Speaker line-up announced for 2016 RYA Suzuki Dinghy Show

Speaker line-up announced for 2016 RYA Suzuki Dinghy Show © RYA

Taking place on the weekend of 5-6 March 2016 at Alexandra Palace, the RYA Suzuki Dinghy Show will feature hundreds of exhibitors and a packed schedule of workshops, coaching sessions and talks on the Suzuki Main Stage and in the dedicated Coaching Area.

We are delighted to be able to reveal some of the many speakers attending the show, with some old favourites returning and some exciting new talks today being announced.

Show visitors will be able to have an exclusive opportunity to hear more about the progress of the British Sailing Team on the Road to Rio, get the inside track on Land Rover Ben Ainslie Racing as the Louis Vuitton America's Cup World Series returns to Portsmouth in 2016 as well as many other talks on everything from starting sailing, to fitness and the psychology of winning.

After delivering a very popular talk last year, Clive Grant will be opening the talk schedule at 1115 with a workshop aimed at club and class volunteers covering patrol boat handling and recovery techniques. As an Army Sailing Association Regional Coach & Powerboat Trainer, Clive is ideally positioned to impart his essential tips for patrol boat duty volunteers, covering good practice and tips on how to recover some of the modern foiling classes.

Andy Rice, Editor of SailJuice.com, will also be on hand from 1400 on the Suzuki Main Stage curating a session where some of the winners of the GJW Direct SailJuice Winter Series will share their top-tips and winning ways and extending your sailing season and Andy will also be conducting prize presentations for the series.

With Dinghy Cruising becoming an increasingly popular past-time, Roger Barnes is once again returning to the show and for the more intrepid cruisers wanting to get back to nature, he will be delivering a talk on sleeping aboard a dinghy. This 45 minute talk will look at how best to equip and lay out your boat for overnight trips, with some unique and innovative ideas and experience being shared.

Using a fully rigged RS200 as his training aid, sailmaker Michael McNamara, of McNamara Sails, will be offering his very practical and easily applicable advice on rig tuning for various conditions. This is always an extremely popular and informative demonstration, and will take place from 1100 on both days of the show in the Coaching area.

For any enthusiastic racer, a strong grasp of the latest rules updates and an understanding of how to use them to your advantage is essential. As RYA Race Officials Education Officer, Chris Watts can offer insight into every aspect of racing rules. What's more is you can make the talk specific to your needs by visiting the RYA Suzuki Dinghy Show Facebook page to submit your questions before the show.

There will also be the opportunity to pick up some essential tips on start line strategy and how to 'get ahead from the start' even in the most competitive of fleets from Mark Rushall. As an RYA Author and highly respected sailing coach, Mark can offer some essential advice for anyone looking to nail down the trickiest part of any race.

RYA Sport Development Manager Duncan Truswell said: "We are delighted to be able to confirm a comprehensive schedule of British Sailing's finest including: world-class coaches, renowned authors and speakers at the RYA Suzuki Dinghy Show. Whether you are a beginner or a seasoned racer, there is a great range of talks planned with something for everyone, so make sure you check out the full schedule on the App well before the show and plan your itinerary so you don't miss any of your favourites."

Keep checking the RYA Suzuki Dinghy app and www.dinghyshow.org.uk for the latest news on speakers and talks at the show.

Book your RYA Suzuki Dinghy Show tickets today from www.dinghyshow.org.uk and take advantage of an exclusive RYA member's discount.

Advance tickets are available at a reduced rate of £10 to RYA members and £12.50 to non-RYA members. RYA Affiliated Clubs are encouraged to make a day of it and travel en masse, and if you make a group booking in advance of 10 or more people, affiliates can benefit from the RYA members price of £10 per person. All advance tickets will be available until midnight on Friday, 4 March 2016. A transaction fee of £1.50 applies to each transaction. Tickets will also be available on the door for £16 each and each adult ticket entitles you to bring up to two children free of charge. You can buy tickets online or by calling the ticket hotline on 0844 858 9069 (calls are charged at 7p per minute, plus network extras).

In an exciting development this year, your 2016 RYA Suzuki Dinghy Show ticket (or exhibitor pass) will also exclusively admit you into the spectator area for the UK leg of the Sailing World Cup Series on Saturday, 11 June 2016. By attending the event at Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy, you'll be able to watch the penultimate day's action on the big screen, with live-tracking and footage from the race courses, as well as enjoying expert commentary whilst you witness first-hand the final preparations for the Rio Olympics as the WPNSA Sailing World Cup draws to a conclusion.

The RYA Suzuki Dinghy Show will offer the perfect chance to kick start your sailing season in 2016, so make sure you get your tickets today.

Download our mobile app before the show to find exhibitor stands, view schedules and more by scanning the QR code or search for 'Dinghy Show' in your app store.