Polkerris Beach sails into top spot

Polkerris Beach Company wins gold at 2013 Cornwall Tourism Awards

Polkerris Beach Company picked up the Gold accolade at the 2013 Cornwall Tourism Awards, winning the county’s Tourism Activity, Sport & Experience Of The Year Award.

This is the third year that the mid-Cornwall watersports company has received an award, with Silver in both 2010 and 2011. The shortlist competition was especially tough, with the Polkerris-based family business up against St Martin’s Dive School from the Isles of Scilly and Mawgan Porth-based Kingsurf.

Polkerris Beach Company runs a range of watersports courses for locals and visitors to Cornwall. It distinguishes itself from mainstream offerings with a personal approach which owner, Bob Shillito, says is the key to its success: “Our sailing taster and windsurfing sessions are really popular, and their success is down to the quality of our team of instructors who are trained to assess our customers’ confidence and proficiency and match these to the weather and sea conditions.”

Partner Lynn Shillito adds: “We couldn’t be more proud of the commitment shown by our instructors to inspire enthusiasts young and old with a love of watersports which will last a lifetime. Polkerris is a small village with just 15 homes, a pub, a restaurant, a gallery and us, so it’s an immense achievement for so much success to come from such small beginnings. I would like to take this opportunity to thank the team, our neighbours in Polkerris and our customers for supporting us with such enthusiasm.”

Polkerris Beach Company is also committed to developing the talents of local young people. Their local Team15 windsurfers and sailors, the Polkerris Pirates, won the regional south west T15 windsurfing championships and went on to compete in the national windsurfing championships in Northamptonshire in October.

This year, 13-year-old Adam Phipps, who has trained at Polkerris for five years, was selected for the National Windsurfing Squad while Finn Hawkins and Poppy Loosley, both 10, pupils at Roselyon School won gold in the Pico double handed category at the Cornwall Schools Regatta. Finn was also selected for the SW Zone Squad.

Local student Jowan Sleep, 15, has trained with the Pirates for five years and now works on the water with the Polkerris team. He says: “Polkerris is a perfect place to learn to windsurf or sail. It has good winds and is a safe environment to learn in. We go out in all weathers and all conditions, so you’re always learning.”

Polkerris Beach Company’s sailing tasters remain among its most popular sessions. They run in all weathers and the company provides wetsuits, warm showers and hot chocolate afterwards. “After six years doing this, we’re definitely getting better at dealing with the varied conditions in the bay,” says Bob. “The key in sailing tuition is making the lesson flow and making sure people don’t get too tired on the water. The enjoyment of watersports comes from a sense of progress and achievement, so it’s vital that we ensure everyone who books a lesson with us leaves feeling that they want to come back.”