Tokyo 2020 stars lead stellar cast at virtual RYA Dinghy Show

The British Sailing Team’s Tokyo 2020 athletes will be among the highlights of the  RYA Dinghy Show presented by Suzuki as it goes virtual for the first time over the weekend of February 27 and 28.

The much-loved annual show, taking place online this year, will unite boaters from all over the country over two days of talks, demonstrations and coaching sessions from some of the biggest names in sailing.

With just five months until the rescheduled Tokyo 2020 Olympics is set to begin, all eyes are on the 15 British Sailing Team sailors chosen to represent Team GB.

And you can hear from them over the course of the RYA Dinghy Show, as they take visitors behind the scenes of their Olympic campaigns and offer up their tips to make you quicker around the racecourse.

Head to  dinghyshow.org.uk for the full line-up of speakers, stages and exhibitors, and click here to register for free.

 Taking to the Main Stage, reigning 470 Olympic and world championHannah Mills will be chatting with show host Hannah Diamond about her preparations for Tokyo 2020 and revealing how she’s dealt with the challenges over the last year.

In a separate session, Team GB 49er sailors Dylan Fletcher and Stu Bithell will be joined by Olympic test event 49erFX class runners up Charlotte Dobson and Saskia Tidey to talk about their roads to Tokyo 2020.

For windsurfing fans, BST coach Sam Ross interviews Team GB RS:X stars Emma Wilson and  Tom Squires, plus Olympian Dave Hackford joins them to discuss the new watersports – including wing foiling – that have taken off in the UK.

iQFOiL athlete Saskia Sills talks sustainability with The Green Blue’s Kate Fortnam, looking at how all water users can “protect their playground”, while Stu Bithell will make his much-anticipated return to the microphone to provide commentary for the eSailing Winter Club Championship.

2019 Nacra 17 European champion Ben Saxton will be teaming up with yachtsandyachting.com’s Mark Jardine to reveal the boat of the show with the Concours d'Elegance award, and fellow Nacra 17 sailor Kirstie Urwin will be announcing the Club of the Year.

Meanwhile, RYA Racing Director Ian Walker will be chatting with some of the biggest names in Olympic sailing. Ian hears from inspirational Rio 2016 Nacra 17 gold medallist Santiago Lange, London 2012 Laser Radial gold medallist Xu Lijia, 1984 Finn gold medallist and America’s Cup star Russell Coutts and double gold medallist Shirley Robertson.

Over in theKnowledge Zone, two-time OlympianAli Youngwill be joined by her fellow Tokyo 2020 Team GB ILCA sailorElliot Hansonand European Championship bronze medallist Lorenzo Chiavarinito reveal their top racing tips.

British Sailing Team meteorologist Simon Rowell returns for another of his hugely popular talks about weather. For those interested in race strategy, top tactician Mark Rushall will give disclose his secrets for getting round the course quicker.

And British Sailing Team performance psychologists Suze Burton-Wylie and Chelsea Orme will reveal how to stay calm on the start line in their talk, Decision Making Under Pressure.

British Sailing Team sponsors Musto, Marlow Ropes and Harken will also have stands at the Dinghy Show.

The wider RYA Racing team will be on its own stand at the show featuring staff from British Youth Sailing, British Keelboat Sailing, RYA Coaching, RYA Technical and  RYA Race Officials.

If you’ve got questions about how we’re going to get young sailors back to training, how to run safe racing at your club, how to get involved in the Race Officials Academy, how to develop your coaching career or what this year’s PY Numbers will look like, make sure you log on to chat to our team.

For the full Dinghy Show schedule head to dinghyshow.org.uk – and don’t forget to register for free!