Pierre Forland (left) and Dr. Chris Scheuren, commodore with the Osoyoos Sailing Club, are excited about this Sunday’s event that will see dozens of local members participate in Bart’s Bash. The event has been recognized by the Guinness World Book of Records as the largest-participating sailing event in the world. Local residents are also invited to participate in the event. (Keith Lacey photo)
A group of local sailors is excited about having the Osoyoos Sailing Club entered into the Guinness World Book of Records.
Between 40 and 50 club members are expected to participate in the upcoming Bart’s Bash, which has quickly become the world’s largest sailing event as sailing clubs all over the world will be participating in an event designed to set a new Guinness World Record, while also promoting the sport of sailing and encouraging young people to get involved in the sport, said Dr. Chris Scheuren, the commodore of the Osoyoos Sailing Club.
The second annual Bart’s Bash will take place this coming Sunday, Sept. 20.
Longtime Osoyoos Sailing Club member Pierre Forand read about Bart’s Bash a few weeks ago, informed Scheuren and they agreed fellow members would want to participate in the event.
“I was having a tough time sleeping one night and like many avid sailors, I started surfing the internet and was reading about sailing when I found out about Bart’s Bash,” said Forand. “I contacted Chris the next day and said, ‘We can do that’, he agreed and things just fell into place after that.”
Scheuren said he couldn’t think of a better event to promote the Osoyoos Sailing Club and the sport of sailing.
“I thought it would be a great way to promote the Town of Osoyoos and our sailing club and hopefully generate enough interest to get more young people involved in our sport, which is the goal of Bart’s Bash,” said Scheuren, a local chiropractor. “Canada only had two sailing clubs participate in the inaugural Bart’s Bash last year, but hopefully several more will join in.”
It will be exciting to be part of a special event that has officially been recognized by the Guinness World Book of Records as the largest mass participation sailing event in the world, he said.
Close to 50 club members have shown interest in participating in the event and he’s hoping non-members will want to take part, said Scheuren.
“You don’t have to be a member,” he said. “Just go on our website and send an email that you will be there on Saturday, what kind of boat you will be bringing and that you’re willing to donate $10 and we welcome you to join in the fun,” he said.
All participants will be asked to donate $10 each to Bart’s Bash.
Scheuren thanked Forland for finding out about the event and helping him organize Sunday’s local event.
Bart’s Bash is the World’s largest sailing event that is run by sailing clubs all around the world on behalf of The Andrew “Bart” Simpson Sailing Foundation.
The first Bart’s Bash event last year saw over 700 sailing clubs from over 68 different countries take part each in their own individual Bart’s Bash race at their location, helping to encourage more people to get on the water and enjoying a day’s sailing.
All the funds that were raised during the event will help support the development and delivery of the Andrew Simpson Foundation’s charitable programs nationally and internationally.
The Andrew Simpson Sailing Centre was opened last May on the Olympic waters of Weymouth and Portland in England.
Pilot programs, designed to enhance sailing activities and encourage participation, are also being tested in South Africa.
Full details and results from the first Bart’s Bash event can be found at www.bartsbash.com.
Simpson was well aware of the benefits of sailing and even of just being on the water and he encountered the highs and lows of sailing as a sport and worked as a team with his sailing partner as part of the larger British sailing team.
Simpson’s family and team know how much he developed as a person through sailing and he was always generous in passing on the knowledge he gained.
However the Foundation is aware that, currently, there is little evidence-based research to pinpoint how such personal development is aided by sailing.
As a result one of the Foundation’s major projects is funding research into the benefits of sailing as a sport, as a recreation and as an education and life development tool.
The results of such research will be shared widely to give greater awareness to the benefits of sailing and, in doing so, facilitate increased participation on the water.
The research will also be used to create and refine sailing programs to get the most out of being on the water.
Our Sailing Centre at Weymouth & Portland is at the heart of the activity of the Andrew Simpson Sailing Foundation and our home. The sailing school is located at one of the world’s greatest sailing venues and is a fully accredited RYA Training Centre.
KEITH LACEY
Osoyoos Times
