50th Golden Anniversary Celebration Year

Let’s hope 2021 is a better year than last, both for sailing and life generally. Being a single-handed class, we actually benefited in some ways, at clubs up and down the country double handed boats remained with covers on whilst their owners dug out the best single-hander ever made.

50 years since the best single hander every built first hit the water, we will be celebrating the 50 years big time this season. Despite all the other excellent designs of boat since, ours remains the biggest selling racing dinghy world-wide year after year.

Whichever Club you sail at there will always be somebody to race against on level terms – One design racing at its purist.

When we look forward to the coming season there is so much racing and training planed at every level.

Fingers crossed for the Qualifiers, please keep an eye on the website and social media for updates as I write this we are still GO, but we have to be realistic and we are working up a plan B – hope to see everybody at Stokes Bay.

The 50th celebratory Nationals in August is going to be a massive event, the following week is the U-21 Worlds, the first Worlds run in the UK for over 10 years – it will be HUGE as many of the U-21 competitors we expect will compete in our Nationals. Last year’s National’s at WPNSA was fantastic with many more club sailors and master’s than normal – really recommend you put the dates in your calendar, the vibe is really something, come and join me at the back of the fleet!

The Grand Prix and Super Grand Prix is all coming together, and the schedule looks fantastic. UKLA is focusing on training and training for all levels. Our Open training has moved to the next level as we take our best in class squad training to Sailors of all abilities and ages, this has proved very successful under Tim Hulse’s leadership most summer weekends Tim’s team has multiple training across the country. This year we will be making that even more regional and accessible.

If you want Tim to bring his coaching team to your club – get in touch.

Still on training you will notice the Super Grand Prix’s are a day of training followed by a day of racing. You only have to look at our GBR elite sailors to realise that to get better get some training, coaches will make you a better sailor, perhaps even more so than just racing.

Don’t forget to check in on the RYA Dinghy Show, might see you on the UKLA stand?

You will have noticed have some Alumni racing in Auckland – Go Britannia

Here’s to an excellent season of fun racing the best Class in the world -50 years and still hiking,

Rob

ILCA 6 - 213641