Calling all solo sailors

The third Solo Racing Festival to take place in Southampton on 28 February

Fuji Film skipper Alex Bennett and designer Merfyn Owen of Owen Clarke Design will feature among the ten speakers lined up so far for next month's Solo Racing Festival in Southampton.

The third edition of this unique event attracts single-handed racing enthusiasts to the Royal Southampton Yacht Club in Ocean Village for a day of presentations focussed entirely on the solo racing world. British skippers, competing in all the top races in France will report on their experiences in class Mini, Figaro Solitaire and the booming Class 40 and IMOCA Open 60.

Discover the winning secrets of racing Minis in the open Atlantic, feel the pain of a first year rookie in the professional Figaro fleet beating across Biscay and share the exhilaration of helming a class 40 at full speed in the Artemis Transat.

OSTAR skippers are very busy preparing their boats for this years solo classic, the Original Single-handed Trans Atlantic Race, get a close up of what it takes to get a fast boat into ocean ready condition with Katie Miller, winner of the bluQube 1000 Solo. And for those about to be baptised Meteorologist Chris Tibbs will be presenting a paper on weather routing and the subtle features of the North Atlantic storms.

A full programme includes ample time for refreshment and socialising in the very comfortable surroundings of the Royal Southampton YC at Ocean Village on Saturday 28 February at 11am and finishing with a buffet supper at 8pm. For more details and tickets please contact Jerry Freeman
solofestival@uk2.net