Club grows

Theres never a dull moment at the Aitutaki Sailing Club as sailors perfect their skills both on and off the water.

The club is enjoying steady growth of junior sailors with between 15 and 18 sailors regularly turning up on training days.

Recently some of the clubs older sailors received expert coaching by national coach Laura Baldwin in the Laser class.

Most of the clubs junior members are Optimist class sailors but Jim Brittijn of the Aitutaki Sailing Club is looking forward to his young athletes progressing up the ranks to the faster Laser class.

Last month the island hosted the national Optimist sailing championships and will again play host in July when sailors from the region gather in Aitutaki for the Oceania championships.

Brittijn is expecting under 18 sailors from Australia, New Zealand, Tahiti, New Caledonia and Fiji to compete in the championships against sailors from Aitutaki and Rarotonga.

The Oceania championships, scheduled to be held between July 20 and 25, are set to be another exciting regatta giving local sailors more opportunities to test their skills against some of the regions best young sailors.