Itchenor Sailing Club prepares for a busy season of sailing
by Rebecca Oldfield 22 Feb 2017 14:47 GMT
22 February 2017
Itchenor Schools Week Championships 2016 © Mary Pudney
Itchenor Sailing Club in Chichester prepares to kick off a busy season of sailing with renowned regattas, top tournaments and family fixtures among the line-up.
Highlights of the season include the Mirror Open (13-14 May), Points Week (12-16 June) and the RS200 Open Day (8-9 July) for competitive racing amongst the classic keelboat and dinghy fleets.
The annual Oxford v Cambridge Varsity Match will take place at Itchenor this summer for its centenary race. Competing for the Yule-Oldham Challenge Cup, this prestigious event is one of the highlights of the Oxbridge calendar that will see Itchenor play host for the sixth time since its inception in 1912.
Heralding the start of the summer holidays, the club's youth tournament, Junior Fortnight is scheduled for 31 July-13 August. Packed with sailing and social events, the event supported by jbA Architecture offers two weeks of fun, learning and competitive sailing for young sailors aged 8 to 18.
The Schools Week Championships is another regular junior event at the club that sees students come from across the UK to compete. The competition sponsored by MPI Brokers and JDX Consulting, starts with the RS Feva XL event on the 25 and 29 June aimed at competitors in school years 7 to 10. The second part of the week is occupied by older students in Fireflies and 420s who enjoy a day of training on the Wednesday followed by two days of racing.
The season will conclude with a bang as the club hosts its annual celebrations for Bart's Bash on 17 September. Itchenor participates in the National event every year to raise money for Andrew Simpson Sailing Foundation, the charity set up in 2013 to honour the life and legacy of Andrew 'Bart' Simpson MBE, Olympic Gold & Silver medallist.
For those interested in getting involved in sailing at Itchenor, the Club will once again be holding an Open Day on Sunday 7 May for potential new members to come along and experience class racing with the opportunity to go afloat in a wide range of boats throughout the day. To find out more visit www.itchenorsc.co.uk or call 01243 512400.