Harrison and Hobday announce new Racing Academy

by UKSA on 22 Apr 2006 Peter Harrison and Kit Hobday have announced that they are joining forces with the United Kingdom Sailing Academy in Cowes to form the Yacht Racing Academy.

The two patrons of British yacht racing are making their identical Far 52 yachts, Bear of Britain and Chernikeeff 2, available to the new Academy, which will be managed by UKSA and is intended to help young amateur sailors aged 18 and 25 experience big boat sailing and develop match racing skills at a professional level.

The Yacht Racing Academy springs from the foundations created by Kit Hobday in 2001 as the Bear of Britain Academy, now in its fourth year of operation. Kit's Bear of Britain is unique, in that she is the only yacht of her size and complexity to be sailed successfully by an amateur and youth crew, with an average age of under 23.

The first Yacht Racing Academy candidates began a two-week training programme on 7 April. Candidates are participating in a period of intense physical training under the control of the ex Royal Marine Commando Instructors who have been involved in the race academy scheme for the past two years. The exercise aims are not only physical but are designed to increase 'esprit de corps'.

Successful candidates will be selected to form two race crews that will continue the ethos of the academy by matching young amateur sailors against professional crews competing at the top level of big boat yachting. The crews for this years racing calendar will be assessed during the two week period and selected on Saturday 22 April prior to the Academy's passing out presentation.

Once the Academy selection is over selected trialists will join the crews of both Chernikeeff 2 and Bear of Britain with one of the main aims being to provide one of the entries for Great Britain in the forthcoming Commodores' Cup. Bear of Britain was the lead boat in the successful British victory in the 2004 Commodores' Cup.

Peter Harrison, President of the Yacht Racing Academy said:

'Hopefully, after Valencia 2007, a new consortium in Great Britain will launch a new America's Cup campaign for 2010 or 2011. If so, the Yacht Racing Academy will provide a training ground for the new generation of potential British Olympic and Cup sailors. I am pleased and proud to be supporting this youth initiative. With Kit Hobday and myself making our Farr 52s Bear of Britain and Chernikeeff 2 available to the UKSA, we believe that we can be helpful in developing the talents and match racing skills of a new generation of international performance sailors.'

Event website: http://www.uksa.org/