Birżebbuġa Sailing Club recently held its annual ranking spring regatta, offshore at Delimara and inshore at St George's Bay the following day. The latter venue is one of the few pockets of water where dinghy sailors are able to race within Marsaxlokk bay.
This location also offers the best vantage points for spectators to follow the races from land.
This year, dinghy sailing enthusiasts enjoyed the excitement of the races as much as the sailors. For both the Laser and the Optimist classes, this regatta, which was sponsored by Crosscraft through Campigaz, is one of a series on the calendar of the Malta Sailing Federation.
Race Officer Peter Dimech chose St George's Bay to lay the course on Sunday, after the long afternoon at sea the previous day when the light winds and currents conspired to complicate his attempts to get a course laid. At the end of the first day, only one race was held outside Delimara point.
On Saturday, Dimech laid an Olympic trapezoid racing course in a south easterly corridor of wind that swept down from below San Luċjan tower inland towards St George's Bay.
The spectators could follow the Laser and Optimist sailors as boats that seemed to be dispersed over the waters abruptly converged on the marks very close to the seashore, to be rounded.
The fast, modern Olympic class Lasers constantly interchanged positions as some who regained in the upwind beats positions lost in runs. It was exciting to see rivals luffing on the reaches and skillfully covering on the runs.
The most able sailors shadowed on the beats in efforts to prevent others gaining any strategic advantages. Close encounters among the Laser fleet resulted in protest to be settled by the committee on shore.
The Laser team, in its final preparations for the GSSE in Cyprus, provided excellent displays of strategy tactics and boat handling as the sailors were never far from each other.
As children on Optimists crisscrossed safely in the same venue, they were caught up in the sailing 'aggressiveness' of their adult counterparts and followed suit. The efforts of the youngsters were also reflected in the faces of some of the parents, on shore, or in escorting boats, as some strained silently but others more vociferously to will some extra speed into their children's boats.
A trophies award reception was held at the Birżebbuġa Sailing Club on Sunday evening. Commodore George Bonnici invited Robert Vella Farrugia to present the engraved glass trophies to the winners.
Bonnici thanked the racing committee, led by Peter Dimech, the safety and support team, led by David Dalli, the protest committee, led by Jovin Rausi and the parents.
The club commodore also congratulated the sailors for their commitment and high-level sailing skills.
Results
Optimist Novice Class: 1. R. Briffa; 2. R.Muscat; 3. G.Vella Farrugia.
Optimist Cadets Class: 1. T. Bonello Ghio; 2. K. Miggiani; 3. Z. Zammit.
Optimist Open: 1. E. Fleri Soler; 2. T. Zammit Tabona; 3. T. Bonello Ghio.
Laser 4.7 Class: 1. D. Dalli; 2. D. Attard.
Laser Radial Class: 1. Z. Borg; 2. C. Podesta; 3. J. Rossi.
Laser Standard Class: 1. Z. Borg; 2. C. Podesta; 3. J. Rossi.