Found at: http://www.anguillaguide.com/article/articleprint/5371/-1/135/
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Weekend Fun Keeps Youngsters busy
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Many positively-thinking young men across Anguilla have grouped themselves into what has the potential of becoming a strong force in harnessing youthful energies and encouraging discipline, while building interest in the national sport of boat-racing and other fun-filled activities.
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Young leaders and sailors from across the island
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They are all flocking to Road Bay every weekend to race a growing number of colourful and sleek miniature boats which dart in and out among the fleet of various vessels normally anchored in the harbour.
One of the main organisers is Darren Baptiste who told The Anguillian why the sporting activities, which include swimming and running races, have been organised.
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The fleet of sailing boats
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“Well you see, the young fellows of today instead of getting involved in violence can come to the beach and have a very good time partying and racing sailing boats,” he said. “These tiny boats are called Sunfish and Aqua-fins. We have fellows from South Hill, North Hill, West End, Island Harbour and here in Sandy Ground. They are all coming from far and near to be a part of us.”
Baptiste was speaking last Sunday, October 28, as he barbecued chicken and ribs in a corner of the beach. “The youngsters came from so far that I told everyone that it was best that we can throw a ‘lil’ party and have some cheap trophies – nothing too expensive because we race for fun,” he said.
There were twelve of the attractive boats lined up for the race and more were expected to join them. The little vessels carry such catchy names as Monster, Rip-It, Red Bull, No Sex and The Infamous Rebel.
Baptiste, who is a chef at Mango’s Restaurant, went on: “The youngsters are keeping together and we are trying to pull out more of them to come with us instead of getting in violence. I was raised up in Sandy Ground and I was always on the seawater. I love the sea.”
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The Red Bull and sailor
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Damien Carty, whose father is the proprietor of Rebel Marine, the island’s leading boat-building yard, producing world-class luxury boats for the local and overseas markets, said of the race for the little boats: “It is the same thing like the real and big Anguillian racing boats. It is on a point system: the boat placing first gets five; the second gets four and so on, down to the fifth. At the end of the five races, whichever boat has the most points will get the first place trophy and it goes down the line for the second and third trophies and so on…”
Carty’s boat, The Infamous Rebel, is one of the fastest sailing boats and so is Red Bull, owned by Con, a racing enthusiast from Sandy Ground.
Carty said that many of the tiny boats were around for several years and were recently refurbished for the weekend races. There were fourteen boats in the race the week before. “There is a lot of fun just like on the big racing boats,” he continued. “Hard-lees, round-the-stake, rubbing and everything else apply. We do not race with international rules. We race with Anguillian rules.”
Ossie Rey is another of the young men involved in the Sunfish races. The party at Sunday’s event was also to celebrate, in advance, his 32nd birthday on Wednesday this week. As part of his contribution to the race he provided three beautiful trophies for the first, second and third prizes.
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Ossie Rey with trophies
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“The fellows have been racing for weeks, finding something to do instead of running up and down the place and they are now learning to race,” Rey stated. “I decided since my birthday was coming up, and nobody was recognising the young racers, that I would get three trophies for the winning boats. As you can see we have a lot of colourful boats with a number of youngsters around and we are teaching them to sail.
“We just want the people of the island to know that we are trying to do this very often and to have something for the youngsters.”
He said that along with the boat race there were swimming events in the inshore waters and sprints across the beach to add to the fun.
These are all good forms of recreation and entertainment for youngsters across the island and are also attracting the interest and attendance of the adult population. The young men, who are holding the weekend activities, should be complimented for their efforts.
Commendation is also due to the Anguilla Sailing Association,, which has a training programme in sailing at Road Bay for schoolchildren, and the National Bank of Anguilla, which has an annual fun day there, for setting a fine example of what can be done for the island’s community.