2015 ISAF Team Racing World Championship - Preview

by Mike Steele on 12 Jul 2015 2015 ISAF Team Racing World Championship - Sailing teams from around the World will join battle in the 2015 ISAF Team Racing World Championship at Rutland Sailing Club, Rutland Water, from the 19-24 July 2015.

HRH the Princess Royal, President of the Royal Yachting Association, will visit the event on Monday, 20 July, and also attend a reception to mark the 20th anniversary of the founding of Rutland Sailability, which provides sailing for disabled people of all ages.

Event Director David Wilkins says: “We’re currently expecting some 24 teams from Australia, Bermuda, Canada, Great Britain, Ireland, Italy, Japan and USA, plus an ASAF (Asian Sailing Federation) team comprising Indian, Malaysian, Hong Kong and Japanese sailors.

“This ISAF (International Sailing Federation) Grade One event is in the same category as the Olympics and is the pinnacle of international, dinghy team racing. Races are very short at around 12 minutes and can be action packed and spectacular. Spectators are very welcome at Rutland Sailing Club during the event.

“The top sailors competing are often Olympic, World and national dinghy champions in their own right. Many will have sailed for university and collegiate teams and have already represented their countries at international level.”

The competition will have Open and Under 19 divisions and the top three teams in each section will be awarded ISAF championship medals.

The British GBR One team will be the West Kirby Hawks, who are the current World Champions and have recently re-formed to defend their title. The GBR Two team will be the Royal Forth Hoosiers, who are the reigning UK National Champions, and the GBR Three team is from Bristol University.

Magdalen College School, Oxford, Sevenoaks School, Kent and West Kirby Sailing Club on the Wirral make up the British Under 19 teams.

Each team comprises three boats with two crew per boat and at least one male and one female competitor per team, and the competition will be sailed in Firefly dinghies.

David Wilkins concludes: “Special thanks go to our sponsors. Principal sponsors are The Royal Yachting Association, Rondar Raceboats (providing two flights of Firefly Dinghies), Allen Brothers (British manufacturer of performance dinghy hardware), Oakley (sunglasses) and Rooster (chandlery). Other sponsors include: Old Pulteney, Harken, Zhik, Gill Marine, Selden, Barnsdale Hall Hotel, Redwings Lodge, Berridge Taxis, Sevenoaks School, West Kirby Sailing Club, Anglian Water and Rutland Tourism. Additional flights of boats are being loaned by Oakham, Oundle and Uppingham Schools and Rutland Sailing Club. And of course, a big thank you to all our volunteer helpers.”

A ‘Virtual 2015 ISAF Team Racing Championship’, hosted by SailX, will also be run in conjunction with the real event.