Nine sailing teenagers to circumnavigate Ireland

by Sail-World Cruising on 10 Aug 2010 Are these teenagers inspired by earlier teen feats and failures, or is it just a coincidence that another crop of teenagers have announced a sailing challenge?

A group of nine teenagers from the Kinsale area of southern Ireland is setting off on a Round Ireland Challenge this Thursday (12 August) in aid of the world’s largest charity hospital ship.

The keen sailors, some of whom have just finished their Leaving Certificates, will be sailing a 39ft yacht round the coast of Ireland over six days to raise money for the international charity, Mercy Ships, covering over 700 nautical miles in the process. The charity provides free medical and humanitarian aid to the poorest countries in Africa via its 500ft hospital ship, the Africa Mercy.

It is the first time any of the youngsters have undertaken such a challenge and they have been training at the Kinsale Yacht Club over the last few weeks, where they have familiarised themselves with their yacht ‘Sonas’, kindly supplied to them for the challenge by her owner, David Ross.

Ben Fusco (19) from Kinsale who will be the Skipper on board, said, 'We are all keen sailors and wanted to combine our love of sailing with doing something for charity. There are lots of great boat related charities out there but when we heard about the work of Mercy Ships, we were blown away by the idea that a ship provides free medical care to some of the poorest people in the world.

'Hearing that thousands of people every year are given free medical care by volunteers on the ship was inspiring and we knew we had to do something special to raise money for them – hence our Round Ireland Challenge.

'Competing in the Round Ireland Race wasn’t an option for us this year so we’ve decided to do our very own version and hopefully it will all go to plan.'

The team will set off from the Kinsale Yacht Club on 12th August and, weather permitting, plan to return on the 18th August, where their family and friends will be waiting to greet them on their return.

Billy Walsh from Youghal in Cork, who volunteered with Mercy Ships in Benin last year, said, 'It’s wonderful that a group a young Irish people have taken on this challenge for Mercy Ships.

'I know first hand the difference the charity makes to the people of Africa and it was a huge privilege to serve on the ship. Even although I wasn’t part of the frontline medical team, I had the opportunity to meet many of the patients and it was a life-changing experience for them and for me.'

A former Danish rail ferry, the Africa Mercy is currently in Togo and has six operating theatres, a 78 bed ward, CT scanner, X-ray facilities and laboratory services. It also has accommodation for more than 450 volunteer crew, ranging from surgeons and nurses, to cooks and engineers.

Over the last 30 years, Mercy Ships has worked in more than 70 countries providing services valued at £530million and impacting about 2.5million people.

The international charity has treated more than 485,000 people in village medical and dental clinics, performed more than 47,000 surgeries and completed more than 1,000 community development projects focusing on water and sanitation, education, infrastructure development and agriculture.

Judy Polkinhorn, Executive Director of Mercy Ships UK who will be there on Thursday to wave off the team, said, 'For a group of teenagers to commit to this challenge on behalf of Mercy Ships is truly inspiring and we are extremely grateful to them for their support.

'Each year, thousands of people have their lives transformed after receiving treatment on the Africa Mercy and this is only possible thanks to people from all walks of life who support our work.'