Alberta family makes long trip to Osoyoos to compete in Osoyoos Sailing Club’s annual regatta

David Mills, along with his daughter Amy, 11, and Kieran, 14, made the long trip from Brooks, Alberta last week to compete in the Lake Osoyoos Sailing Club’s annual regatta. (Keith Lacey photo)

So many of his friends in Alberta had told David Mills about the Osoyoos Sailing Club’s annual fall regatta that he finally relented and made the long 10-hour trip from Brooks last September.

Mills had such a good time that he returned this past weekend and brought along his daughter Amy, 11, and son Kieran, 14.

The Mills family proved that competitive sailing is a sport that can be enjoyed by all ages.

“I think the thing I love most about the sport is you can have kids as young as age 7 or 8 out there sailing against people in their 70s or 80s,” said Mills, who was competing against his son in the Seaspray division over the weekend.

Mills said he has many longtime friends from Alberta who had competed at the annual regatta in Osoyoos and all of them had nothing but praise for the event and the people who organize it.

“I have some friends who have been coming to Osoyoos for this regatta dating back almost 20 years,” said Mills. “I had always wanted to come, but couldn’t work things out until last year.

“I had an absolutely awesome time, so I brought the kids with me this time around and we’re having a great time.”

His oldest son Tom, 15, has been a competitive sailor since age 5, but couldn’t make the trip to Osoyoos this time around, he said.

Ironically, his wife has no interest in the sport whatsoever, he said.

“She is very reluctant to get on a boat of any kind,” he said smiling. “She’s the cheerleader and loves watching the kids compete, but has zero personal interest in the sport at all.”

Mills and his children practice their sailing skills on Lake Newell, which is the largest lake in southern Alberta and not far from his home near Brooks, he said.

Mills said his love of the sport of sailing was instilled into him by his father at a very young age and he’s proud to have passed his passion down to his three children.

“It’s a real thrill to battle the elements and do whatever it takes to use the wind to your advantage and try and go as fast as you possibly can,” he said. “When it gets really windy, you’re sometimes on the edge and are capable of going really fast and it’s a really exciting thing to be a part of.”

You also get to meet some wonderful people who share the same passion, he said.

His daughter agrees.

“You’re by yourself out on the water and you’re in control and it’s a challenge to try and go fast,” she said. “The best part is when you’re going really fast and you have to hike (standing on the outside of your boat) to try and balance the boat so you can keep going fast.”

Kieran has a simpler explanation for his love of sailing.

“I just like going fast,” he said smiling.

Osoyoos is a beautiful little town and Osoyoos Lake provides a wonderful experience for competitive sailing, said Mills.

“At our home lake in Alberta, you have to go out to the middle of the lake to get really good wind,” he said. “It’s nice here because the lake isn’t that wide and you get to race right in front of the sailing club with all of the competitors looking on. It makes it a great experience.”

Mills said he and his children would continue returning to Osoyoos for the fall regatta for many years to come.

“I think we’ll be back,” he said. “The racing is good and the kids just love it here.”

Garry Ford, the commodore with the Osoyoos Sailing Club, said this year’s event was a resounding success even though all of Sunday’s races had to be cancelled due to high winds and rough water.

The regatta attracted close to 40 boats and numerous competitors from Alberta as as well as across the Okanagan Valley, he said.

This event acts as the official Canadian Seaspray Championships and many of the top racers in Western Canada come to Osoyoos to compete in this division, said Ford.

Ford shared the same thoughts as Mills when it comes to his attraction to the sport of sailing.

“It’s a sport you can enjoy throughout your entire life,” he said. “We’ve had competitors in this regatta as young as age 8 and some well into their 80s. That’s very nice to see.”

Strong winds on Friday and Saturday provided for some excellent competition, he said.

“We had really good weather both days, which isn’t always the case,” he said. “It made for some outstanding racing both days.”

A group of 25 volunteers helps out organizing the annual regatta and do a wonderful job preparing meals for all of the racers and their family members, he said.

Ford says the September regatta has been part of the Osoyoos Sailing Club almost every year since it opened in 1963 and he’s looking forward to the event to continue being a success for many years to come.

KEITH LACEY

Osoyoos Times