Squamish will soon be banking on the strong, reliable breeze that whips through the Howe Sound every day.
From Aug. 26-29, 20 of the fastest sailboats on the open water will be trying to ride these winds to a podium finish of the Canadian Sailing Team Trials, which feature the sleek and speedy 49er class boats.
"Squamish was picked because it's only one of three or four places in all of Canada that has the reliability of wind needed for this competition," said time trials coordinator Kevin Black of the West Vancouver Yacht Club.
The event is being run from the beach at the south end of the Nexen Lands site, and will be open to the public who are interested in checking out the action for all four days.
" The racing should make for some fantastic spectating," said Black.
According the website www.49er.org, the speeds of these boats have increased throughout the years to the point where they are now very much faster than all other monohulls in around-the-buoys racing. Their performance has become spectacular to the point of attracting large television audiences worldwide.
Skiff racing has been around for a very long time, and sailors in Athens are currently racing the 49er in Olympic events.
The 49er, is a relatively small boat at 18 feet, but can achieve astonishing speeds. They are only meant to be sailed by a crew of two, with huge rigging systems accompanied many sails. Because of the small, lightweight design of these boats, capsizing is a common occurrence.
"If it's a typical Squamish day, there'll be people wiping out and capsizing for sure," said Black. "There will be people swimming."
In the time trials championships, 49er crews will be gunning for the top two positions throughout a combined total of 16 different races. The top two boats from the Canadian Sailing Team trials will go to the national team.
All races start out with boats in a straight, organized line and the madness starts immediately. Skippers and crew members are harnessed into a "trapeze" from the top of the mast and use their weight to balance the boat to achieve top speed by hanging off the side of the boat on specially-designed wings.
"The 49er is the Formula 1 of sailboats," said Black. "There are very few sailors that can sail these kind of boats."
49ers from Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver, Calgary will all enter the Howe Sound to try and harness the wind to the best of their ability.
"The 49er sailors are definitely excited to sail at a place like Squamish," said Black.
