Sigma 38 teams making final preparations for 2012 Nationals

Action from the 2011 Sigma 38 nationals in Weymouth Bay © Ian Luddington

Sigma 38 class eager for the Starting Gun!

With days to go until the much anticipated 2012 National Championships Sigma 38 crews are eager to cast off for the Royal Lymington Yacht Club, who are hosting the event over the May Bank Holiday weekend 5th–7th May. In time honoured Sigma 38 style this one design regatta is always nail-bitingly close and preparation is everything. The Class Association has a strong commitment to training and a crucial part of the preparation is regular tuition that gives established teams the ideal opportunity to fine tune crew work but also works to give new and less experienced crew a quick leg up the learning curve. A recent training day was, in fact, run by the winner of the 2011 Championships, Dr. Philip Meakins. The Class approach is very much that investment in training, whether it is regular coaching or simply cascading knowledge from experienced boats down to new owners, leads to a higher standard of racing. Dr. Meakins declares “Much as I like winning, it’s more fun and challenging to race against as many skilled boats as possible, so time spent getting newcomers to the fleet up to speed makes for better racing.”

The competition promises to be fiercely intense - not only Dr Meakins skippering Festina Lente, in which he has also completed many long distance cruises, but the 2011 Grand Champions, the Diamond family on Rapscallion, Fastnet winners, the Goodhew family on Persephone, the Winter Series champions, Chris and Vanessa Choules on With Alacrity and the Cowes Week winner Kevin Sussmilch on Mefisto. In addition, after a break of a few years, the Royal Navy Sailing Association is entering a team. Lieutenant Commander James Baker RN and the RNSA Offshore Team Captain says "The Royal Navy has had a rewarding relationship with the Sigma 38 for over twenty years and many hundreds of young sailors have learnt to sail and race in this thoroughbred one-design. Our team is looking forward to the 2012 National Championships as the recent resurgence of the Class should make the event a highly competitive regatta."

With the generosity of overall regatta sponsor, Yachting Sports additional emphasis has also been placed on events off the water. Regatta registration on Friday will be followed by Chairman’s Welcome drinks and at the official class dinner on Sunday the Night Shift Band will be providing entertainment. Visual sponsor Coast Graphics are comprehensively branding the event with banners and flags. The Sigma 38s will look absolutely resplendent flying Coast Graphics battle flags and each crew member sporting a branded polo shirt. And with much sought after prizes being provided by Ocean Safely, 1 Sails, RS Divers and SeaTrack the desire to win will be more intense than ever.