Entries open for the RYA Women’s Dinghy Championships  2 March

The RYA Women's Dinghy Championships is back for 2006!  Scheduled to take place on 20-21 May at Hayling Island Sailing Club this year’s event is expected to be the bigger, better and more competitive than ever before so dust off your Dinghy and get out on the water.

Sponsored by Dinghy Sailing Magazine and organised by the RYA, the RYA Women’s Dinghy Championships will be held at Hayling Island for the first time and is open to any mono-hull centreboard dinghy with a PY Handicap between 1238 (RS Feva XL) and 781 (RS800).

With five races scheduled (three on the Saturday and two on the Sunday) competitors will be able to mix it with some of the UK’s top female dinghy racers or simply enjoy the atmosphere and have a laugh.  The race management team is headed up by International Race Officer Roger Palmer, to ensure the highest quality racing.

The RYA will be supplying a top coach to give on-the-water advice.  This will be followed up with a debrief, a review of video footage shot each day and a question time in the evening.  After a hard day’s racing competitors will be able to unwind at a Hawaiian themed BBQ and disco in the clubhouse.

Racing is strictly girls only, but the party afterwards is open to family and friends. There will be lots of prizes up for grabs, including RYA trophies and subscriptions to Dinghy Sailing Magazine.

Event Organiser, Lucy Burn commented: “This is the perfect opportunity for the girls to kick the lads out of the boat and have a weekend of competitive racing and a load of fun! 

“We’ve taken a fresh approach to the event this year and have chosen a new date and venue, as well as injected some much needed enthusiasm into the organisation of the event. There has been a lot of interest already so I'm really excited about it - and yes, I will be taking part too!"

For more information, please contact Lucy Burn at the RYA (lucy.burn@rya.org.uk or 02380 604168) or go to the Hayling Island Sailing Club website at www.hisc.co.uk . Download NOR here (166KB Word file) and entry form here (43KB Word file).

TRAINING EVENTS 2006  7 March

Rutland Friday, 31 March 

Prior to the National Ranker at Rutland on 1 & 2 April. This will be led by Andrea Brewster, who has coached the Class several times before, was a top Europe sailor and is now a leading member of the GBR Laser Radial team. The intention would be to make a start, ready to go on the water, at 10.30 am, so that we can get the most out of the day. There will be a video de-briefing when we come off the water. This arrangement was very popular last time we did this at Rutland in 2004. Most of the sailors stayed in the Rutland Water SC accommodation [you need to book this direct with the Rutland office (costs £11 - £13) or in local B&Bs. There is an accommodation list on the Rutland SC website. Last time, we booked a table at the pub in Edith Weston and had a good evening, so we will aim at this unless you have other suggestions.

Weymouth (WPNSA) Thursday & Friday, 8 & 9 June 

We will be in Bexhill on the weekend of 3 & 4 June for the National Ranker and then be moving to Portland for the Nationals on 10 & 11 June. James Eynon, current UK National Europe Champion, has agreed to lead a one or two-day training event at WPNSA - which is an excellent facility - with me. We will have two RIBs and will be able to organise activities so as to ensure maximum value to all sailors, both those at the front of the fleet and those seeking a more developmental approach. There is a great variety of accommodation available in Weymouth and on Portland, ranging from B&B, fixed caravan, camping through lots of excellent holiday lets to Portland Heights (good view!). Anyone bringing their yacht can always berth on the WPNSA pontoons! Europe sailors have often used Boscawen House, which is the accommodation facility of WPNSA (see the WPNSA website) or the Youth Hostel - both of which overlook Portland Harbour.

Loch Tummel Friday, 21 July

Loch Tummel SC are organising another one-day training on the Friday before the Inland Championships on 22 & 23 July. Mark Barron, former RYA Europe National Coach, will be leading the coaching again. The event is at the start of Loch Tummel week, and we are welcome to stay on for this. Most people camp on the Club site -“ one of the most beautiful settings going!

I hope that these plans suit as many sailors as possible and help to support your sailing, provide some additional opportunities for us to meet socially and encourage participation at the events they are linked to. I am sure that we will be in touch informally or on the website Forum, but we are very keen to encourage anyone who has not been involved before or who may be sailing locally and would like to get some ideas and support. Please call or e-mail me with any queries. Please can you indicate your interest in each of these training events below, so that we can have an idea as a basis for costing (as I said, we are hoping that the Class Association will be making some contribution), and pass this back to me one way, or another, as soon as you can?. Many thanks.

Katie Mapplebeck 

Training Officer

Download the Training Interest Form 2006 to complete and return to Katie by post or email .