Haven Gateway sponsored Felixstowe Regatta - Preview
by Helen Sharkey 28 May 2009 13:35 BST
10-12 July 2009
The Haven Gateway Partnership is to sponsor the Felixstowe Regatta for a second time this year and is also committed to sponsoring the event in 2010, in an agreement that will once again highlight the importance of the area’s marine leisure sector within the sub-region.
This year’s Felixstowe Regatta will be bigger and better than ever, the organisers promise. It has been moved from its traditional end-of-May slot to take place on 10-12 July – after GCSE and A level exams but before most schools break up and families head off on their summer holidays.
The other key feature is that this year’s Regatta will be the IRC East Coast Championship, says Nigel Mower, chairman of the organising committee.
“This should attract more entrants and entrants from further afield,” he says. “Normally entries are around the mid-40s – but we are hoping for more.”
There will also be an added attraction on top of the usual four classes; the British Classic Yacht Club will be running a class for classic yachts too.
The 2009 Regatta will be held over three days, Friday 10 July to Sunday 12 July, featuring two races each on Friday and Saturday and one race on Sunday, all in the waters of Dovercourt Bay.
There will be “serious” racing for yachts and sports boats in the competitive IRC classes but also racing for those who want to take part without being too serious.
“Our sponsorship of the Felixstowe Regatta this year and also in 2010 will highlight the marine leisure sector within the Haven Gateway,” says Richard Morton, project director at the Haven Gateway Partnership. “The marine leisure sector is worth £85 million a year and employs 1,800 people in the sub-region.
“We believe that supporting events like the Felixstowe Regatta will help promote the Haven Gateway not only as an excellent cluster of maritime and marine leisure services but also as a destination for visiting yachtsmen and women.
“We have over 10,000 leisure berths and river moorings in the Haven Gateway sub-region and we feel this is a great opportunity to tell people about the wonderful sailing that is available here.”
The Felixstowe Regatta features a full programme of shore-side events, including dinners, entertainment, hospitality and prize-giving ceremonies.
“This is the highlight of the sailing calendar in the Haven Gateway area,” says Nigel Mower. “Dovercourt Bay’s waters are very sheltered and a fantastic area for sailing.
“We only have one aim as the organising team – and that is to have as many people as possible on the water enjoying well-organised racing!”