Cleveland sailor wanted!

Sailing on Lake Michigan at Gay Games VII (photo Alice Cooperman)

A message from FGG member organization GLORY:

Sailing is one of the more than 30 sports on offer at the Gay Games in Cleveland+Akron in 2014.

We think we've found a sailing club and enough boats for the regatta, but we need a local contact in Cleveland who knows something about sailing.

If you know someone who might help us, please let me know.

Regards,

Paul White
GLORY
www.glorysailing.org
info@glorysailing.org

Flashback: video report on Gay Games VIII sailing

It's in Dutch, but you'll get the picture!

19 October 2012 / Euro Gay Cup sailing competition

It is our pleasure to finally announce the 11th Euro Gay Cup. Once again GLBT sailors from all over Europe will compete to be the best European crew. The first organizational issues have been solved, so we can invite you to come to Lemmer / Netherlands from Oct 19th to 22nd 2012 

It was not possible to bring this event to Sweden or the Baltic Sea. After lots of plans and discussions we had to find out that there are major financial or organizational problems. Nevertheless, we are happy to have the 11th Euro Gay Cup in Lemmer again.

The registration fee for the Euro Gay Cup is 279 euros. Included are the costs fort he boats, accommodation (on the vessel), charges for regatta and harbour and the sailors’ party.

Based on last year’s experience we had to increase the fee. There have been some costs which were not been taken into calculation last year and which the organizers had to pay for out of pocket.

We were lucky to have Andreas Kühn and his team on board again. The regatta will be lead by Uwe Moeck, whom you will remember from 2011.

Info and registration HERE.

Pride Games add sailing, basketball, cycling, and multi-terrain 5K run

Pride Sports Manchester keep adding events to the 2012 Pride Games

Ride With Pride: 14 July 2012

Last year’s inaugural Pride Ride in the stunning Peak District saw some amazing riding: everyone had a brilliant time! So don’t miss out on the 2012 ride along the beautiful lanes of the Cheshire Plains, with the odd hill still. Not as much like Switzerland as last year, maybe, but you’ll nevertheless get the chance to tackle Alderley Edge’s Swiss Hill on this classic ride.
Register now for the 60 mile or the 60 km route, both are fantastic. On the day we’ll give you a detailed route map, we’ll check your bike out and carry out any minor repair or fine-tuning needed ready for the 10am start. Once again we’ll have back-up on the ride in the form of Al and Patrick from BikeRight!
And if you’ve any queries before the ride just contact Al or Patrick on 061 230 7007 or email mountainbiking@bikeright.co.uk.

Register HERE.

Basketball taster: 17 July 2012

The Slam Dunkin' Divas, Manchester's one and only women's LGBT Basketball Club, are inviting their
male friends for a mixed taster session! Last year's taster was a big success, and we are hoping the
basketball fanatic guys out there will join us for a fun night of basketball. So whether you're an absolute
beginner, a Michael Jordan, or you're returning to the sport after many years, this is the session for you.
Our qualified coaches will be leading the two hour session, feel free to email at slamdunkindivas@googlemail.com us with any questions you may have.

Register HERE.

Multi-terrain 5K Run: 21 July 2012

As part of Manchester Pride Games, Manchester Frontrunners are organising a 5km multi terrain run in Chorlton Water Park. This one lap course starts at the scenic Chorlton water park, and will take you along the Mersey River and down country lanes, with a few hills and stiles thrown in along the way to keep it interesting.

Manchester Frontrunners is proud to be a friendly club, and this race is open to all. No matter what your running ability our team will be there to cheer you along all the way round. There shall be prizes for the top three men and women finishers.

Register HERE.

Sailing: 21 July 2012

Are you a sailor? Fancy trying it? LGBT and want to meet people?
As part of the Pride Games, we are offering: a sailing taster session and an improvers session. Both sessions will be run simultaneously so choose which one you'd like to attend and register above.

So whether you're a complete Beginner, Improver, Ellen MacArthur or fancy coming as a social member...come and join us! We are the The Sailing and Cruising Association...! (Gay Sailing)
Come for the day - meet us to find out more, have a sail (if you fancy) and a pint..!

Register HERE. Find out more on our Facebook page - HERE

23 June 2012 / Stonewall Sails Regatta in New York

GLORY announces an event from Knickerbocker Sailing Association:

Stonewall Sails Regatta, New York — Saturday, June 23 at 1:30am at Hudson River Community Sailing Boathouse, West Street @ 26th Street (Next to Frying Pan Lighthouse)...


ksa-nyc.org

Euro Gay Cup regatta opens in the Netherlands

We send our best wishes to all participatnts in the Euro Gay Cup sailing weekend as it opens today.

The event, sanctioned by GLORY and organized by Christoph Gaspers-Carouge, who organized the sailing event at Gay Games VIII, brings together sailers from around Europe.

This 9th Euro Gay Cup 2011 is taking place in Lemmer, in the Netherldands through October 3th 2011. The Euro Gay Cup 2011 will be held on sailing yachts for the first time in the history of the event.

Learn more about the event and its history HERE.

North Rhine-Westphalia Premier patron of 2011 Euro Gay Cup

Hannelore Kraft, the Premier of North Rhine-Westphalia, will serve as patron of the 2011 Euro Gay Cup,

The 9th Euro Gay Cup will take place in Lemmer, The Netherlands, from 30 September to 3 October 3th 2011.

The Euro Gay Cup 2011 will be held on sailing yachts for the first time in the history of the event.

For more info on this sailing event, visit the website HERE.

30 Sept 2011 / Sailors wanted for Euro Gay Cup

The Euro Gay Cup was established in 2001 in Amsterdam, to allow European gay and lesbian sailors to the opportunity to prepare for Gay Games VI in Sydney. The next Euro Gay Cups were held in 2002 in the Netherlands, in 2003 in Cowes in England, in 2004 in Paris. More recent editions took place in 2005/2006 in Berlin, in 2007/2008 in Brighton, and in 2009 in Finkefee. The Gay Games VIII sailing event took the place of the Euro Gay Cup in 2010.

For 2011, the 9th Euro Gay Cup will take place in Lemmer in the Netherlands, from September 30th to October 3rd.

For the first time, the event will use sailing yachts. Everybody can participate - regardless of gender or sexual orientation! We will sail with teams of 6 peoples per boat (bigger or smaller crews maybe possible, please contact us)! The crews sleep on the vessels. Take advantage of this opportunity to race on the Ijsselmeer!

More info and registration can be found HERE.

UK LGBT sailing club shortlisted for national award

News from the Pink Paper about a member organization of FGG-member Gay and Lesbian Organisation for Racing and Yachting (note that our friends at Pride Sports tell us that there are other LGBT sailing clubs in the UK, including two in Greater Manchester):

The Sailing and Cruising Association, the UK’s only gay and lesbian sailing club, has been shortlisted for The Royal Yachting Association Club of the Year 2011 award.

The RYA, which is the national body for all forms of boating within the UK, has recognised the Sailing & Cruising Association for its commitment to engage with the gay community and encourage people to get on the water.

The club which promotes sailing, motor cruising, dinghy sailing and training courses has also been commended for its range of quality and safe water-based activities, attracting new club members and volunteers together with demonstrating good governance and club management.

The RYA sees the support and future development of clubs, such as the Sailing & Cruising Association, as essential to the continuing popularity of all forms of boating and as key deliverers of quality training, safe racing and access to the water.

Commenting on the news, Reggie Blennerhassett, Club Commodore said: “This is the very best start to the new year we could have wished for. 2010, our 30th anniversary year, saw many highs, including multiple medals at the International Gay Games, winning silver in the 2010 Inshore Jog Series and record membership numbers. Now, 2011, with news of the RYA awards shortlist, is already proving to be another exciting year for the club”.

The announcement of the overall winner will take place at the RYA Volvo Dinghy Show, taking place at Alexandra Palace, London from 5 – 6 March.

For more information on the Sailing & Cruising Association which has groups in London and the East Coast, see www.gaysailing.org.uk

Flashback to Cologne: Gay Games VIII sailing competition

From games-cologne.de:

"Decisions should be made democratically, especially concerning controling a boat."

The essential meaning of teamwork clearly surfaces during the sailing competition. The participants, divided into beginner and advancer division, competed in Valk boats with 3 persons on board. Even the team constellation is worth mentioning.

For example the team “A.S.S” included members from three different continents. They came from Europe (Amsterdam), Australia (Sydney) and USA (Seattle) to sail together at Gay Games VIII. Their love of sailing created an instant connection, even with their different cultural backgrounds, and they worked together as a team. Onboard, there is a lively and polite atmosphere; decisions must be made quickly and in unison, similar to a commando unit.

Team „Liberty“ has a similar approach. Its members come from Netherlands, Iceland and the USA. Very soon after meeting, they agreed on an original mix of sailing commands of different languages. “Teamwork is important and decisions should be made democratically , especially concerning controling a boat” says the team skipper. Every participant arrived as a single sportsman, they found each other at the harbor, and now have grown together as a team.

The amount of male and female athletes is very balanced. The Team “Liberty” started with one man and two women.

A sailing regatta is the unique kind of sport, which took place near Cologne in the Dutch Roermond on the Maas Lakes. The VIII. Gay Games was financially supported by the city Roermond and therefore made possible that sailing be part of Gay Games VIII. The regatta was organised with the support of the Sailing Clubs in Maas en Roer.

More photos can be found at http://www.qubesport.net/photos

30th anniversary of Gay Games-medal-winning UK LGBT sailing club

From the Pink Paper:

More than 150 members came together earlier this month to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the UK’s only gay and lesbian sailing club, the Sailing & Cruising Association.

Sailors marked the anniversary and a notable record of achievements for the club, which promotes sailing, motor cruising and dinghy sailing by attending a black tie event held at the Royal Horseguards Hotel in Whitehall, London.

Sailing highlights of the 2010 season included 18 members of the club competing in the Cologne Gay Games, winning both silver and bronze medals, as well as the club’s main racing yacht, Night Owl, winning silver in the 2010 Inshore Jog Series.

Continue reading HERE.

Live from Cologne - Team Newport and Die Perlen (Germany) take sailing gold

Another report about sailing from Bill Doyle, Team Newport Rhode Island.

The racing all week led to an exciting, sometimes frustrating, and always unpredictable regatta where even the winners didn't know the final scores until they were announced during the medal ceremony.

The racers were divided into two classes, three person crews in competitive (24 teams) or recreational (7 teams) divisions with some very experiences sailors participating. Represented in the competitive class were national Olympic team members and crews with World Championship experience. The top teams battled it out in every race, with two from the UK, two from Germany, and one from the USA seeming to emerge as the favorites for victory. One UK team in particular had won five of their six heat races and showed consistency throughout the week, seemingly unstoppable. Add to that one team from San Francisco and one from the Netherlands who both excelled when the wind picked up, and it was anybody’s guess who might win in the finals.

In team RI's case, (Did you see us at the opening ceremonies? We represented the whole state. I think we walked in right before Guam..) Anyway, odds were against us. With the finals stacked with UK, German, and Dutch sailors, the two US teams to make the 10 boat finals were a bit overwhelmed. Going into the three race finals, we hadn't done well on the previous day's heat races and felt defeated by our scores, but we vowed to do our best and apply everything we learned that week. But it all came together. Coming in first place for race one and following up with another win in race two left us speechless. Our three person team has raced together for 15 years in regattas big and small, but I can't recall a moment when our hearts were beating faster and our energy level higher than on that day. As previous winners in Chicago, we couldn't imagine winning back-to-back golds. I can't explain why, but there is something about the Gay Games that makes these regattas feel so much bigger than our normal races, and we were truly excited beyond our expectations.

Throughout the week, the competition was keen and the camaraderie strong. We spent time with old friends and we met new ones. We experienced a new city we wouldn't have known before, and a sailing club we otherwise would never have had an opportunity to visit. And, we had the pleasure to spend time with amazingly friendly and experienced race committee and sailing club volunteers who made it all possible. In that sense, all of the competitors in the 2010 Gay Games Sailing Regatta were winners.

As was the case however, medals were to be distributed, and our boat, Team Newport Rhode Island, was victorious that day. Following just two points behind was Gusty Springfield from the UK, and the Pink Poseidons from Germany. In the recreation division, it was a German sweep, with the three lovely ladies of Die Perlen taking the gold. All tremendous sailors and all are capable of winning on any given day. But that day, we were the lucky ones and we will cherish the win until we meet again in Cleveland, 2014.

Thank you all for making it possible.
Team NewportRhode Island, USA

Photos by Bill Doyle. Top photo Team Newport and their gold medals. Middle photo is home base for Team Newport Rhode Island. Bottom photo, sailors gather for medal ceremony.

Live from Cologne - Sailors find Dutch town of Roermond warm and welcoming

From Bill Doyle, a sailor with Team Rhode Island (USA) comes this report of the only sport at the Gay Games to take place in another country.

Following the very successful sailing events at the 2002 Sidney Gay Games and the 2006 Chicago Gay Games, you can imagine the disappointment when the official schedule of events for Cologne 2010 did not include sailing. Incredible to hear since in both previous games, the allotted slots (for teams) sold out in mere hours, ranking sailing as one of the most highly sought after sports.

But, through the efforts of Federation Board members and some dedicated volunteers, Sailing was later added to the program and a small, but prestigious yacht club in the Netherlands stepped up to host us with open arms. We couldn't have been more excited to “be a part of it” after all. When registration began in September of 2008, we registered the very second it opened to assure us a spot.

With teams representing eight countries, we came into the small town of Roermond unsure what to expect. As we all know, the thought of 150+ gay men and women descending upon a small town, as well as a prestigious sailing club such as MAAS en ROER, can sometimes illicit bigotry, fear, and protests in many parts of the world. What we experienced instead was quite the opposite. Everyone we encountered from local merchants to the officers and the volunteers of the club went out of their way to make us feel welcome and happy to be here. I think I speak for all of the participants when I say that MAAS en ROER and Roermond will always hold a special place in our hearts.


Our week started out with a wonderful welcome at the club, followed by a Sailor’s party hosted in downtown Roermond, and was capped off with a tremendous medal ceremony where we were presented our awards by the town’s mayor and other local dignitaries. It was a very festive affair, with all of the traditional speeches ceremonies and even included playing of the winner's national anthem. They took this very seriously and were proud to be a part of it as well.

On behalf of all of the participants, I want to offer a special thanks to all of the volunteers, officers, and employees for all of your hard work and dedication in making our week one of the most enjoyable and well run regattas we've ever attended.

Photos by Bill Doyle. Top photo is Super Sexy Sailors X of Team Hamburg. Middle photo is MAAS en ROER boat house. Bottom photo Kristen of SSX kissing Bill Doyle.

Live from Cologne: Sailing Team Liberty

Live from Cologne reported by Matthew Stuczynski, Chicago

In the spirit of the gay games and international cooperation, these three from three different countries make up the sailing team LIBERTY.

Mookje Korst, England

Anna Einarsdottir, Holland

Matt Stuczynski, U.S.

Live from Cologne: sailing teammates are welcomed

Live from Cologne reported by Matthew Stuczynski, Chicago

Gay Games sailing host city Roermond, The Netherlands, welcomes and hosts the sailing competition of the Gay Games.

Here pictured are sailing teammates Anna Eisdottir from Manchester, England and Matthew Stuczynski from Chicago.

Live from Cologne: sailing in Germany

Live from Cologne report by Matthew Stuczynski

First day in Roermond sailing. Matt Stuczynski enjoying the summer sun at the Games.