YACHT fanatics from around the country competed in a sailing event in the region at the weekend.
The Laser sailing event attracted almost 100 competitors to the Tees and Hartlepool Yacht Club, at Hartlepool marina. Racing, in the penultimate event of this year's national race qualifying series, took place in Hartlepool Bay on Saturday and Sunday.
It was sponsored by Hartlepool Borough Council and Jomast, a leisure and property company based in the marina.
The racing was one of the first major Laser sailing competitions in the UK since British Laser sailor Ben Ainslie won Olympic gold in Sydney.
Martin Peacock, of the Tees and Hartlepool Yacht Club, said: "Club racing is where all our Olympic sailors started out.
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