Keeboat program takes to the Farr 40s

RYA trainee to race in Farr 40 Europeans

After a successful summer season with Volvo RYA Keelboat sailors competing on a wide variety of boats ranging from Farr 52s to 1720s and 6 Metres, there is continued interest from owners and sailors alike for the programme. Rob Goddard has offered places onboard his Farr 40 Farrfalina so keelboat team members can compete at the Farr 40 European championships in Hyeres this September.

Volvo RYA keelboat member Ed Hill has already competed on the boat as mainsheet trimmer at the Farr 40 Italian championship and the Farr 40 Worlds at Porto Cervo, Sardinia earlier this year, and now five of his fellow squad members will also get the opportunity to compete at a top international regatta.

Goddard had intended to bring Farrfalina straight back to the UK for Skandia Cowes Week but while there was a chance to do more top quality racing in the Farr fleet, he decided to leave the boat in the Mediterranean for the European championships.

He commented, "the fact that these excellent young sailors are available to me through the Volvo RYA Keelboat Programme gives me the opportunity to sail again in probably the best one design yacht fleet in the world. It also gives some of the keelboat sailors, who are all keen to gain extra experience, the opportunity to learn from the occasion - it is a real bonus for all."

RYA Racing Keelboat services Manager David Atkinson said, "we are grateful to Rob for allowing us to place some of our talented keelboat sailors on his boat. We are continually looking for owners to come forward in order to match them with sailors who can participate in their campaigns and through this the sailors can gain valuable experience to further their keelboat sailing. In return the owners are getting crew of a guaranteed standard who are receiving additional training from the RYA to develop their abilities to the levels required to compete competitively on a national and international
level."

Farrfalina is partly sponsored by CADHireUK, a computer aided design rental and sales company. Although the crew is not finalised, it is known that UK Sails Ltd sailmaker John Brinkers will have the role of tactician onboard and Farrfalina will be sailing with the latest ULTRA sails from UK Sails Ltd, making her the first Farr 40 in Europe to use them.

The confirmed Volvo RYA Keelboat sailors to compete on Farrfalina are as follows:
Alex Taylor
Ed Hill
Gemma Farrel
John Clifton
Johnny Blackburn
Nick Gibbons