Student sailors take to the water for national competition in Plymouth

Some of the country’s most talented young sailors are heading to Plymouth this weekend for one of the national sailing calendar’s most hotly contested competitions.

Around 200 participants from 20 universities around the UK will take to the waters of Plymouth Sound for the prestigious British Universities and College Sport (BUCS) National Fleet Racing Championships on November 02 and 03.

It is the fourth time the event has been held in the city, with this year’s championships hosted by a partnership of Plymouth University and the Students' Union (UPSU) and based at the Mount Batten Watersports Centre.

A team of 65 students will be flying the flag for the city, cheered on by spectators who will be able to watch the event from the waterside of the Mount Batten Centre, the Mount Batten Breakwater or the Hoe.

Rich Evans, Vice-President for Sports and Societies at UPSU, said: “Plymouth University has a great record in this event, and in 2012 we won the most points overall. It is fantastic to be able to compete on our home waters – the Sound is a brilliant venue and there is an amazing passion for sailing in the city. We are all hoping our sailors can match the achievements of last year, and bring several more trophies home once again.”

Ahead of the two-day spectacular, one of the legends of British sailing will be giving a public talk about his life and his continued passion for the sport.

Pete Goss, former Royal Marine and Plymouth University honorary doctorate, has sailed a total of more than 250,000 nautical miles in a career that has featured dozens of epic voyages. This includes taking part in the Vendee Globe 1996, where he received a Legion D’Honneur for saving the life of a fellow sailor, involvement with the pioneering project ‘Team Philips’ and more recently sailing a replica of a 19th century wooden lugger The Spirit of Mystery from Cornwall to Australia.

His free talk, on Friday 1 November starting at 7pm, will take place in the University’s Devonport Lecture Theatre and is being hosted by Plymouth University’s Marine Institute.

Its Associate Director Paul Wright said: “Pete Goss is an inspiration to all. As a Westcountryman and adventurer he has constantly set himself challenges which have been realised by determination and courage. His talk, titled Dare to Dream, recognises not only his own life’s philosophy but also reflects Plymouth University’s ambitions for its students established in its own motto – Explore, Dream, Discover.”

For more about the weekend’s events, and where to see the action, visit www.plymouth.ac.uk.