New Women’s Open Keelboat Championship

by PR on 18 Dec 2007 2008 will see the inaugural Women’s Open Keelboat Championship hosted on the 7 and 8 June by the Royal Southern Yacht Club, Hamble.

The new event aims to attract female sailors to a weekend of high quality racing on the Solent in a range of keelboats. The event organisers are asking women to register their interest now at www.wokc.co.uk.

Four female racing sailors from the Solent - Stephanie Danby, Jody Slater, Emma Beagley and Vicky Lincoln - are delighted to announce this new women’s racing event which will take place next summer.

The Women’s Open Keelboat Championship 2008 is a girls’ weekend for sailors – the most fun, convenient, testing and memorable regatta. The crews will be 100% women. The men will be on the committee boat, driving RIBS and in the bar for the party in the evening!

Jody Slater, one of the team behind the event, said:

'We’re going to deliver top quality racing in one of the world’s most famous sailing venues, accommodating a range of experience and age groups across key one design and handicap fleets. The aim is to provide a format which is not currently available on the Solent racing calendar.

The four of us raced together last summer in an all-female team and had such a good laugh at the same time as really challenging ourselves. Racing in an all girl team gives opportunities for women to take up all the crew roles. We figured others would be keen to join in too. We’re just regular girls wanting to provide a really good weekend of competitive racing.'

Jody continued: 'We will ensure that the shore side party is equally memorable – we’re calling it an evening of ‘frocks and flipflops’ which sums up our attitude fairly well. We’ve been so pleased at the keen interest and support people are already showing and are really thriving on turning this idea into reality.'

The Women’s Open Keelboat Championship is being hosted by the Royal Southern Yacht Club, Hamble, on the weekend of 7 and 8 June 2008, with two days of racing run by a highly experienced team, and a great Saturday night party.