Sailing festival

The Malta Sailing Federation's fifth festival was hosted by the Vikings Sailing Club last weekend.

This event represents the top national sailing event of the year, at the end of which national champions are selected.

This year's regatta took on additional importance as it was the first of three from which the selection of sailors to form the national teams in Optimist, Laser Radial and Laser Standard classes is to be made.

These will represent Malta at the GSSE in June 2003.

Sailors in the three classes of dinghy have been undergoing intensive training under the direction of coaches Jerome Mainmare and Jean Paul Fleri Soler. Their physical condition is monitored regularly through tests carried out at the Malta Olympic Committee's Functional Diagnostic Laboratory.

The regatta consisted of seven races in the waters between Tigne Point and Dragonara. The 45 dinghies battling against the elements provided a beautiful spectacle along the Sliema front. In addition, a fleet of radio controlled model boats competed off the Vikings Club at Haywharf.

At the end of the regatta, Benji Borg, Peter Valentino and Mario Aquilina were declared national champions in the Optimist, Laser Radial and Laser Standard classes respectively.

Kevin Gauci Maistre won the Mirror 10 championship, Kurt Camilleri Burlo the Model Boat class and Karl Cremona the Optimist Cadets.