ILCA UK Chair Blog #152
I am reminded of the success of the ILCA4 by Dan Slater’s Open letter – Dan is a three time Olympian from New Zealand, twice in the Finn and once in the Skiff and recall my comments way back in Blog # 40. To repeat some of that here:
Have you been looking for single hander to suit a lighter sailor with a National circuit of events?
Do you feel the ILCA6 is a bit too powerful for you or you are not quite a competitive size for it?
Are you a Masters sailor looking for a smaller rig than the ILCA6?
Are you under 18 and want to go to a Worlds or Europeans with over 400 other sailors?
Well, ILCA UK run six or seven National Opens each year (including the Inlands) and a National Championship that all have healthy fleet sizes for the ILCA4 and these are open to sailors of all ages.
Yes, the ILCA4 (formerly 4.7) provides super racing for those boys and girls wishing to transition out of other junior classes like the Optimist or Topper. Yes, it provides the opportunity to move on to the ILCA6 and ILCA7 if that suits you but it also provides the opportunity to keep racing in the ILCA4 post youth. And over the last couple of years, we have been encouraging a separate start for ILCA4s at Masters events.
So at the Masters Inlands in Grafham on 25th /26th Oct we are promoting the ILCA4s once again (entries will open later in September). Grafham provides a good inland venue for all competent club sailors. Why not come along and why not bring a friend? ILCAs are easy to borrow and the ILCA4 rig is easy to source from another club member or try asking on our WhatsApp channels.
You might ask why encourage? Well, it is consistent with our ethos of being inclusive. But the ILCA also has advantage - there is a ready supply of affordable second-hand boats and of course many sailors love the easy logistics and ease of access of single-hander sailing.
For those transitioning from other junior classes this autumn, we have four ILCA4 events for you – in Weymouth, East Lothian and Draycote. You don’t have to be an expect to come along – you will receive lots of help and encouragement especially if you ask!
Snippets
ILCA UK Events
You will see our calendar starting to fill up.
Other news
ILCA Thames Valley Series Grand Prix at Island Barn Reservoir Sailing Club
ILCA Northern Championship at Leigh & Lowton Sailing Club
2025 ILCA UK National and Open Championships at Plas Heli Welsh National Sailing Academy
Here is Nationals video
2025 Suzuki Master European Championship
2025 ILCA UK Masters Nationals video
2025 ILCAUK Masters Nationals at Hayling Island Sailing Club - ILCA 6 report
2025 ILCAUK Masters Nationals at Hayling Island Sailing Club - ILCA 7 report
QM ILCA initiative has gone from zero to international in six months
2025 ILCA7 Masters Spring Qualifier at Parkstone Yacht Club
2025 ILCA6 Masters Spring Qualifier at Parkstone Yacht Club
ILCA Midland Grand Prix at Attenborough Sailing Club
2025 ILCA UK National Open 2 at the WPNSA - ILCA 4 fleet report
2025 ILCA UK National Open 2 at the WPNSA - ILCA 6 fleet report
2025 ILCA UK National Open 2 at the WPNSA - ILCA 7 fleet report
Video of National Open 2
Also we also had three really good write-ups from that first weekend:
2025 ILCA UK National Open 1 at the WPNSA - ILCA 7 fleet report
2025 ILCA UK National Open 1 at the WPNSA - ILCA 4 fleet report
2025 ILCA UK National Open 1 at the WPNSA- ILCA 6 fleet report
National Open 1 video Here it is.
Finally have you seen the tracking? Here are the links - ILCA UK National Open 1 ILCA UK National Open 2 James Foster did a nice debriefing of the racing using the tracking data, see here. ILCA7 briefing. ILCA4 briefing.
ILCA UK Youth Winter Trophy at Datchet Water Sailing Club - ILCA 4 fleet report
ILCA UK Youth Winter Trophy at Datchet Water Sailing Club - ILCA 6 fleet report