Harken unveiled as Optimist European Championships partner

David Baddeley (Optimist European Championships) and Hannah Cotterell (Harken UK) agree new event partnership © Karenza Morton

Sailors competing at this summer's Optimist European Championships 2015 in Pwllheli will have the chance to win a range of World Class performance sailing gear after Harken UK were unveiled as an official Championship event partner at the RYA Suzuki Dinghy Show on Saturday.

Around 250 of the World's top young Optimist sailors from over 45 countries will do battle on the waters of Cardigan Bay in North Wales from 17-24 July in what will be the first event staged at the new Plas Heli Welsh Sailing Academy and Events Centre.

Harken UK have come on board in supplying £1,000 worth of prizes for the event, while sailors will also have the chance to check out Harken's latest gear on display at stand G8 during the RYA Suzuki Dinghy Show.

Harken join Olimpic Sails, official event sailmakers, and Pwllheli-based company Jones O Gymru crisps, who will be supplying packed lunches for all teams, volunteers and event staff, as official Optimist European Championships 2015 event partners.

Tom Peters, sales manager at Harken UK, said: "Working with sailors from grassroots through to Grand Prix level is what Harken is all about.

"Some of the greatest sailors of our time have started in Optimist dinghies and we are delighted to sponsor the Optimist Europeans 2015 to show our support for the future generation of promising sailors.

"The Optimist Europeans are the perfect platform to show our support for grassroots sailing and the future generation of British sailors."

This will be the first time in the Championship's official 32-year history that the Optimist Europeans will be held in Great Britain, and only the second time the event has been hosted on UK waters since Belfast in 1993.

David Baddeley, Chairman of the Organising Committee, added: "We are attracting some top class partners, both from the marine industry and local to Pwllheli, for the Optimist European Championships 2015, which is testament to the prestige with which the event is viewed both internationally and at home.

"We are delighted to welcome Harken on board and are sure that all the sailors, coaches and supporters attending the event will get a lot out of their expertise."

To find out how you can get involved in sponsoring the Optimist European Championships contact

For more details about the event visit www.optimisteuros2015.com, like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/optimisteuros2015 or follow us on Twitter @optimisteuros15 or for news from Jones o Gymru follow @JonesoGymru.