Entry open for 2021 WASZP European Championships
by Marc Ablett 10 Mar 03:17 PST
8-14 August 2021
Sandefjord stunning © Trond R. Teigen / SailLogic
The WASZP European Championships 2021 are due to take place this summer on 8-14 August at Sandefjord, Norway. Entries are now open via RaceHub and sailors are encouraged to sign up!
With light at the end of the COVID tunnel, WASZP is looking forward to welcoming back its sailors at the premier event for the European season. With up to 150 boats expected to attend, the championship is set to showcase the largest ever WASZP fleet as well as the largest ever foiling fleet in Scandinavia and biggest competition in Sandefjord's long history. Despite a difficult 2020, WASZP is set to go full throttle in 2021!
Over 20 nations expected to compete in Norway
Unable to enjoy as much time on the water over the last 12 months, WASZP has focussed on laying the foundations for a huge year! Back in the Autumn, WASZP employed a full-time class manager so that it can focus more manpower towards organising the very best events in sailing and grow the class even further. On top of that, WASZP has invested in RaceHub - its bespoke class management system that connects its global community and pulls all things WASZP into one central place. RaceHub is full of great features, including GPS racing and Virtual Reality eSailing, that will benefit the sailors, national associations and sponsors as the class strides forward through 2021 and beyond.
Racehub is the new class admin tool that will set the WASZP apart from the rest of the competition.
More recently, WASZP's strategic partnership with SailGP has been gathering speed in the run-up to SailGP's opening event in Bermuda in April. Thanks to SailGP's commitment for female inclusion at the top of the sport, many elite female sailors have had the chance to gain selection for SailGP teams. WASZP is the chosen class for the selection process and stood up to the test as the best female sailors in the world got to grips with foiling and battled it out for the coveted selection spots.
WASZP is also the boat of choice for the SailGP Inspire program, which aims to give the most talented young sailors the first step on the foiling pathway as they gain an insight into life as a professional sailor and race on the SailGP course in front of the crowds at each SailGP event this season. Applications for U21 sailors are now open via the SailGP website for this opportunity of a lifetime.
Now that sailing is back on the agenda this year, the momentum of the class is building faster than ever. WASZP surpassed the 1000 boat milestone at the end of 2020 and is on track to achieve an all-time record of boat sales this quarter as more and more sailors are drawn to the unbeatable culture and events that WASZP offers. As we speak, extra boats are being shipped to agents to address the unprecedented demand. Those interested in purchasing a boat and becoming part of the revolution can head to the WASZP website to be connected with their nearest agent.
There has been an unprecedented amount of boats shipped to Europe in the last 12 months, this should result in large numbers at events all over Europe.
Europeans entry
Sailors should head to RaceHub to submit their entry. Sailors must be members of the International WASZP Class to compete at the European Championships. Class membership can also be purchased through RaceHub after creating an account. It is possible to complete the entry form now and pay at a later date. There is an early entry fee discount for payments made before 1 May. Please see the Notice of Race for further details.
View the event site and enter here
Hotel discount
On the event page of RaceHub, class members will find an exclusive hotel discount for the championship. WASZP has reserved rooms at the Scandic Park Hotel, Sandefjord at a preferential rate for the benefit of its members. Once sailors have entered the event, they will be emailed with an exclusive discount code for Sandefjord's biggest hotel. Payment for the rooms is due on arrival.
View the Hotel and amenities here, perfectly situated and fantastic accomodation for the event.
COVID
WASZP is highly optimistic that the championship will go ahead with full force. In the event that COVID restrictions put limitations on the event, WASZP will implement measures that allow the event to go ahead safely. If restrictions mean a safe event is not possible and the event is cancelled, all entry fees will be refunded, and hotel reservations cancelled with no obligation for the sailor to pay.