West Kirby 4

Wim Bleeker and Marcel Bleeker are the winners of the west Kirby event. A part of the inTernational friendship series for classic dinghies. Jeroen de Groot and Damy Jansen were number two. Pieter Bleeker and Albert Helder number three.
Price giving ceremony by The president of the international 12 foot dinghy class organization Steve Crook and the grand daughter of the designer George Cockshott. Her name is Jane Rowe. A lot of pictures and movies are taken. In the next days, it will be published on this blog and other websites. For example the 12footcwc.org
During the dinner Reinhard Schroeder has given the organisation some presents. He has also explain the present dinghy situation in the world and what the plans are with the new organisation 12footcwc.

West kirby 3

Perfect sailing weather. Four races today. Wim Bleeker was unbeatable with four times a number 1. See the results beneath. Sunday the last day of this perfect organised event. Another 2 races to go. 16:00hr price giving ceremoney with peter cockshott and jane rowe. Their grandfather was george cockshott, the designer of the 12foot dinghy in 1913.

West kirby 2

The first sailing day in West Kirby. Strong wind. Most dinghy sailors has choosen to sail with a crew. Number 1 Wim Bleeker with a 1 and a 2. But there is a protest. In that case Jeroen de Groot is number 1. Stephen Beresford has shown his  new dinghy made from spruce in the nice clubhouse of the west kirby sailing club. See the picture. A lot of publicity, see 12footdata. Also a new class organisation is launched. See www.12footcwc.org

West kirby 1

Hans Reijers with 3 dinghies, Jeroen de Groot with 6, Harm Ploeger and Pieter Bleeker each with 1. We are now on the ferry. In Ipswich we have booked a hotel and the next day we go to west kirby.

Albert Helder

Dinghy sailor of the month July: Albert Helder. At the age of 27 year he was the best sailor in the Netherlands. Two times Dutch champion in the strong 16m2 class and winner of the PIP: the champion of all class champions. After that he has stopped with sailing regatta's, till he became enthusiast about a classic dinghy in 2012. He is now almost 70 years old and still a very tactical sailor. You can met Albert in West Kirby end of july. The picture is taken in Portoroz, Slovenia in 2012 while we were making a fun trip to Piranha with the dinghy.

Writers blog 12footnews