Hwyl a 'Splash' Rhyngwladol ym Mhwllheli

Bu 115 o hwylwyr ifanc gorau'r byd yn ymgiprys am Bencampwriaeth cychod Splash y Byd ym Mhwllheli drwy'r wythnos ddiwethaf. Cystadleuaeth i unigolion rhwng 13 a 18 oedd hon, yn cydredeg â'r 'Flash Eurocup' rhwng 30 o oedolion o wahanol wledydd Ewrop.

Gwelwyd cynrychiolwyr Splash, a'u teuluoedd, o 8 gwlad, gan gynnwys timoedd cadarn o Seland Newydd a'r Iseldiroedd. Ar un adeg yn gynnar yn y rasys, roedd yr hwyliwr lleol ac aelod o dîm rhyngwladol Cymru, Bleddyn Môn, (Bae Traeth Coch a Phwllheli) ar y blaen. Hefyd yn hwylio roedd tri aelod arall o blith ieuenctid Clwb Hwylio Pwllheli - Aimee Sirocco-Jones, Siwan Roberts a William Philby, y tri'n mentro am y tro cyntaf yn y math arbennig hwn o gwch.

Maer Pwllheli, y Cynghorydd Evan John Hughes, fu'n agor yr wythnos ac yn croesawu'r ymwelwyr i'r dre. Yn wir, gwnaed sylw gan sawl un o fasnachwyr y dre, cymaint o'r teuluoedd tramor fu'n ymweld â'r dre ei hunan.

Ymhlith y rhai amlwg fu'n ymweld â'r rasys roedd Gweinidog Treftadaeth y Cynulliad, Alun Ffred Jones, AC; Elfyn Llwyd, AS Meirionnydd Nant Conwy; ac Arthur Emyr, Cydlynydd Cenedlaethol a Rhanbarthau Cymru i'r Cynulliad ar gyfer Gemau Olympaidd 2012. Cafodd y cyfan y pleser o fynd ar y dwr i wylio'r cystadlu.

Yn ôl Bob Lowe, Cadeirydd Pwyllgor Digwyddiadau Clwb Hwylio Pwllheli, " Mae'r achlysur yn arwydd unwaith eto fod Clwb Hwylio Pwllheli bellach yn cael ei ystyried ymhlith y pwysicaf yn y DU ar gyfer cynnal pencampwriaethau o bwys a bod yna gryn dynfa i'r gongl hon o Fae Ceredigion, ar arfordir Pwllheli."

Ar ôl 13 ras, enillydd Pencampwriaeth y Byd oedd llanc o Seland Newydd, Declan Burn, ac aeth y fedal arian i un o'r Iseldiroedd,  Hansebas Meijer, oedd un pwynt yn unig ar y blaen i'r hwyliwr lleol, Bleddyn Môn, enillydd y fedal efydd.

International sailors make a 'Splash' in Pwllheli

115 of the world's top 13 – 18 year old single handed sailors have been battling it out in the 'Splash' World Championships races off Pwllheli, all this week.  The competition was run in parallel to the Flash Eurocup, which attracted a fleet of over 30 young adults from Europe.

The event has drawn representatives from 8 countries along with their families, including strong teams from New Zealand and the Netherlands. In the early stages, local enthusiast and Welsh sailing International, Bleddyn Môn (Red Wharf Bay & Pwllheli), held the lead. He was supported by three Clwb Hwylio Pwllheli Sailing Club youth members – Aimee Sirocco-Jones, Siwan Roberts and William Philby, who all enjoyed their first experience in this type of dinghy.

The Mayor of Pwllheli, Councillor Evan John Hughes, performed the opening ceremony and delighted our visitors with his warm welcome to the town. Indeed throughout the week the presence of so many overseas visitors has been commented on positively by the Town’s traders.

A steady stream of VIP's have attended this week's races including Assembly Heritage Minister, Alun Ffred Jones, AM; Elfyn Llwyd, MP for Meirionnydd Nant Conwy, and Arthur Emyr, the Assembly Government's Wales Nations and Regions Co-ordinator for the 2012 Olympics. All had the enjoyment of going afloat to see the competition at first hand.

Bob Lowe, Chairman of Clwb Hwylio Pwllheli Sailing Club’s Events Committee said “this world class event is regarded as further proof that Pwllheli Sailing Club is now a top venue for major dinghy sailing events and that the
sailing waters in Cardigan Bay around Pwllheli are amongst the best in the UK.”

After 13 races the World Championship was won by New Zealander, Declan Burn with the silver medal going to Dutchman, Hansebas Meijer, just beating by one point the top Welsh entry, Bleddyn Mon, into bronze medal position.