) 3rd Enlighten—the epilepsy awareness charity As part of the 24-hour race prize giving presentation, Sailablilty were delighted to receive the prize for the best dressed team! Well, we did stand out a little—didn’t we! Our new 3 Access 303s (Pink, Blue and Orange have been sponsored by HHYC; ABC & the RHKYC respectively). Most sincere thanks go to their respective general committees and the membership of each sailing club. It is fantastic to see the Hong Kong sailing family come together to support us in our quest to represent Hong Kong next year. We are now looking at a new class of boat—the 2.4-metre single-handed class—which we are to sail (in addition to the Access 303 class) in Korea next year. By the way, we have one firm sponsor for these and are seeking two more! In October—and with thanks again to the Dutch Association in Hong Kong—we finally received delivery of our first safety boat. Our new engine has arrived and everything is being made ready for the formal launch party in the coming few weeks. It’s all getting very exciting isn’t it! We have a duty to report that several of the original trustees changed during the month and our new Trustee Committee comprises: The Sailability Award for the sailor who made the most progress in the 2012/13 year, was given to Simon Mountain (Saturday Sailor). Pictured here—a young ‘happy chappy’ I think! • Continuing: Mike Rawbone, Michael Randall, Barry Hill, Mark Houghton & David Campbell (continuing). • Newly appointed: Mark Ashton, David Williams & Surinder Punjya—independent (newly appointed). • Stepping Down: Marven Bowles and Edward Bunker (independent) to whom we offer our sincere thanks for their past contribution and support. We have one remaining post open should you know of someone who is great at fundraising and has the time! As always, our sincere thanks go to HHYC for all their support and all our volunteers who consistently turn out on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays—rain or shine. We could not do it without you. 31