National Ranking

First of three series starts this weekend for Team GBR's Olympic potentials

This weekend sees the first event in the revised RYA Olympic Classes National Ranking Series, held at the Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy.

The three weekend Series at WPNSA (7-8 October; 13-15 October in conjunction with the Sail for Gold Regatta; 28-29 October) will feature Skandia Team GBR’s top talent against the new breed hoping to challenge for 2012, as well as domestic Olympic class racers.

Among the entries so far are Olympic gold medallists Sarah Ayton and Sarah Webb in the Yngling class, Athens silver medallists Nick Rogers and Joe Glanfield and newly-crowned World Champions Nic Asher and Elliott Willis in the 470 men’s fleet, world silver medallist Helena Lucas in the 2.4mR Paralympic class and 49er European Champions and world bronze medallists Stevie Morrison and Ben Rhodes.

For 2006 the RYA overhauled its UK Olympic Classes events in order to ensure both the best possible attendance from world class sailors, to provide quality national racing opportunities for aspiring 2012 sailors and to continue to provide quality racing and venues for the UK Olympic class sailors generally.

“With the new 2006 format the NR series should be the most keenly fought UK Olympic Classes Series for many years especially considering the attendance of Athens medallist in in most classes and 2007 World Championship qualification places up for grabs,” explained RYA Olympic Development Squad Manager Barrie Edgington. “The winners of all the classes will have to be on top form to win and therefore the series champions will represent the best of British.”

The National Ranking Series will form the qualification for British sailors for the ISAF Olympic Class World Championships 2007, and, combined with the early season RYA Olympic Classes Spring Series are used as part of classes international championship places qualification and RYA grants for key Olympic regattas.

To read more about the selection process....