Gaastra Friday Series at Royal Southern Yacht Club - Preview

New short course race series for Friday evenings

Dutch technical sailing and leisure clothing company, Gaastra Pro Gear BV, is to sponsor an entirely new series of short course regattas on Friday evenings during May, June and July, initiated and run by the Royal Southern Yacht Club in Hamble, Hampshire.

Developed by the Club to appeal to owners and crews who are looking for something that fits their busy lifestyles, the eight regattas in the 'Gaastra Friday Series' will not take the fleet too far from its Hamble base, offering 1½ hours of short, sharp competition in Southampton Water, before giving an opportunity to claim bragging rights in the Club bar afterwards.

Gaastra is no stranger to the Royal Southern, being two years into an exclusive clothing partnership and, as CEO Marc Blees, says, "We are beginning to appreciate just what an innovative and professional team the Club has and how much they want to get their sailors on the water. We are right behind anything that makes sail racing easier and more fun to compete in and the Gaastra Friday Series does just that."

Friday evenings will never be the same on the Hamble

Rear Commodore Sailing, Karen Henderson-Williams, believes that the new format will appeal to many sailors who can't necessarily devote a full weekend to racing, however much they might want to.

"What we learned last season was that quite a few of our regular competitors are boat-rich but time-poor, what with family and business commitments. So, our concept is for an informal series of evening racing where crews can just turn up and take off and then get back for a beer and a banter, with a Club supper to follow."

Open to any class from IRC to XOD and SB20 to J/109, entry is free to Royal Southern Members and a lowly £10 per regatta for non-members, paid to the Race Officer on the evening. As Henderson-Williams says, "We've been working with the RYA's new NHC handicapping system as the best way to get all these boats racing together. This Series is designed to give extra racing for those short of time and with maximum fun in the minimum of time."

Dates for the Gaastra Friday Series are: May 18/24/31, June 7/14/21/28 and July 5/12, with the racing flagged away at 1830 and prizes for the most successful at the conclusion of the Series in July.

Gaastra's sponsorship of the Royal Southern Yacht Club sits easily alongside its support of this year's Transpac 52 Worlds - won by Club Member, Niklas Zennström - Les Voiles de Saint Barth, Palma Vela, Copa del Rey and Bol d'Or Mirabaud, while their technical clothing is seen on Team Azzura, mini-maxi Jethou and the Swan 42, Magical Mystery Tour, which will represent the Royal Southern at this year's New York Yacht Club Invitational Cup regatta in September.

For more information on the Gaastra Friday Series, visit www.royal-southern.co.uk or contact the Sailing Secretary at or telephone 023 8045 0302.