GBR YACHT RACING ACADEMY GOES FROM STRENGTH TO STRENGTH

Farr 52’s ‘Bear of Britain’ and ‘Chernikeeff 2’ compete in Skandia Cowes Week 2006 with new Academy recruits

In a little over three months since the Yacht Racing Academy was launched, two amateur race crews will be proving themselves aboard top racing yachts ‘Bear of Britain’ and ‘Chernikeeff 2’ during Skandia Cowes Week 2006. Both yachts, who have a very competitive history, will be racing in the IRC Class and Bear of Britain will also be trying to win the IRM Class for the second year running.

The Yacht Racing Academy, launched on the 20th April 2006, builds on the late Kit Hobday’s ‘Bear Academy’. Kit joined forces with Peter Harrison and the Cowes based United Kingdom Sailing Academy to form a bigger and better youth racing scheme, allowing more young amateur sailors to experience big boat sailing and develop match racing skills at a professional level. The combination of Peter’s Farr 52, Chernikeeff 2, Kit’s Bear of Britain and the UKSA’s world class Sail training facilities has proven a recipe for success with April’s crew selection trials producing some great new racing talent. The successful candidates have been training with UKSA staff and top racing professionals and taking part in various events including representing Great Britain in the recent Commodores’ Cup with Academy Yacht Bear of Britain finishing as the highest placed British Boat at the end of the event.

Run and managed by the UKSA, the man responsible for overseeing the new project is Ben Willows, the Academy’s Training Manager. Ben worked very closely with Kit Hobday prior to the launch of the Academy, gaining invaluable knowledge and experience to drive the project into the future. Ben is a keen racer, he was the highest placed helm for his age in the Sydney Harbour 18ft Skiff World Championships,  won 2nd place in the RS600 Europeans and is currently launching a 49er campaign, making him the ideal person to run and develop the Yacht Racing Academy.

The Yacht Racing Academy holds an annual two week selection process, with plans to increase the number of trials to two or three per year. Budding racers aged between 18 and 25 are being encouraged to apply for the scheme which opens a door into the previously exclusive world of big boat racing to young people from all walks of life.

Successful candidate Gareth Fowler from South Wales applied to the Yacht Racing Academy with no previous big boat experience but with an ambition to one day sail in the Volvo Ocean Race, Gareth said, “I would definitely recommend the Yacht Racing Academy to other people as it has opened my eyes to the exciting world of yacht racing and it has definitely improved my sailing - and who would turn down the chance of competing on a 52’ racing yacht!”.

When reflecting on the Yacht Racing Academy’s Founder, the late Kit Hobday and President Peter Harrison, Gareth said, “I think they are pretty awesome guys – not many people would lend their expensive race yachts for amateurs to learn on and I am very grateful to them for that.”

Gareth’s sentiments are echoed by many other young crew members who feel the Academy is giving them a fantastic starting platform to launch them into the highly competitive world of racing.

To find out more about the Yacht Racing Academy or how to apply for the next selection programme please visit www.yachtracingacademy.org or contact Yacht Racing Academy Manager Ben Willows on 01983 294941.

Further information:
Ben Willows

Yacht Racing Academy Project Manager
T: +44 (0) 1983 294941
M: +44 (0) 7866 596915
ben.willows@uksa.org
www.yachtracingacademy.org