Son takes 'trip down memory lane' at regatta with dad's old yacht club badge

Andrew Wilson at the International One Metre Oceania Championship radio-controlled sailing regatta on Pegasus Lake. PHOTO: JOHN COSGROVE

A Christchurch Yacht Club membership badge from 1948 surprisingly still worked for Andrew Wilson when he used it at one of the historic organisation's radio-controlled sailing regattas this week.

Wilson’s father gave him the 77-year-old badge when he heard his Brisbane-based son was coming to Christchurch to take part in the six-day IOM Oceania 25 regatta on Pegasus Lake.

"My dad is a Kiwi, and I’ve been on the water since I was five or six," says Wilson.

"So coming here is like a trip down memory lane for me."

Kiwi campaigners Alex Bruce (left) and Brian Herron test their yachts at the regatta on Pegasus Lake. PHOTO: JOHN COSGROVE

He has been involved in sailing the smaller radio-controlled yachts for the past four years and is impressed by the facilities and layout of the Pegasus Lake yachting circuits.

Fellow Aussie Roger Paul is also impressed with the layouts available for racers at the regatta.

"I’ve raced here before and love the opportunities it offers us."

There will be six days of racing at the IOM Oceania 25 radio-controlled sailing regatta on Pegasus Lake from September 29 to October 4.

The event started on Monday with fine but varying wind conditions.

The first day of competition in the sailing regatta. PHOTO: JOHN COSGROVE

The 66 competitors from nine countries will race their 1m yachts at different points around the lake until Saturday.

Pegasus Lake offers numerous opportunities to race the small yachts competitively in different wind types.

Race concept planner Paul Johnson, who lives in Pegasus, said there is no other lake like it.

Feliciano Ballestin of Spain prepares to launch his yacht at the regatta. PHOTO: JOHN COSGROVE

"Its layout gives us perfect racing conditions for all wind directions.

"There are so many variations of courses we can quickly create for the racers, as they are always no more than a few meters from their yachts, and there is plenty of space all around the lakeside to stand.”

The races usually last 10 to 15 minutes and can be done in four heats.