Cutting from the Brecon & Radnor

A Community is in mourning after 2 pals perished in a tragic road accident at the weekend.
The driver Tim Skymre and passenger Paul Jones both died in the car crash which occurred on the B4602 Bishops Meadow on the outskirts of Brecon at approximately 1030pm on Saturday September 19th

Write up by Ian Howie

Paul was just twelve when he arrived out of the blue on his bicycle at the sailing club to enquire about sailing,  joined the Llangorse club and sailing soon became his passion. He started sailing a single handed Topper dinghy and it soon became evident that he had the ‘touch’ and potential to become an outstanding helmsman. He continued to sail his Topper through 2001 and 2002 and took part in the Club’s junior training Cadet Week and raced regularly in club events and took part in the Welsh Junior Regatta held at Llangorse.

In 2003 he moved up to a Laser, a much more demanding boat, but undaunted he raced against much more experienced sailors with some success. At the 2003 PGL - Welsh Yachting Youth Regatta he finished third and in the following year having had a first, a second and a third in the series of races, finished second overall in a strong fleet of 18 Lasers, having competed against youngsters several years older than himself, including several who were members of the Welsh Squad. 

His impressive performance led to an invitation for him to join the Welsh Squad and for several years he competed in junior events around the South Wales coast and farther afield, encouraged, supported and transported by his mother Sue.

But his enthusiasm for the sport was wider than just being a competitor and in 2005 he attained his RYA Sailing Instructor qualification and two years later this was followed by his becoming an RYA Senior Sailing Instructor. 2008 saw him close the circle when he was one of the instructors at the Club’s Cadet Week, teaching some of the beginners, who thought Paul was just great.