VISITORS can take the plunge with watersports taster sessions when an international regatta is held at the Sailing academy.

They are being urged to get involved when the Skandia Sail for Gold racing begins on Monday.

A new windsurfing centre has opened its doors on Portland in time for the community taster sessions.

The Windsurfing Official Test Centre, which was officially opened by Olympic windsurfer Nick Dempsey, is among the watersports providers who are getting involved with activities during the Skandia Sail for Gold regatta.

A record-breaking 1,000 athletes from 56 nations have descended on the borough, ready for the event at the Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy.

The world’s top sailors, including World, European and Olympic champions, are looking to show off their skills in Weymouth Bay and Portland Harbour ahead of the Olympic and Paralympic sailing events here in two year’s time.

For members of the public, Sail for Gold offers giant screens with racing action accompanied by live race tracking and a ‘regatta village’ of stands including food and clothes stalls.

The event is an important date in the sailors’ calendar as the fifth and final instalment of this year’s ISAF Sailing World Cup regatta.

Spectators are welcome all week but Saturday August 14 is the big day when the regatta will be holding its official public open day and free tickets are now available to book a place.

A series of taster sessions will enable people to try their hand at sailing, windsurfing, sea kayaking, fishing, paddleboarding, powerkiting for kitesurfing and even have a taster lesson in how to handle a powerboat.

Chief executive of the academy John Tweed said the site was already very busy with a great cosmopolitan atmosphere.

He added: “We’ve got quite a few stalls in place already and it will be warming up all week ahead of the medal races on Saturday.”

For would-be watersports enthusiasts, activities will be taking place throughout the regatta.

Free sessions include shore casting by Moonfleet Angling, powerkite lessons with Paracademy Extreme Sports Centre and model boat racing.

Discounted taster activities for £10 or less per person are also being offered, including dinghy sailing with SailLaser, keelboat sailing with Weymouth Charters, sea kayaking with Secondwind Watersports windsurfing with OTC and powerboat sessions with Quality Time Training.

To register for free tickets to the Spectator Day next Saturday visit skandiasailforgoldregatta.co.uk

Activities

ADVANCED booking is advisable:

* TrySail dinghy sessions, £10 adult/£5 children/£20 family, SailLaser, Mon August 9, Tues August 10 and Weds August 11, 5.30pm - 7.30pm. 0845 337 3214, www.sail-laser.com/weymouth

* Powerkite Lessons, free, Paracademy Extreme Sports Centre, Weds August 11, 10.30am-4pm, 01305 824797, www.paracademyextreme.co.uk

* Try Keelboat Sailing, £10 per person, Weymouth Charters, Tues August 10, 10.30am-4pm 01305 832512 or visit www.weymouth-charters.co.uk

* Sea Kayaking Taster Session, £10 per person for one hour, Secondwind Watersports, Thurs August 12, 10.30am-4pm, 01305 835301 or 01305 834951, www.second-wind.co.uk

* Try Windsurfing, £10 per one-and-a-half hour, The Official Test Centre, Weds August 11, Thurs August 12 and Fri August 13, 10.30am-4pm, 0121 288 9965, www.otc-windsurf.com

* Try Model Boat Racing, free, Model Yachting Association, Sat August 14, 10.30am-4pm, www.mya-uk.org.uk

* Try beach casting, free, Moonfleet Angling, Thurs August 12, 10.30am-4pm, 01935 471005 www.moonfleet-angling.com

* Try a Powerboat sessions, £10 for one hour, Quality Time Training, Thurs August 12, 10.30am until 4pm, 01305 861250, www.quality-time.info