RestartSailing Regatta to be held on 30th August 2020

RestartSailing Regatta © RestartSailing.org

The RestartSailing Group came together at the start of C19 pandemic lockdown, with the sailing community working together to help get sailing restarted once restrictions were eased to allow a return to the water.

Two of the key objectives of RestartSailing have been to support activity to get people back to sailing at their local clubs and supporting the marine trade, so we are pleased to announce the inaugural RestartSailing Regatta on 30th August 2020.

On 30th August 2020, sailors will be able to compete in physically distanced club-races at their local club, with local races all around the country (and across Europe) sailing around average laps courses. The SailRacer GPS App and trackers will record the number of laps sailed, distance sailed and average time. No local race Committee is required, and sailors choose when to start within a starting window; their local course is conveyed to sailors by their club-lead before the start. Results are then combined centrally to build up a National results leaderboard.

Making extensive use of technology to help with physical distancing, briefings and prize-givings will all be handled online, with even a post-race drink in the virtual club house via Zoom, and any protests also handled online.

The RestartSailing Regatta will be broadcast via Facebook live with top Olympic coach Jon Emmett providing expert commentary, with sailor interviews and updates from a number of clubs.

To help clubs get up to speed, RYA National Race Officers, Paul Jackson and James Ripley will be working with clubs to help them prepare to host their event. Online entry will be handled centrally via the SailingClubManager RestartSailing website, with on the day registration and declaration of fitness to sail also online. Host clubs will have the opportunity to run a practise event ahead of the RestartSailing Regatta.

The RestartSailing Regatta will be open to a variety of sail boats as per the entry criteria at each host club.

The RestartSailing Regatta will be a fantastic opportunity for the sailing community to work together and hopefully celebrate a return to sailing at the end of the summer. The flexible format has been designed for the RestartSailing Regatta to operate under evolving C19 guidelines and to adapt to any variants that may be current at the end of August.

Clubs, classes and sailors are invited to register their interest at the RestartSailing website.