No Fair Wind For the First Stage of Sailing Fall 2002 Regatta
Last Sunday the gray-green because of duckweed and slime water of the Kyiv Reservoir was dead calm. No sign of wind, only thick mist making this object of Ukrainian ecologists’ constant concern look like a real sea, because the opposite shore could not be seen. While for the not numerous fishermen seeking for a more or less clean spot on the shores the situation was perhaps more than favorable, for the yachtsmen who came to the Vodnyk club for the Sailing Fall 2002 regatta it was quite the opposite.
The regatta scheduled to start at 10 am in fact did not open before noon. In the meantime, first outsiders of the day were defined. Big cruiser yachts sailing both rivers and seas where eliminated by the jury since their imposing weight would not yield to the light wind. The organizers spent a long time deciding whether it was acceptable to let more light and mobile third and fourth class vessels with crews of 4-5 persons to put out to the track which was reduced several times because of the unfavorable weather conditions. Motor boat dashing from one yacht to another was polling those present and finally, to the delight of both participants and journalists, made its way to the huge Perun catamaran, the jury’s headquarters, with a verdict: the race must go on in spite of the light wind. According to the yachtsmen, when the wind is low (though not that low), it is even better for the contestants, since it gives more opportunities to demonstrate not only the ship’s sailing qualities but the skills of its crew.
The Sailing Fall 2002 consists of four stages, two days each. The champion will be determined on the basis of the results. The final results will be summed up in November.
After the yachts took their start, the coloring of the landscape became notably more vivid. Red, blue, green, and, of course, scarlet sails soared over the water, giving one hope that the race will be a success in spite of the weather. It happened exactly so. It was not even 20 minutes after its start when the sun emerged from behind the clouds and a rather strong wind started blowing. The crew of the Ocean yacht took best advantage of it, winning the first regatta. Incidentally, the yacht’s price was $100,000 at the time of its construction, i.e. 11 years ago. It was purchased specifically for the world championship where it later triumphed over its rivals. On the whole prices for such vessels are between several thousand hryvnias (for a practically empty framework) and hundreds of thousands dollars. There is another significant nuance: the material of the boat. Lumber is considered the most expensive material. First, it secures long life of the hull which needs only occasional caulking and painting; besides, it is better in terms of ecology than plastics is.
During the second race of the day Tabula Rasa gained the victory over the Ocean. Unlike its distinguished relative, it is completely home-made. A colorful yellow-and-black Wasp also showed good results. However, not everybody came to the reservoir that day for victory. An elderly married couple crossed the finish line half an hour after the winners. But in return its captain entertained the public singing merry songs and playing the accordion. All in all, 25 vessels were in the Reservoir that day, however, not all of them taking part in the regatta. Many came together with their families to relax and watch the interesting show.
Formerly sailing sport enjoyed state support, chairman of the Sailing Sport Federation in Kyiv oblast Oleksandr Kazandey told The Day. After the collapse of the USSR it suffered a major decline along with other kinds of sports, which had been localized only in the last two or three years. The fact that sailing became a fashionable and prestigious hobby helped in this. While formerly only yachting clubs could buy yachts, now their number is increased mostly owing to private owners. Quite often a bank or a firm buys a yacht and puts it on a race under their logo, hiring a professional crew. In part, last Sunday there where as many private boats as club ones at the regatta. On the whole, the oblast federation currently numbers almost two hundred members, and their number is constantly growing. The yachtsmen get assistance from the Ministry of Physical Culture and Sports and the Ukrayina sports society.
