800s head to Weymouth

The RS800 fleet is preparing for a busy UK National Championship in late August

The RS800 fleet will be gathering at the Weymouth and Portland Sailing Academy on 26 August for the 2006 National Championships.

Entries are expecting to top 50 for the six days of racing so the competition promises to be tough. The event is taking on a new format for 2006; 15 races in total split over 6 days to really determine the true and worthy winner. A pretty hectic social schedule has also been planned.

Seminars, spot prizes and ‘duckhams’ nominations are all part of the daily line up, so if you’re still tempted to enter then it’s not too late, all entry enquiries can go to Charlotte England, Charlotte@rs-association.com.

Other highlights of the Championship include the Prize Giving bonanza on the final night where all competitors will be fed and watered as the Prizes are awarded. The long awaited Sail4Cancer raffle will also be drawn where the lucky winners will receive some amazing prizes from a stash of including a Wild Wind sailing holiday for two, Marin Mountain Bike, RS800 Spinnaker and much, much more (to purchase tickets please contact Charlotte at the RS Association). A full disco will follow on to see the night out with a bang! Extra tickets can be purchased for friends and family on registration.

Once again the quality of competition remains high. Defending National Champions Steve Irish and Martin Gotrel are back after a season’s break and will definitely be looking to defend the title for a third year running. As for the mixed teams, Ian Martin and Claire Booth, Spod and Jane Olive, Justin Deal and Sarah Marriott and Andy Jeffries and Ally Ody have all had successful seasons and well in contention for those podium positions. But as with any Nationals there are always surprise performers.