Next Generation Falling Behind in Race of Life

While the four members had succeeded in sailing off the remnants of the previous soiree, the prospect of another social gathering had them in an amiable mood. Some wistful glances around the club steered the conversation toward the trophy case and the inevitable appraisal of past achievement within the club. The names of each of their beloved fathers sailing accomplishments rung throughout the rafters and joyful proud smiles were shared.

The casual reminiscence began to turn solemn however as the sailors inevitably began to compare their achievements with that of their fathers. Soon the brooding cloud of generational expectations made its familiar presence known and the men broached the much thought about but rarely discussed topic:

“People are always saying you know you’re on the wrong side of 25, by this age he’d already achieved this or done that. It’s hard to live up to, you know? I mean obviously I’m trying to make the MSA a big deal but I’m always in his shadow, by 25 he’d already petitioned to get the Sunfish into the Olympics, and I’m at least 5 years away from owning a convertible.”

“He was a three time laser champion and you know was definitely never directly against windsurfing. I’m not sure I ever had a chance, I mean they called him Big Cat, I’m called Chames.”

“Yeah by my age Kron had already logged 500 races and helped chart the north basin”

“I guess if you put the two of our accomplishments together it’s at least respectable, but you know, he’s just one man”.

Deep sighs were heard all around, broken only by one sailor piping up:

“Another Beer?”

“Yeah!”

“Yeah!”

“Yeah!”

He's Loving It

Roggy Ritzma isn’t your typical amateur athlete. The scrawny, long-haired, baby-faced Hobie Racer looks more suited to skateboarding around the parking lot of your local 7-11 than on a CYA certified race course.

And it’s not just his style and physique. Mr. Ritzma’s dietary habits defy what’s expected of an athlete, too. According to the Victoria Beach Herald, he regularly dines at Local fast-food burger chain Juniors. A typical meal consists of two servings of French fries, a chocolate-strawberry shake and three Double-Doubles (each consists of two beef patties and two slices of cheese stacked between a bun). But he skips the lettuce and tomatoes.
“I’m not a big vegetable guy,” the 168-pound Mr. Ritzma told the newspaper.
The total calorie count of one of these meals is roughly 3,150, whereas the typical active male consumes about 2,000 calories in an entire day.

Washed up Free Press journalist Jay Kirby asked whether he knew what his cholesterol levels were like, Mr. Ritzma laughed. “Probably not very good,” with some added cynicism. “But my metabolism is through the roof.”

As we mentioned last week, plenty of high-performance amateur sailors subsist on fatty, salty diets that would make most sports nutritionists cringe. So how much does diet really affect athletic performance?
“The traditional line of sports nutrition is: ‘Nutrition can’t make an average athlete elite, but it can make an elite athlete average,’ ” says Winnipeg registered dietitian Chris Bell.

If you aren’t athletically gifted already, no diet will make you great at sports, he says. But someone who is gifted won’t perform at their best if they don’t eat well. Their endurance, and ability to stop and go during play, will be affected.
So, the lesson here is not to eat like Mr. Ritzma. Rather, the two-time Red Eye winner could actually sail even better if only he’d eat fewer burgers, and a few more vegetables.

Kenneth 'N Wonderland

Club Review : V.B.Y.C "Kenneth 'N Wonderland"
by: Rogelio Ritsema

I’m concerned about the future of the V.B.Y.C. I mean, I recently heard the club compared to the Senior Scene. Yikes. A survey of the current landscape doesn’t exactly inspire hope, either, as a serious lack of creativity and innovation seems to be the rule rather than the exception. Enter Al Jimmy: newly minted creative chairman of the Expansion Committee, looking much like a sailing elder statesman and part of a board reserved for living legends.

Tooles is fresh out with his 10th set of plans, which rumor has it mostly fell into the hands of a close relative. If you’re looking for a game-changer — or for ol Al Jimmy to shine the way forward — you will probably be disappointed. These are steady, cohesive and mature plans from a seasoned architectural master. The lines don’t stray far from middle of the road, running the gamut from modern, to expressionist (with only one storage area for rigged windsurf sails — that’s a start) but I wouldn’t say they’re much more than mediocre. The plans are classic and don’t focus on: smokin’ blunts, terrorizing wind , getting ladies, hatin’ on kite boarders, stackin’ that cash and crushing brew.

Given his influence on local sailing and lasting impression on learn to sail students, people will always be curious about what Al Jimmy is up to and willing to give him a chance. That said, it seems like the club really needs him right now and I’m not sure this set of plans delivers in that regard. Although, you know, the more I think about it, maybe Tooles steady hand on the tiller is exactly what V.B Sailing needs right now.

Tooley Campaign Rents Space on Broadway Avenue; Leaked Photo Threatens to Derail Bid for Commodoreship

Winnipeg - Having made few moves for months, AJ Tooley (pictured at left) suddenly seems to be girding for a pitched battle with Ken Taylor for the Victoria Bach Yacht Club's Commodoreship.

Matthew Metcalfe, a downtown Winnipeg property manager has confirmed that he is renting space in a post-war walk-up on Broadway Avenue to Mr. Tooley and that on the the first of this month, staff moved boxes of files and equipment into the space.

The activity on Broadway Avenue corresponds to Ryan van Berkel - the rumoured Tooley campaign manager - being suddenly summoned from Mexico, where he was vacationing with family. Mr. van Berkel's brother and spokesman, Stuart van Berkel, said that no final decision as to whether Mr. Tooley will run has been made but when it is it will be announced, as always, via letter to Jian Ghomeshi.

Ken Taylor, widely recognized as a master political strategist (though generally a lousy sailor), has not declared whether he will seek re-election. Though Mr. Taylor is widely seen to be vulnerable some pundits feel sailors would be reluctant to vote a sitting Commodore out of office in a year where a major expansion is planned.

In addition, a brewing controversy is beginning to engulf several of Mr. Tooley's closest associates. Two days ago a video was leaked to the press showing Roger and Jeremy Ritsema at a boozy lunch with both Charlie Sheen and John Galliano, two celebrities who are currently mired in serious and thoroughly distasteful public scandals.

And finally there is the issue of the leaked photo of a young Mr. Tooley holding a science class presentation that appears to suggest, in detail, what causes WIND. The question has evaded scientists for thousands of years. If it turns out to be true that Mr. Tooley has long understood the physics behind WIND he could be indicted by the VBYC for failing to disclose his knowledge and participating in numerous Bingo Derbies on false pretenses. A committee has been struck and will investigate.