Title sponsor on board for Plymouth Race Week 2011

Since committing to stage a new regatta in Plymouth less than a year ago, the dreams and plans spawned, like so many great events, inside the walls of the Royal Western Yacht Club, have taken a major step forward with the welcome addition of a major title sponsor.

Barratt Homes, who over the past ten years have been stalwart supporters of sailing championships in Plymouth, have come on board as the Title sponsor guaranteeing the Barratt Homes Plymouth Race Week 2011 a top slot in next year's sailing calendar.

Managing Director of Barratt Exeter, Tim Larner, said: “We are very pleased to again be sponsoring a major sailing event based in this vibrant city. Plymouth is a key part of our business and has delivered a number of landmark developments, from modern urban living close to the historic Barbican, through to quality family homes across Plymouth. The city has always been synonymous with top class sailing events, and the Barratt Homes Plymouth Race Week 2011 will again bring deserved recognition that this is definitely one of the best regatta venues to be found anywhere.”

The new bi-annual sailing event, planned to be on the scale of Cowes and Cork week, utilising the City’s unrivalled waterfront and fabulous sailing waters, will be centered round the historic Barbican area of Plymouth. The competing yachts will be berthed in, and close to, Sutton Harbour with a tented race village incorporating entertainment and shops no more then a couple of hundred yards away on the adjoining Commercial Wharf overlooking Queen Anne’s Battery. With the full support of Plymouth’s newly formed Department of Development & Regeneration, the smooth set up and running of the race village is assured.

The RWYC, with a wealth of experience and history in organising major sailing events, is leaving nothing to chance to ensure the regatta lives up to the Commodore’s slogan ‘The Yachtsman’s Regatta’. Chris Arscott, RWYC Commodore, said: “Our aim from the outset has been to guarantee the very highest quality racing, to that end we have enlisted international race officer Mike Pearson to lead a team of nationally qualified race officers and mark layers. They will be setting challenging courses both outside and in the more sheltered waters inside the breakwater, an opportunity unique to Plymouth.”

Interest in the Barratt Homes Plymouth Race Week 2011 is stretching out across a multitude of classes from Devon Yawls to IRC boats all along the south coast, Half and Quarter tonners and both the Sigma fleets. The Impala’s are looking into holding their National Championships and the massive SB3 feet are keen to be there, along with Melges, 1720’s and the Farr 45 fleet are all showing considerable interest.

Flying 15’s and the Squibs, whose Nationals will have recently finished in the port, as well as laying on courses for a white sail fleet to incorporate those with less regatta experience, but who still want to take advantage of racing in the stunning natural arena of Plymouth Sound and the waters beyond.

To compliment Plymouth’s long standing ties with the forces, especially the Navy, Help for Heroes is the nominated charity and partner, David Gammell, the Volunteer County Coordinator for the charity for Devon and Cornwall, said: “We are delighted that the RWYC approached Help for Heroes to be their nominated charity at the regatta. We work closely with the major service charities one of which, Toe in the Water, gets the seriously injured out on the water. With both our, and the city’s, close connection with so many military bases in and around the city, it’s doubly fitting that we have a presence at the regatta.”

More updates, past press releases and news keep up to date with the latest developments on the Barratt Homes Plymouth Race Week 2011 website.