An Intriguing Duel in store for the Seldén Sailjuice Winter Series

When you enter two or more events by the start of the Draycote Dash, you will receive a GJW Direct Beanie, great for keeping warm throughout the Winter Series, and a £10 off voucher when you spend over £50 at Sailing Chandlery.

 

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With a major clothing brand about to announce its support for this year, word is getting through that there are few better ways to reach the whole of the UK dinghy and small-boat racing scene than through this nine-event circuit which runs from late November through to late February with the main stage prizegiving at the. RYA Dinghy & Watersports Show

 

The Sailing Chandlery has become the title sponsor for the second event of the Series in December, what will this year be known as the Sailing Chandlery Datchet Flyer. Other sponsorship and naming opportunities are still available. To find out more while there’s still time, contact simon.lovesey@sailracer.co.uk

 

When we say ‘old rivals’, do we mean two venerable classes - the 470 and Fireball - or do we mean the people set to race them? You be the judge, but the fun and interesting fact is that some past winners of the Series are lining up in opposing yet very similar race craft.

 

Back in 2011/12, Pete Gray and Rachael Rhodes raced to Series victory in their Scorpion. Pete and Rachael subsequently got married but perhaps wisely the married couple of decided to race in separate boats since then. These days Rachael [now called Gray] races in multiple classes and has won multiple championships crewing for Tom Gillard. Now Tom won the Series in 2012/13 in a Fireball crewed by Simon Potts. But, and I hope you’re keeping up, this year Tom Gillard and Rachael Gray are teaming up in a 470 to see if they can continue their winning ways in yet another class

 

 

Meanwhile Pete Gray, who since won another Series title (2022/23) in an Osprey crewed by Geoff Edwards, is now hopping into the back of a Fireball with Richard Pepperdine on the wire. And so the marital battle of the Grays will begin. Will it be superior sailing or a better/worse handicap that wins the day between these two? Will Tom Gillard, as reigning Fireball World Champion, be prepared to share his best tuning tips with Gray and Pepperdine, or will he keep that hard-won edge to himself?

 

470: 973

Fireball: 955

Which means that in a typical 45-minute race, the Fireball will need to finish around a minute ahead of the 470. The race is on!

GBR 470 Class 470 Olympic Sailing UK Fireball Class

You can sit back with your popcorn and watch the racing unfold from the comfort of your home thanks to the live SailRacer GPS Tracking. Or you could do the hard thing, the better thing, and sign up for the events yourself.

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THE EVENTS

The following events are in the Seldén SailJuice Winter Series 2024/25:

Fernhurst Books Draycote Dash, Draycote Water Sailing Club

23 & 24 November 2024

Sailing Chandlery Datchet Flyer, Datchet Water Sailing Club

7 & 8 December 2024

Polar Chase, The Chase Sailing Club

14 December 2024

Yorkshire Dales Brass Monkey, Yorkshire Dales Sailing Club

27 December 2024

Gill UK Grafham Grand Prix, Grafham Water Sailing Club

29 December 2024

GJW Direct Bloody Mary, Queen Mary Sailing Club

11 January 2025

King George Gallop, King George Sailing Club

18 January 2025

John Merricks Tiger Trophy, Rutland Sailing Club

1 & 2 February 2025

Oxford Blue, Oxford Sailing Club

15 February 2025

Prizegiving at RYA Dinghy & Watersports Show, Farnborough

You can find out more about the Series here: www.SailJuiceSeries.com

Website: www.sailjuice.com

Photo Credits: Timothy Olin

Notes to editors:

Previous winners of the Seldén Sailjuice Winter Series

2023/24 Sam Pascoe (Musto Skiff)

2022/23 Peter Gray & Geoff Edwards (Osprey)

2021/22 Roger Gilbert & Ben McGrane (505)

2020/21 Simon Horsfield & Katie Burridge/ Natalie Johnson (2000)

2019/20 Simon Horsfield Coaching & Katie Burridge (2000)

2018/19 Simon Horsfield & Katie Burridge (2000 2000 Class Association)

2017/18 Alistair Goodwin (International Laser Class Association - ILCA ILCA UK)

2016/17 Matt Mee & Emma Norris (RS200 RS 200 Class Association UK)

2015/16 Ian Dobson & Andy Tunnicliffe (GP14 Class)

2014/15 Nick Craig & various crews (Merlin Rocket Owners Associationin Rocket)

2013/14 Michael Sims (National Solo Class Associationo)

2012/13 Tom Gillard Tom Gillard & Simon Potts (UK Fireball Classball)

2011/12 Peter Gray Peter Gray & Rachael Rhodes @rachelgray (National Scorpion Associationrpion)

2010/11 Andy Peake (MUSTO Skiff )

2009/10 Olly Turner & Richard Whitworth (Merlin Rocket Owners Association)

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