There is a already a different feel to the 2021 sailing season, a definite feeling of optimism as we all get our jabs and the government coronavirus restrictions begin to fall away.
Although some international events continue to struggle due to travel restrictions – for the non-professional sailor – here in the UK club sailing is gathering pace and open meetings are beginning to test the waters.
And following on the recent announcement of Chichester Harbour Race Week setting out its stall for the return of its mid-summer multi-class regatta . . . Andy Rice – sailing’s man of many hats – reminds me that one of his projects, the 2020/21 edition of the Seldén SailJuice Winter Series is back up and running.
The ‘Winter Series’ is set to continue with the Grafham Belle, a brand-new multiclass handicap event being hosted by Grafham Water Sailing Club on Saturday 29 May and Sunday 30 May.
The event will run along very similar lines to the typical Winter Series event, with most types of dinghy from Laser 4.7 as the slowest handicap class up to RS800s as the fastest.
There is a 75-boat entry limit, which with the pent-up demand is likely to fill up fast!
The series will continue with the Bala Long Distance, at Bala SC, 19-20 June, and the Wilsonian River Challenge, at Wilsonian SC, 26-27 June, through to a concluding event at Rutland Water, the rescheduled John Merricks Tiger Trophy on the last weekend of August.
I am sure that there are plenty more of our traditional summer sailing regatta weeks being readied.
All we need is for the great British vaccine rollout to continue and the weather to cooperate to make this a year to remember.
More information and entry details available here . . .
Seldén SailJuice Winter Series (Summer Edition!):
Grafham Belle, Grafham Water SC, 29-30 May 2021
Bala Long Distance, Bala SC, 19-20 June 2021
Wilsonian River Challenge, Wilsonian SC, 26-27 June 2021
Tiger Trophy, Rutland Water SC, 28-29 August 2021
Title from The Times They Are A Changin’ Bob Dylan 1963