It is not only 12 Metres, 8 Metres and Super Yachts that have attractive events planned at the Royal Yacht Squadron in this British Olympic Year. The RS Elite National Championships will round up this year’s prominent RYS summer programme when the Class descends on the home of yachting, from 30th August to 2nd September, to race for their major annual title.
If a championship hosted in the hallowed Yacht Squadron Castle with the fleet berthed on its very own doorstep were not enough to whet the appetite, then headline sponsorship from premium brand Wight Vodka certainly completes the sensory picture. One-design RS Elites always deliver adrenalin-pumping races at their championships, so add to that the picture of Wight Vodka cocktails on the pristine RYS lawn before the big Class Dinner in the Castle and one has an idea of what this yacht regatta is all about!
No wonder, then, that a record RS Elite fleet looks certain to take to the Solent for this championship, including a strong contingent from Ireland who have already committed to the trip, guaranteeing some of the strongest contenders for the title as well as a lively atmosphere ashore.
Top Elite sailors, including defending 2011 champions the Brown family and 2010 victor Crauford McKeon, will also be out to lift the trophy. As the RYS Yachting Secretary Chris Mason (himself no stranger to top level sailboat racing) says, “The Royal Yacht Squadron is delighted to be hosting the Wight Vodka RS Elite National Championships. The regatta will come at the end of a very busy season for us, and will be a fitting finish to what is going to be a spectacular year at the RYS and in the UK. The Solent will provide varied and exciting racing; throw in tide, weather and a large fleet of competitive one design boats, and whoever comes out on top will be a worthy National Champion. With strong fleets of RS Elites on the South Coast we hope that this regatta on the Isle of Wight will spark a continued development of the Cowes fleet. Personally, I’m really looking forward to watching high class fleet racing from the Royal Yacht Squadron“.
RS is thought to be the world’s fastest growing sailboat brand and the 24’ RS Elite keelboat is the flagship of the company’s range, with fleets in Belfast, Edinburgh, Lymington, Burnham, Hayling Island and even a holiday charter fleet at Nonsuch Bay, Antigua (stand by for news of the first Elite Class regatta there in early 2013!).
The RS Elite Class Association is delighted to have secured sponsorship from the increasingly popular Wight Vodka brand during these tough economic times. Its Island ethos, prominent nautical slogan (“Tack and Gybe Responsibly”), admirable bottle design, and premium quality perfectly complement what is bound to be an exhilarating four days of close quarter RS Elite racing off the impressive Royal Yacht Squadron battlements.
Ritu Manocha, joint owner of 50 Degrees North yacht (so named after the Isle of Wight latitude, and the company behind Wight Vodka), is understandably enthusiastic about their commitment to British sailing and island life.
“I’m very proud to be working so closely with RS Sailing and the Royal Yacht Squadron to support the RS Elite Nationals. Being an Olympic year, Wight Vodka is involved in many great events, but we’re certainly looking forward to the end of August and to participating in a fantastic four days of highly competitive RS racing coupled with many fabulous social events!“
