May 30 , 2008

Zululand OBSERVER

	Another championship for the Bay For the first time, the Zululand Yacht Club will be hosting the 2008 National Laser Championships from 28 June - 4 July. Tanya Waterworth YET again Richards Bay has been chosen to host a major sporting event, bringing along with it a strong injection into the local economy. Chairman of the Laser Association, Steve Martin, has confirmed that the 2008 Action Bolt National Laser Championship will be hosted at the Zululand Yacht Club (ZYC) from 28 June - 4 July. 'This is the first time Richards Bay has been chosen to hold this event and there will be sailors coming from all over the country, particularly the Cape, as well as Zimbabwe, to compete in a week of sailing,' said Martin. He said that the event is used by competitors as a training venue for the World Championships, which will include two young sailors from Richards Bay. Due to the volume of entries for world events, these have now become limited and slots are allocated per nation, where sailors are ranked by earning points at championship events such as this one. 'Richards Bay is perfectly placed to host the national championships and has the ideal climate. 'We are looking at to up to 1 000 visitors descending on Richards Bay for the week, but we will also be opening the Yacht Club facilities to locals as well for that period,' said Martin. He said a week of festivities and entertainment was being planned for each day of the championships and that they are looking for support from local companies. Interested sponsors can contact Steve Martin on 082 5734122.