Enter now for the RYA National Match Racing Championships 

Get set for an exciting year of the RYA National Match Racing Championships

The RYA National Match Racing Championships 2012 are set for another exhilarating year and the RYA are urging interested parties to get their entries in fast to secure their place at this year’s event, and more importantly the up and coming regattas in March and April.  

The RYA National Match Racing programme consists of seven qualifying rounds, including the RYA Youth, RYA Women’s and BUSA Match Racing Championship events, which will be contested between March and October before the top British crews from each event are invited to go head-to-head at the Series Grand Final at Queen Mary Sailing Club between 16th – 18th November 2012.  

National Match Racing is a sailor’s first step towards elite match racing events such as the America's Cup and ISAF World Match Racing Tour and the forthcoming events in March and April are seen as pinnacle events if sailors want to reach the Series Grand Final in November.  

The Royal Thames Match Racing regatta is the next event which will welcome some of Britain’s top Match Racers at Queen Mary Sailing Club, Staines, London between the 17th-18th March. The event will be sailed in J80’s with crews of 4-5 people (including the skipper) with no minimum or maximum weight limit.

Last year, Nick Cherry defended his RYA National Match Racing title as the Southampton based skipper claimed the coveted trophy for the fourth time at Queen Mary Sailing Club. Cherry skippered his crew of Matty Adams, Connor Myant, Sam Richmond and they no doubt will be looking for a repeat of the same success in 2012 and an incredible fifth RYA National Match Racing title.

The 2012 RYA National Match Racing Championship Grand Final will be contested in the RYA’s fleet of J80s with a maximum of 12 skippers accepted for each of the qualifying events. All events are open to enter, except the BUSA Match Racing Finals and the Series Grand Final which are invitation only.  

The RYA are asking interested parties to get their entries in at least a month before each event to secure their place.  

The winners from all events will be invited to compete in the RYA National Match Racing Championship Grand Finals which take place on the 18-20th November at the Queen Mary Sailing Club.  

2012 RYA National Match Racing Championships Series event dates:

1. Royal Thames Match Racing Event (J80)–17/18 March 2012, Queen Mary Sailing Club, Staines, London.

2. Royal Southern YC Heat 1 (SP3s) – 30/1 April 2012, RSYC, Solent.

3. Royal Southern YC Heat 2 (SP3s) – 14/15 April 2012, RSYC, Solent.

4. Mermaid Match Racing Championships (Mermaids)– 21/22 April 2012, Seaview, Isle of Wight July

5. RYA/BUSA Finals: (J80s) – 28/29 April 2012, Queen Mary Sailing Club, Staines, London.

6. RYA Women’s National Match Racing Championship (Elliots) - 6/7 October 2012. WPNSA, Weymouth.

7. RYA U20 and U25 Youth National Match Racing Championships (Elliots) - 13/14 October 2012, WPNSA, Weymouth. (Under 20/25 on the 31st December 2012.)

8. RYA Qualifier 1: NMR Q1 (J80s) - 20/21 October 2012, Queen Mary Sailing Club, Staines, London.

9. RYA National Match Racing Championship Grand Finals (J80s) - 16/17/18 November 2012, Queen Mary Sailing Club, Staines, London.  

For more information about the RYA National Match Racing Series and for entry forms and the notice of race for each event please visit  www.rya.org.uk/racing or contact Jessica.beecher@rya.org.uk.