DAME Ellen MacArthur fired the starting gun to launch the All Hands On Deck regatta, at Seaview today (Friday).
Sea View Yacht Club’s fleet of Mermaids has been commandeered for the regatta in aid of blood cancer charity Leukaemia and Lymphoma Research and The Ellen MacArthur Trust, a charity which supports young people recovering from cancer through sailing.
The event has been arranged by a team of Sussex sailors, Clive Wilding, Bob De’Ath and Ronald Dam. Clive said: "Last year, my son lost his close friend, Angus Rowland, to acute myeloid leukaemia.
"Angus was 14 and his leukaemia proved to be untreatable.
"We were devastated and wanted to help his family who has set up the Angus Rowland Forget Me Not Fund at Leukaemia and Lymphoma Research.
"Sailing is our passion and we have arranged this regatta to raise as much money as possible for these two charities that seek to help young people with leukaemia."
Reporter: martinn@iwcpmail.co.uk