North Sails UK is proud to support the Royal Southern May Regatta on the 7th and 8th of May. This regatta kicks off the first of a series of fun yet competitive summer regattas at the Royal Southern Yacht Club in Hamble.
With over 80 teams expected and hundreds of sailors taking part, it’s going to be a fantastic series, with boats on the entry list including J/70, SB20, Cape 31, HP30, J/111, and IRC Classes.
For the first day of the regatta, North Sails UK Expertswill be on the water coaching from the North RIB, alongside Shaun Roster who is capturing drone videos of the fleets to be played at the club after racing. The local North experts will also run a short and relaxed in-person debrief for all competitors to help teams get the most out of the weekend and the series. And find our branded goodies amongst the prizes, including jackets, books, and sail bags. North Sails Certified Service will be onsite for the weekend. For any sail repairs during the regatta, contact the local Service Expert James Hobson on +44 7557 941069.
Several high-performing North Sails-powered boats are set to take part, including Ian Atkin’s new Carkeek 40 Dark ‘n’ Stormy. “There is a big incentive to do all of the Summer Series regattas, but each feels like a proper championship in its own right,” comments Ian Atkins. “Dark ‘n’ Stormy is a thrilling boat to race, and there are about ten boats of similar capabilities racing in The Solent. We are looking forward to a superb season of racing.”
“Everyone could use a North Sails bag to carry their sandwiches down to the boat!” laughed Chris Jones, owner of North boat Journeymaker. “But the simple truth is that North Sails have some very high-quality experts, and we know their input is going to be of the very highest caliber. Their advice really does help us progress.”
One Design classes have always been a feature of the Royal Southern Summer Series. The pocket-rocket Cape 31 UK Class, based in Hamble, will see five or more Cape 31s at the North Sails May Regatta. North Sails has worked closely with the class, optimizing sail designs, offering support and training sessions. The Bartholomew’s Tokoloshe has an experienced crew onboard and is certainly one of the North boats that we have a close eye on having won the final regatta of the 2021 Summer Series. If you missed it, read our recap on the 2021 UK Nationalsand how the fleet is captivating sailors worldwide.
The SB20 Class will also be in action for the North Sails May Regatta which will be their Southern Championship and the first round of theSB20 UK Series.
The Royal Southern Yacht Club has produced J/70 World Champions in both the Open and Corinthian Classes. The 2022 J/70 UK Sprint Series kicks off at the North Sails May Regatta and will be held throughout the Royal Southern Summer Series. With five short, sharp races per day, the series is designed to test raw speed and boat handling.
J/70 UK Class Captain Marshall King, 2019 Corinthian World Champion, commented: “The Sprint Series provides thrilling racing and is the perfect environment to improve starts and boat handling. After racing, the J/70 Class enjoys getting together for post-race drinks where we share knowledge to increase performance right through the class.”
Online Entry for the North Sails May Regatta and the Notice of Race is available here. For more information, please email: RSrnYC Sailing Secretary James Ripley.
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