Thousands flock to RYA Suzuki Dinghy Show 2015

RYA Dinghy Suzuki Show 2015 © Emily Whiting

Thousands of dinghy sailing enthusiasts from across the UK made the annual pilgrimage to Alexandra Palace, London for the RYA Suzuki Dinghy Show 2015 (28 February-1 March), brought to you by the RYA, in association with Yachts and Yachting.

"We were delighted to see some 9,500 visitors attending this year's show with a fantastic 20% increase of tickets being purchased in advance" commented RYA Shows Coordinator Charlotte Pearson.

"The feedback we've received from exhibitors, visitors and speakers, has all been extremely positive and throughout the weekend there was a fantastic buzz which is a testament to the many sailors, enthusiasts and industry experts that represent the show and our sport."

The RYA Suzuki Dinghy Show is the world's only exhibition dedicated exclusively to dinghy sailing and showcases the very best in boats, cutting edge developments, kit, sailing brands, clubs and class associations and more. From racers to cruisers, families and youngsters, the show offered something for everyone.

Main stage talks attracted big crowds with speakers including BAR sailors Freddie Carr and Nick Hutton, record breaking dinghy cruisers Jeremy Warren and Phil Kirk and RYA Olympic Manager Stephen Park.

The hands on coaching sessions remained popular with visitors experiencing everything from rig tuning and racing rules to kit tips and advice to get started. Four-time World Champion Medallist Nick Thompson also shared his expert advice on how to get the most from your boat when the conditions are super windy and super calm.

Throughout the weekend many prizes and awards were presented. Brightlingsea Sailing Club were crowned RYA Club of the Year 2015 and nine year old James Knight won his very own personalised RS Tera in the RS Sailing Design a Sail Sticker competition.

Les McKee from Greenwich Yacht Club was selected as winner of the RYA Suzuki Dinghy Show Suzuki Marine Safety Boat competition and the Nacra F20 FCS foiling catamaran was named winner of the 2015 Concours d'Elegance. On Sunday, we recognised 13 of the UK's most promising young sailors, windsurfers and powerboaters with the RYA Regional Youth Champion Awards.

The show was also a great success for the hundreds of exhibiting sailing clubs, associations and retailers.

John Partridge, RS Sailing said: "We had the best show in six years - it felt like a show of old! The halls and all the activities were buzzing. The Dinghy Show is the envy of the world and we are very happy and proud to be a part of it."

Steve Cockerill, Rooster said: "It's been a fantastic weekend - the show is the ultimate dinghy experience, it's just brilliant. Our aim at the show is to meet the needs of our customers and encourage them to leave feeling excited, re-energised and ready to get out on the water. As we had record breaking takings, hopefully we managed to achieve just that!"

Charlotte concluded: "We'd like to thank everyone who attended the show this year and hope that visitors enjoyed the atmosphere as much as we did and feel inspired for the start of a new season on the water. We'll now be working hard to ensure 2016 is even better."

Thank you to our title sponsor Suzuki Marine and to Yachts and Yachting.

Find out more about the events that took place at the show by visiting the RYA Suzuki Dinghy Show website at www.dinghyshow.org.uk and click on News. Check out the RYA videos from the show here.

The RYA Suzuki Dinghy Show 2016 will take place on 5-6 March 2016 at Alexandra Palace, London. We'll see you there!