Welcome to the Maritime Mix – London 2012 Cultural Olympiad by the Sea. As the host for the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic sailing events, 2012 is a special year for the area.

It’s a year we wanted to celebrate by creating an exceptional programme of cultural work reflecting the diversity of creative talent to be found in the region, complemented by the best from the UK and around the world.

Here you will find world class outdoor theatre, mass choral performances, Earth science and the arts, panoramic video projections, music, dance and street celebrations. Most are free, and many involve local participants as well as professional artists from both the disabled and non-disabled communities. I am also pleased that some of these events have been recognised as part of the UK-wide London 2012 Festival.

None of this would be possible without the commitment of the artists and producers involved, the communities they have worked with and the huge support of Arts Council England, Dorset County Council and Weymouth & Portland Borough Council. Thanks also to Relays, the Legacy Trust UK project in the UK. Collectively their efforts have made it possible for me to say: welcome to the Maritime Mix-London 2012 Cultural Olympiad by the Sea. Enjoy!

Check out Maritime Mix – London 2012 Cultural Olympiad by the Sea www.maritimemix2012.co.uk

If you’re fascinated by the technology of sailing, the research that that lies behind our sailors’ world-class performance and how Team GB sailors use the latest research in their quest for success, then this is the event for you.

Free entry
Sailing fans are being invited to explore the research behind the sport at a free event in the run up to the London 2012 Olympic Games. Taking place on Thursday 24 May at the Weymouth and Portland Sailing Academy, the Cutting Edge: Behind Sailing event will feature Professor Steve Haake, double Olympic medalist Simon Hiscock, and top sports scientists in an interactive session with demonstrations of technology and sport.

The event will give attendees the chance to question both the scientists who develop the cutting-edge technology behind sport, and the high-achieving athletes who use it.

Leading sports scientists
Professor Steve Haake, one of the UK’s top sports scientists, will be joined by Professor Glen McHale, who develops extremely water repellent high tech surfaces that can help to reduce drag in boats, and Dr Judith Wolf, an expert in coastal modeling of tides and currents and part of the team behind Team GB’s gold medal at the Seoul Olympics. Dr David James will also take part, leading the discussion on how far research and new technologies should be used in the quest to win gold.

Professor Steve Haake, head of Sports Engineering Research at Sheffield Hallam University and Chair of the event commented: “Cutting Edge is a chance for the general public to look behinds the scenes at what it takes to win Gold at the Olympics. Elite sport needs elite support and the Cutting Edge series showcases some of the key expertise provided by the UK’s academics and practitioners helping our athletes get the competitive edge needed to come first. These skills include engineering, technology, physiology and psychology as well as elite athletes themselves. Our audiences will be encouraged to ask questions and we will not shy away from the difficult ones – in return we may just ask some searching questions of the audience themselves.”

The Cutting Edge 2012 event series consists of six sessions in total, all themed around a different sport, and will feature a range of sports stars and top scientists in an interactive session with demonstrations.

The evening events are an initiative by Research Councils UK (RCUK), in partnership with the Royal Institution, and are an opportunity to question both cutting-edge researchers and high-achieving athletes.

Your comments
Comments from people attending the events will inform new research about the public’s attitudes to research and technology use in sport, which will be presented at the International Convention on Science, Education and Medicine in Sport (ICSEMIS) in July.

Cutting Edge 2012 has been granted the prestigious London 2012 Inspire mark, the badge of the London 2012 Inspire programme which recognises exceptional and innovative projects inspired by the 2012 Games.

Book your place
For more information on the Cutting Edge 2012 series, and to register for tickets, please go to www.rigb.org/cuttingedge2012

Information on the events can also be found on Twitter at @ri_science and on the hashtag #cuttingedge2012.

The 2012 sailing venue will be working with The Chalk Legend a large Dorset community-based music and dance project inspired by London 2012. With the WPNSA being a hot spot for medal racing this summer, the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra in partnership with Dance South West, Dorset Music Service, Panoscope & Artsreach have also chosen to find a path to make 2012 memorable through a mix of music and dance. The group devised The Chalk Legend, a large scale music, dance and multi-media event which will culminate in a spectacular presentation at the Academy.

The inspiration for The Chalk Legend is rooted in the past of Dorset, taking as its starting point, the discovery of the decapitated skeletons of young Scandinavian men, made during the construction of the Weymouth relief road, in 2009. A

The WPNSA will be hosting The Chalk Legend on site during Friday the 18th and Saturday the 19th of May heralding the start of the summer months with a project that has received the ‘London 2012 Inspire Mark’. The performances are directed by Richard Williams, with designs by Jane Janey, choreography by Neil Brown, and lighting design by Fridthjofur Thorsteinsson. Costumes and props have been made by students from the Arts University College at Bournemouth.

Award winning composer Stephen McNeff, the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra’s former Composer in Residence, is writing a series of musical works that start at the village hall scale and work upwards to an astonishing presentation at the WPNSA involving over 300 instrumentalists, singers and dancers as well as featuring two international solo singers.

Tickets are £9 for adults and £5 children.

For further information please visit:

www.chalklegends.com

The lasers are now underway with their second race of the day visit web link for results

The WPNSA venue is a particular favourite with the Topper community and for many of the youngers sailors this was their first visit to the Academy and home of Olympic sailing.  For those who have spent their winter training with various squads this was their first opportunity to show the result.

The first two races were won by Crispin Beaumont from Bartley Sailing Club near Birmingham and Thomas Wallwork from Redesmere near Macclesfield; both inland locations and both sailors from Adam Cockerill’s National Intermediate Junior Squad.  Amongst the females, Emma Phillips from Starcross, Katie Barraclough from Burghfield, Ellie King from Emsworth Slipper and Rhiannon Flack from Spinnaker were all towards the front of the fleet.

The second race, and the last on Saturday, saw Edward Higson from Frampton on Severn and Dan Venables from Sutton Sailing Club lead the pack; two more inland locations.  Both are members of Dave Cockerill’s National Junior Squad so a sort of hierarchy was re-established amongst the squads and in the Cockerill household.  Dan had been black flagged in the first race so this was his opportunity to make a mark.  Katie Barraclough and Emma Phillips scored a third and fourth respectively for the girls.

The Sunday morning was given over to sunbathing and socialising until the wind started to build around lunchtime and two races followed.  In the first Dan Venables emerged once again as winner, but so did a new name, Arran Holman from Holowell.  Laurence Logan and Crispin Beaumont were second and two other new faces, Christopher Cowan from Portchester and Aled Goddard from Clwyb Hwylio Bala emerged in third place.

In the final races Dan Venables and Crispin Beaumont emerged as the winners of the last two flights. 

So overall the first four were Dan Venables, Crispin Beaumont, Laurence Logan, Arran Holman and Thomas Wallwork.  Emma Phillips from Starcross was 7^th and led the females, with Katie Barrowclough from Burghfield 11^th and second female and Rhiannon Flack from Spinnaker 19^th and third female. 

The Fayre is a wonderful opportunity to meet and chat to a wide range of local wedding specialists and suppliers, who will all be gathered under one roof, for one day only! Anyone looking for their dream wedding cake, ideal photographer or ultimate wedding car can come along, see what’s on offer and plan their perfect day.

Dorset’s newest Wedding Fayre (at the venue for the sailing competition at the London 2012 Olympic Games and Paralympic Games) promises to be a very special occasion. Doors open at 11am for the fair and close at 4:00pm, with admission £2 (free with flyer), which includes a glass of bucks fizz on arrival and canapés.

The highlight of the day will be the two bridal fashion shows at 12 noon and 2.00pm presented by Valerie Honeywill of Wedding Whirled and featuring dresses from Oxfam and Girls of Elegance and suits by Moss Bros. Visitors are encouraged to arrive early and take a seat near the catwalk – so that they don’t miss the beautiful gowns on show.

Our wedding soloist Naomi Mulroy will be entertaining throughout the day and there will also be a “first dance” performance on stage. A dedicated ‘groom zone’, interactive workshops and crèche will help to ensure that brides and grooms simply can’t afford to miss this event! As an added bonus, couples can enter into a competition to win a wedding at our venue.

Refreshments will also be available in our cafeteria that boasts a stunning view of the Jurassic coast.

For couples yet to find the venue to hold their wedding reception this is also an opportunity to have a look around the Spinnakers Function room to see what it has to offer. There are still dates available for wedding receptions in 2012 and 2013, so whether you are planning an intimate dinner for or a large party, we are sure to be able to help and will even give a 20% room booking discount if the booking is made on the day.

For further information please visit our website www.wpnsa.org.uk or contact Claudia Webb on 01305 866000 or email Claudia.webb@wpnds.org.uk.

Olympic Silver medalist Keith Musto and Natalie Jobling were both honoured and commended for their distinguished contribution to the Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy (WPNSA). Each served as a director at the sailing academy for periods of 9 years.

Keith Musto’s life in the sailing world began when he was just 15 years old and led him to become a world class sailor. In 1964 Keith won both the Flying Dutchman nationals and Europeans; and later that year he went on to compete at the Tokyo Olympics, winning a silver medal in the Flying Dutchman Class. He was also reserve in the Flying Dutchman class for the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich. As well as Olympics, Keith won medals at the 1963 and 1969 World Championships again in the Flying Dutchman class, and gained a bronze medal in 2008 Vintage Yachting Games Dragon class. As a director of the Academy since 2002 he has been continually involved with the development of the academy both in and off the water. In September 2010 Keith took up a challenge together with current Olympian, Nick Asher, and as a result of a sailing competition won the Academy a ‘powerPerfector’; a piece of equipment that makes a continuing contribution to reducing the Academy’s electricity costs.

Natalie joined the board in July 2002 and was vital in the early stages of the development of the Academy. She brought a strong legal knowledge to the Academy having held positions as Director of Legal Affairs at the Ford Motor Company and Director of Legal Affairs and Company Secretary at FCE Bank. Natalie and her husband, Tom, both campaign an SB3 very competitively. Throughout the important period of the development of the Academy Natalie’s expert legal advice was always available.

As a highlight of the Tullet Prebon London Boat Show, Keith and Natalie were both awarded for their service to the Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy with glass plaques, beautifully engraved. In Keith’s case this was with a truly fitting Flying Dutchman, whilst Natalie’s had her beloved SB3 engraved on the glass. The awards were presented by the Chairman of the WPNSA, Edward Leask. Edward is a former Olympic sailor himself and has had a lifetime’s involvement with the marine sporting world; representing GBR on the water and being involved with the development of the Academy since its inception through to present day as the official 2012 sailing venue.

Edward Leask, Chairman at the Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy, commented; “Congratulations go to both Natalie and Keith on devoting nine years of their lives as Directors of WPNSA, which over that period has moved from being a temporary premises to now hosting the 2012 Olympics.”

On receiving this heartfelt recognition Keith Musto added; “Thank you so much for the awards. It’s been an absolute privilege to watch the venue grow from a very simple holey slipway that reached the water at low tide springs and a very old building that eventually was knocked down and converted. To watch the Academy develop over the years to what it is today is tremendous. We’re so lucky in the UK to have that facility not just for the elite sailors but also for beginners and for education. It’s a wonderful spot and the envy of every other sailing nation.”
Image 1: From left to right: Natalie Jobling, Edward Leask, Keith Musto and John Tweed

Sailors will test their mettle against one another in the waters of Weymouth Bay, getting to grips with the kind of conditions faced by Finn class gold medallist Ben Ainslie and other champion sailors.
The yacht racing programme has been backed by the chief of the Weymouth and Portland academy, John Tweed, who said the event would offer some of the most competitive racing around.
He added: “Sunsail is seen as a leader in quality yachting events and I know that this worldwide renowned brand fits with the commitment to excellence that the Academy prides itself upon. I am anticipating that the new 2012 racing programme will be extremely popular and I look forward to hosting a real mix of big boat sailors at our award-winning venue which will see some of the most competitive racing ever this coming summer in Portland Harbour and Weymouth Bay.”

In March (1st to 4th) the first leg of the programme will get under way, with the Chase the Gold Regatta pitting crews against one another in a race between Portsmouth and Poole. Once they’ve crossed the finish line there will be the opportunity to race in-port at the RNLI College. The second leg will see competitors racing to Weymouth, and it’s hoped the sailing will give the sailors an appetite, as a gala dinner will be laid on at the academy. But once appetites have been satisfied there’ll be more racing to get on with. The final day will see competitors fight tooth and nail for a medal, ahead of a glittering ceremony.
In May the Gold Medal Regatta will see sailors descend upon Weymouth to compete over two days (4th to the 6th) in a bid to be named champions of the town. Once the event is over, competitors may want to look into arranging some corporate sailing on the Solent for their workmates.

Simon Conder, UK Head of Marketing, said: “The new Medal Racing Programme is an exciting addition to the Sunsail Racing events programme and is a fantastic opportunity for amateur sailors to race and train from the prestigious Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy.”