AT the beginning of this month representatives from Bermuda's sailing clubs got together to decide on how to improve their sport . . . and how to get Government to officially declare sailing a "national sport".

Although various people have been calling on Government to declare sailing a national sport for some time now ¿ and thus get serious financing like cricket and football ¿ this meeting saw them all come together.

"We had representatives from all the clubs," said Deb Gravelle, programme director of the Bermuda Sailing Association. "We had people from the West End Sailboat Club, the East End Mini Yacht Club, the Royal Hamilton Amateur Dinghy Club, the Royal Bermuda Yacht Club, the Mid-Atlantic Boat Club ¿ just everybody.

"Everyone realised it has to be a unified effort and the turnout was awesome. People are very passionate about moving forward and much of it is based around the youth."

But Gravelle added: "We can continue to meet forever but everyone agreed that we have to do something.

"It is hard when we see the amount of money that is being spent on other sports, especially when you see the achievements our sailors have done. I would say that the (international) achievements of sailing are better than any sport in the country. But unfortunately sailing is still a very misunderstood sport. We still have this stigma of elitism and we have to get over that.

"But everyone at the meeting agreed that we basically are going to start a pretty big campaign to push forward to make sailing a national sport."

At the meeting people like America's Cup umpire Peter Shrubb and Ralph Richardson spoke out about the need to make sailing a national sport.

Richardson said that there is diversity in sailing and it was important to get that message across while Shrubb wondered why other sports received funding and not sailing. Like Gravelle, Shrubb said it was because sailing is still perceived as an exclusive sport. "This we must change," he said adding that sailing is producing results on the international scene.

Gravelle said: "One problem sailing is facing is attracting kids from the Government schools. I can get the private school kids but I am having a hard time getting the public school kids. They don't see themselves in sailing ¿ they don't see themselves doing it so it is going to take a bit of time (to persuade them). It is a long term project. Hopefully I can get a few to buy into it and they can tell their friends."

Gravelle wants to see those youngsters in Government schools join up for the Team Racing Clinic which gets underway next month.

"I can take 40 kids tops," she said adding that she has "six or seven" Government school kids so far. "I have a $50,000 grant over two years from the Bank of Bermuda Foundation for this high school programme," she added.

It is keeping the high schools kids involved with sailing that is the challenge, said Gravelle.

"I think we do a great job with the Optimist sailors and anyone who stays with it can push through," she said.

But it is keeping that interest in sailing when they get to high school. "High school kids have got to do the cool thing," she added.

While some kids graduate from the Optis to the Laser Bytes and (full rig) Lasers, those boats may not be right for them.

Gravelle wants to make more use of the 420 class in Bermuda. "They go into the Bytes but there is not enough competition and some go into the (full rig) Lasers but most are too small to compete successfully in that class. We have about 25 420 boats on the island and that is what they use in the United States for high school and college sailing."

To help guide the kids into classes suited for them, Gravelle said the BSA have set up an Advisory Council of six people. That Council consists of Eddie Saints (BSA governor), Les Crane, Ben Nicholls, Peter Bromby, Darrin Lewis from the Ministry of Education and Sport, Laura Cutler and Alastair Williams.

"They are going to advise the kids what classes they might be better suited for ¿ whether double handed or single handed. We are not going to mandate any laws or anything like that but just be there to guide these kids.

"You have someone like Peter Bromby who has been to umpteenth Olympics and has been so successful. He is very in touch with all the Olympic stuff. These are all people who have a lot of knowledge and also do not have children in this situation and so they can be unbiased. I know Peter is very interested in it."

As for the clinics in November, Gravelle said they will be bringing in coach Gavin O'Hare who is a former Head Intercollegiate Dinghy Coach at the United States Naval Academy.

O'Hare is the chairman of the US Sailing Team Racing Championship and member of the US Team Racing Association. He is recognised as a team racing expert and has authored a book entitled Contemporary Team Racing. He is a US Sailing Level 1 Instructor and Level 2 Coach, while continuing his competitive sailing experience by racing small sailboats such as Snipes, Vanguard 15's, and Lasers.

Gravelle said the clinic will consists of an introductory and educational chalk talk on Contemporary Team Racing to include world championship training video, and tactical computer based animations. The classroom will be complemented with on the water drills to simulate tactical situations and hone team racing skills.

It will be held at the RHADC on Friday evening, November 2 (6.30 p.m. to 8.00 p.m.) and Saturday, November 3 (8.30 a.m. top 5.30 p.m.)

The boats will be the Optis and 420 and the cost is free to juniors (under 18) $25 for adult BSA members and $35 for adult non-members, lunch included. The entry deadline is Monday, October 29 and you can register online at www.bermudasail.bm or 295-7935

"I am trying to do a big push on this," said Gravelle adding that hopefully those in the clinic will sign up for the RHADC Frostbite series which starts on December 2. She said: "420 charters are available from RHADC, RBYC and the BSA."