British Kitesurf Freestyle Championships returns to Ramsgate and includes two new events

 Ramsgate will play host to the British Kitesurf Freestyle Championships again this year.

Following the postponement of the Championships last year due to COVID-19, the British Kitesports Association (BKSA) will be bringing the event back to Ramsgate – but with a significant difference – the addition of new events designed to test even the most experienced kitesurfer.

With the opportunity to watch incredible stunts from some of the UK’s top kitesurfers, this year’s event will also include:

British Kite Foil Freestyle Championships – launched as a trial event in Ramsgate in 2019, but featuring as an official event for the first time in 2021

British Wing Foil Freestyle Championships – another first for Ramsgate

Active Ramsgate, an initiative of Ramsgate Town Council to support the economic development of the town through the promotion and celebration of outdoor activities, will be sponsoring and hosting the Championships, taking place on August 21-22 on Ramsgate Main Sands.

Around 70 competitors from all over the UK will all be competing, including some of Kent’s own kitesurfers such as Herne Bay’s Mattia and Francesca Maini. They are currently part of the Youth Kite Foiling British Sailing Team, aspiring to be part of the Olympic squad in future games.

Any kitesurfer of competition standard can enter. Find more information at www.britishkitesports.org

Bembridge Village Regatta

 Strong winds, thunder & lightening with torrential rain over night on Friday did not augur well for this year's Village Regatta linked to Bembridge Harbour Family Fun Weekend.

It was great to see five Flying Fifteens from BHYC joining in the keelboat racing. Although they race on a handicap as they range in age and equipment, they clearly enjoyed the experience and will hopefully join in more races as the season hots up. After a clean start, Richard Coleman in 3674 soon established himself as the boat to beat and it was interesting to see how quickly he had overhauled the One-Designs, indeed whether he would overtake all the Redwings.

Congratulations to Colin who won both Redwing Trophies over the weekend. Daily racing starts on Monday through to Bank Holiday Monday 30th August

YOUR GUIDE TO COWES WEEK 2021

 Cowes Week 2021, which this year will run from Saturday 31st July to Friday 6th August.

A key change to Cowes Week this year is that all racing will finish on Friday 6th August followed by the overall prize giving in the early evening. There has also been a dramatic shift in the start sequence with up to 25 starts from the Royal Yacht Squadron (RYS) line each day, bringing the racing action closer to shore for spectators.

For 2021 there will be no annual Friday night fireworks display, nor the sight and sound of the Red Arrows overhead – 2 big attractions that pull in the wider crowds.

Acts cancelled and new stage made for Falmouth Week 2021

 The organisers of Falmouth Week have announced several changes to the evening entertainment schedule, and a new open-air stage set, to allow a series of the highly popular evening events to go ahead in the upcoming summer celebration.

The Wurzels, Reef, Craig Charles Funk and Soul Show and the Ska Night with Bad Manners have been cancelled.

All daytime activities, including the Red Arrows breath-taking appearance, will all still be going ahead as part of Falmouth Week from August 6 to August 15. However, organisers have taken the necessary decision to cancel the first weekend of evening entertainment, and the mid-week night-time performances, and have confirmed a range of options, including refunds for those who have already purchased tickets for these events.

Tom Cruise's luxury £32m superyacht as he enjoys sailing getaway in Cornwall

 Hollywood star Tom Cruise's mega-yacht was reportedly spotted sailing around the Cornish coast as the actor enjoyed a break from filming Mission Impossible.

The 59-year-old actor, who is currently in the UK filming the latest instalment of the action saga, is making the most of the scorching British weather as he stayed aboard a yacht called the Triple Seven, which is said to be worth millions.

The enormous 65-metre vessel reportedly costs around £32 million and boasts 17 crew members and a host of exciting toys such as a huge slide and jet skis. There is even kite surfing equipment and stand-up paddleboards on the incredible yacht should Tom fancy even more adventure.

Tickets on sale for Southampton International Boat Show

 Tickets are now on sale for British Marine’s Southampton International Boat Show, taking place from 10-19 September. 

One of Europe’s largest on-water events at Mayflower Marina will feature hundreds of exhibitor stands and over 500 craft on display, with a new show layout this year.

The show’s Water stage will feature flyboarders and jet-ski freestylers performances, while the new Festival Green area on land will family entertainment, with music and street food offerings.

Visitors can get onto the water and choose from Rockley Watersports Get-A-Float experiences offering SUP, kayaking and dinghy sailing, as well as Try-A-Boat sessions on RIBS, powerboats, sailing yachts, and motor cruisers. The 1919 square-rigged Tall Ship Morgenster will sail daily from the show with visitors on board, and the passenger cruiser Island Scene will make regular passenger sailings throughout.

“This year is our 52nd edition and we’re excited by the changes which will make it unlike any previous Southampton show,” says Lesley Robinson, CEO of British Marine. 

“Our outdoor setting, with Europe’s largest temporary marina capable of hosting over 300 craft, and a new show layout which connects the water’s edge with the historic Southampton City walls and Westquay Shopping Centre has enabled us to really push the boundaries this year with a myriad of incredibly exciting features for all ages.”

Advance tickets for the event can now be purchased online. Tickets are priced from £14 per day for key workers, NHS and emergency staff, armed forces, students and those with other concessions, with Monday-Thursday adult tickets at £21 and tickets for both Fridays and the weekends costing £25.50 per day. 

505 UK National Championship at the Weymouth & Portland National Sailing Academy

 

Light winds plagued the 505 UK Nationals in Weymouth, with the first two days seeing no racing at all, then four races packed into Monday, and only a single race possible on the final day.

Tom Gillard and Geoff Edwards prevailed in the end, taking the title by a single point ahead of Roger Gilbert & Ben McGrane with Penny & Russ Clark completing the podium.

Pos Nat Sail No Helm Crew Club R1 R2 R3 R4 R5 Pts

1 GBR 9177 Thomas Gillard Geoff Edwards Sheffield Viking SC 5 1 ‑7 1 1 8

2 GBR 9215 Roger Gilbert Ben McGrane Netley SC 2 ‑7 1 4 2 9

3 GBR 9196 Penny Clark Russ Clark Stokes Bay SC 1 4 4 ‑13 4 13

4 GBR 9232 Sam Pascoe Norman Byrd Castle Cove SC 3 2 3 ‑6 5 13

5 GBR 9238 Ian Pinnell Alex Davies Hayling Island SC 4 ‑5 2 5 3 14

6 GBR 9124 Nathan Bachelor Christian Diebitsch RYA ‑6 6 6 2 6 20

7 GBR 9085 Charlie Walters Dougal Cram 11 11 5 12 ‑18 39

8 GBR 8513 Benjamin Frank Illife Rich Nurse Northampton SC ‑16 8 12 10 9 39

9 GBR 9214 Andy Smith Stewart Mears Notts County SC 9 10 11 ‑19 14 44

10 GBR 8970 Simon Potts Oliver Davenport Burghfield SC 14 3 19

British Classic Week

 The larger yachts crept through the shifts to make the mark and get back to the RYS line. The smaller yachts gallantly battled the tide, with some digging in to get there and others calling it a day.

Spirit 52 Oui Fling persevered to win Class 1, classic sloop Lak II took first place in Class 2, and Clyde Linear 30 Mikado won Class 3. After two back-to-back wins from Suvretta in Class 4, today was Kim Holman designed Stiletto’s day on the water and she took the win for Class 4.

A tough day on the water, but spirits were rallied upon getting back to the dock with the thought of the evening’s Pontoon Party, complete with live music and cocktails.

Full results: https://www.rys.org.uk/yachting/results

Team GB confirm Sailing Team for rescheduled Tokyo 2020 Games

 BOA and RYA have confirmed that the 15 sailors selected for Team GB at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games will remain the same for the rescheduled Games in 2021.

The selected athletes for 2021 are:

Giles Scott: Finn (Men’s One Person Dinghy Heavy)

Hannah Mills and Eilidh McIntyre: 470 Women (Women’s Two Person Dinghy)

Luke Patience and Chris Grube: 470 Men (Men’s Two Person Dinghy)

Charlotte Dobson and Saskia Tidey: 49erFX (Women’s Skiff)

Dylan Fletcher and Stuart Bithell: 49er (Men’s Skiff)

Elliot Hanson: Laser (Men’s One Person Dinghy)

Alison Young: Laser Radial (Women’s One Person Dinghy)

Emma Wilson: RS:X Women (Women’s Windsurfer)

Tom Squires: RS:X Men (Men’s Windsurfer)

John Gimson and Anna Burnet: Nacra 17 (Mixed Multihull)

Carswell Gould takes part in Southampton Sailing Week

 Carswell Gould competed in The Gallagher Cup, part of Southampton Sailing Week, where it finished on the podium, in third place overall.

The winning yacht was crewed by the Gallagher Insurance team.

Slingsby completes return to form with Great Britain Sail Grand Prix win in front of sold out crowds

 Thousands of fans turned up on Plymouth Hoe, and hundreds of spectator boats lined the F50 racecourse in Plymouth Sound as the sold out Great Britain Sail Grand Prix closed on a high note in Britain's Ocean City.

Tom Slingsby's Australia SailGP Team celebrated its first victory of SailGP Season 2, being crowned event winners of the Great Britain Sail Grand Prix, as thousands of sun-drenched fans were also treated to a race win for the home team.

The Season 1 Champions were defeated by Great Britain in the final race of the Bermuda Sail Grand Prix presented by Hamilton Princess earlier this season, but got its revenge on British waters to make an astounding comeback, ultimately winning the event after a thrilling three-boat final between Australia, U.S and France.

Great Britain Sail Grand Prix // Plymouth:

1 // Australia

2 // France

3 // United States

4 // Great Britain

5 // Denmark

6 // Japan

7 // New Zealand

8 // Spain

SailGP Season Championship leaderboard: (after 3 events)

1 // Australia // 22 pts

2 // Great Britain // 22 pts

3 // France // 21 pts

4 // United States // 19 pts

5 // Japan // 19 pts

6 // Spain // 19 pts

7 // Denmark // 17 pts

8 // New Zealand // 17 pts

Girton Sailing Club's Puddleduck Open enjoyed by winners Wayne Atherton and Angela Sweeney

 The event is for Miracle Class dinghies — a two person boat — first introduced in 1975 by Jack Holt, who also masterminded the Mirror Dinghy.

Saturday had disappointingly light winds, which gave the party a very slow start but after two races, Tracy Amos and Gemma Gibson ( Sail 3692) topped the leaderboard with two second places.

It all changed on Sunday with a better breeze to put more power into the sails as spinnakers were filled.

After three further races, the pairing of Atherton and Sweeney emerged as winners following three firsts. Amos and Gibson took second.

The remaining finishes were: Jon & Jessica Willars (3834), Andy Robinson & Hannah Mumford (4123), Graham Watts & Helen Jacks (4114), Paul Robinson & Matt Gibson (4110), Dave & Jean Reed (3725) and Gerard & Frances Copsey (3120)

Junior sailors to take the helm at Itchenor

 More than 200 youth sailors and 100 boats will take part in Itchenor Sailing Club’s annual Junior Fortnight Regatta.

It takes place in Chichester Harbour from July 25 to August 6 and provides an opportunity for the club’s young sailors, ranging from eight to 18, to test their skills in a competitive but fun racing environment. The classes – Mirrors, Toppers, Fevas, 420s and Laser Radials – will each have a separate week one and week two series, with five days of racing per week, taking it to ten race days in total.

Trophies will be awarded for overall regatta winners and, as per previous events, there will be prizes given to winners of the individual weeks.