Please select your home edition
Edition

Iconic GJW Direct Bloody Mary Pursuit Race is back – are you brave enough?

by Katie Osborne 2 Dec 2022 08:12 PST 7 January 2023
The Bloody Mary © Alex Irwin / www.sportography.tv

Queen Mary Sailing Club (QMSC) is excited to announce that the iconic GJW Direct Bloody Mary pursuit race is back.

Following a two-year break thanks to the Covid-19 pandemic, the Bloody Mary, the 6th leg of the SailJuice Winter Series, will take place on 7 January 2023 at QMSC in Ashford, Middlesex.

This world-renowned event, once again being sponsored by insurance company GJW Direct, is open to all non-foiling dinghy classes with a PY number equal to or lower than an International Topper, as well as to selected keelboat classes.

Tony Bishop, club secretary at QMSC, said: "When the Bloody Mary takes place at Queen Mary Sailing Club in January 2023, it will be the 47th time we have hosted this event. It is a magical experience to see hundreds of boats representing more than 100 sailing clubs and over 60 classes descend on our reservoir for this frenzied, chaotic but unforgettable race. It's not for the faint-hearted but few who take part regret it. We are calling on all those brave enough to sign up now."

The last Bloody Mary we hosted here at QM in 2020 was amazing. There were 288 entries, representing 59 classes from 120 clubs, with 95 juniors and 23 Grand Masters. Our 2023 event promises to be bigger and better than ever as many sailors get back to racing following the pandemic. The QM team is busy making all the preparations behind the scenes to ensure all participants get the very most out of the day."

Jez Entwistle, of GJW Direct, said: "We are delighted to once again be sponsoring the Bloody Mary pursuit race. 2023 will be the fourth year we have been involved and it is always a privilege to be there on the day and watch up to 300 boats battle it out on the water. We wish all participants the best of luck in the race."

The two-and-a-half hour race starts at 12 noon with the slowest boat going first followed progressively by the faster boats, according to their handicap rating.

If you're brave enough to take part in this classic race, see the Entry Form, Notice of Race, and Sailing Instructions. Online entry will close at midnight on 6 January 2023 and once again there will be an entry limit, so early entry is advised to avoid disappointment.

The entry desk on the day will be open from 8am until 12pm.

Related Articles

Rory Cheetham Cup 2023
Match racing in memory of the former Exeter University Sailing Club member Over the weekend of 22nd and 23rd of April, Exeter University Sailing Club held the fourth Rory Cheetham Cup, a match racing event held in memory of former member Rory Cheetham. Posted on 25 Apr
Entries open for RYA Summer Match Racing Series
Rock up and race, with or without coaching/mentoring, this summer Entry is now open for the RYA Summer Match Racing Series 2023 with teams looking forward to a variety of venues plus championships for women and youth sailors. Posted on 11 Apr
Merlin Rocket Silver Tiller series at Queen Mary
Slightly daunted by a four race day, the fleet got away at the first time of asking The third round of the Craftinsure Silver Tiller series took place at Queen Mary SC on Saturday 1st April. A good turnout of 23 boats were enthused by a positive forecast and the prospect of back-to-back events (Ranelagh's event on the Sunday). Posted on 4 Apr
Hadron H2 Inland Championships at Queen Mary
The stars of last week's survival event were not so dominant in 7-10 knots After the gale force winds at the first H2 open event of the year at Chichester YC last weekend, the H2 fleet moved to Queen Mary Sailing Club for a much gentler experience. On Saturday, 1st April, 14 H2s entered for the 2023 Inland Championships. Posted on 2 Apr
International Moth GP at Queen Mary
Spring sunshine and a solid 25 knots greets the fleet A forecast depleted fleet of 9 moths got their entries in on time and landed in the capital for the first Grand Prix event of the year at London's Queen Mary SC. Posted on 27 Mar
RS400s at Queen Mary
A who's who of RS400 sailing at the Rope4Boats Southern Tour The casual observer could easily have mistaken the Rope4Boats RS400 Southern Tour event at Queen Mary for an RS400 Champion of Champions event. Posted on 16 Mar
RS200 Sailing Chandlery EaSEA Tour at Queen Mary
Seventeeen teams dust off the cobwebs Seventeen RS 200s gathered at Queen Mary Sailing Club to dust off the cobwebs at the first event of the season and Round 1 of the newly formed Sailing Chandlery East and South East Area (EaSEA) Tour. Posted on 15 Mar
RYA Winter Match Racing qualifier 1
Rutland team win first 2023 event at Queen Mary SC The first qualifier of the 2023 RYA Winter Match Racing Series was claimed by a team from Rutland Sailing Club skippered by Ben Tylecote. Posted on 16 Jan
RS800s at the Bloody Mary and Development Day
The RS800 had one of the biggest class turnouts for this year's race Well it definitely felt bloody! This year's Bloody Mary definitely lived up to its reputation. A big hats' off to all the sailors who turned up and launched, it would be very easy to have stayed wrapped up at home. Posted on 12 Jan
29er Teenagers win the Bloody Mary
Crossley and Fitzgerald grab 6th leg of Seldén SailJuice Winter Series Two 17-year-olds have won the GJW Direct Bloody Mary pursuit race, the sixth leg of the Seldén SailJuice Winter Series. Posted on 9 Jan