Thanks to Debby for letting us know about the challenge taking place this coming weekend. Ed
Seven sailing cadets inspired by the success of Sir Ben Ainslie are to sail across the Solent in their racing dinghies for Sport Relief 2014.
The boys aged from nine to 14 are all from the Royal Victoria Yacht Club on the Isle of Wight. They will race their Optimist class racing dinghies from Stokes Bay, just south of Gosport, to Fishbourne on Sunday 23rd March.
Brainchild of nine year old Cameron
The challenge to sail the four nautical miles in the small design boats, across major shipping lanes, was thought up by the youngest member of the team, nine year old Cameron Hook.
Cameron’s father Michael the Oppie Captain, said Cameron, motivated by the fantastic success of Sir Ben Ainslie in the Americas Cup, wanted to test his ability in a boat and do something for Sport Relief so came up with this idea for the fleet. Sir Ben began sailing at the age of eight when he was given an Optimist by his parents, he took part in the World Championships in Japan when he was 12.
The team
The team of Cameron Hook, nine, 12 year old Matthew Bamber, 13 year old Felix Arthur, 14 year old triplets Tom, Harry and Charlie White and Daniel Wentzel, 14 will be escorted by five support boats during the 90 minute crossing.
