Wight Vodka to sponsor the RS Elite 2012 Nationals at the Royal Yacht Squadron

It is not only 12 Metres, 8 Metres and Super Yachts that have eye-catching events planned at the Royal Yacht Squadron in this British Olympic Year.  The RS Elite National Championships will round up this year's prestigious RYS summer programme when the Class descends on the home of yachting, from 30th August to 2nd September, to compete for their major annual title.

If a championship hosted in the hallowed Yacht Squadron Castle with the fleet berthed on its very own doorstep were not enough to whet the appetite, then headline sponsorship from premium brand Wight Vodka certainly completes the sensory picture.  One-design RS Elites always deliver adrenalin-pumping races at their championships, so add to that the picture of Wight Vodka cocktails on the pristine RYS lawn before the big Class Dinner in the Castle and you have an idea of what this regatta is all about!

No wonder, then, that a record RS Elite fleet looks certain to take to the Solent for this championship, including a strong contingent from Ireland who have already committed to the trip, guaranteeing some of the strongest contenders for the title as well as a lively atmosphere ashore.  Top Elite sailors, including defending 2011 champion Jono Brown and 2010 victor Crauford McKeon, will also be out to lift the trophy.  As the RYS Yachting Secretary Chris Mason (himself no stranger to top level sailboat racing) says "The Royal Yacht Squadron is delighted to be hosting the Wight Vodka RS Elite National Championships.  The regatta will come at the end of a very busy season for us, and will be a fitting finish to what is going to be a spectacular year at the RYS.  The Solent will provide varied and exciting racing; throw in tide, weather and a large fleet of competitive one design boats, and whoever comes out on top will be a worthy National Champion.  With strong fleets of RS Elites on the South Coast we hope that this regatta will spark a continued development of the Cowes fleet.  Personally, I'm really looking forward to watching high class fleet racing from the Royal Yacht Squadron".

RS is thought to be the world's fastest growing sailboat brand and the 24' RS Elite keelboat is the flagship of the company's range, with fleets in Belfast, Edinburgh, Lymington, Burnham, Hayling Island and even a holiday charter fleet at Nonsuch Bay, Antigua (stand by for news of the first Elite Class regatta there in early 2013!).

The RS Elite Class Association is delighted to have secured sponsorship from the increasingly popular Wight Vodka brand during these tough economic times.  Its Island ethos, prominent nautical slogan ("Tack and Gybe Responsibly"), admirable bottle design, and premium quality perfectly complement what is bound to be an exhilarating four days of close quarter RS Elite racing off the impressive Royal Yacht Squadron battlements.  Ritu Manocha, joint owner of 50 Degrees North (so named after the Isle of Wight latitude, and the company behind Wight Vodka), is understandably enthusiastic about their commitment to British sailing and island life "I'm very proud to be working so closely with RS Sailing and the Royal Yacht Squadron to support the RS Elite Nationals.  Being an Olympic year, Wight Vodka is involved in many great events, but we're certainly looking forward to the end of August and to participating in a fantastic four days of highly competitive RS racing coupled with many fabulous social events!"

The Notice of Race will be published shortly.

More information on Wight Vodka is available on their Website

Full version of the Press Release can be downloaded here

 

NOTICE OF EXTRAORDINARY GENERAL MEETING RS ELITE CLASS ASSOCIATION

ON EXCEL BOAT SHOW - RYA LOUNGE FRIDAY 13th JANUARY 2012  3.00 p.m


Agenda:
1.        To present the minutes of the AGM held on the 21st July 2011 at the Royal Forth Yacht Club - Minutes already distributed by email
2.        Fleet Captains Report
3.        Treasurers Report including a briefing on the new online method to be employed for subscription collection as approved by your Committee plus details of the increased expenses faced by your Class Association in the coming 12 months
4.        RS Sailing Report
5.        To present and vote on the rule changes and additions as detailed in the attached document as proposed and put to you by your Class Association Committee
6.        Presentation by Steve Powell on a proposed new boat registration scheme for the RS Elite
7.        Membership Subscriptions:
To  notify the EGM of increased membership subscriptions for 2012 as follows. These charges have increased by £ 5.00 per category
Full              £ 30.00
Family        £  40.00
Associate   £ 20.00

 

Proposed Rules Changes Download

 

Report from the Club Secretary

Well, as we come to the end of another great season our thoughts are turning to 2012. Each year I think 'this was the best sailing year ever' and then the next year turns out to be even better than the last. We have had a another fantastic year as a fleet with brilliant nationals in Scotland where we were so very well looked after by the Royal Forth YC coupled with events in Ireland, Burnham-on-Crouch, Hayling Island and Cowes being well supported with some great racing and social events once again at the forefront of our very special class.

The RS Elite Fleet is going from strength to strength and your Class Association Committee is working hard in the background to ensure that your interests are best served. We have some new ideas for 2012 in the planning stage plus of course the prospect of the Irish Nationals on Belfast Lough, the Scottish Series, the Eastern Area Championships at Burnham-on-Crouch, the Southern Area Championships at the Royal Lymington YC, Cowes Week and of course the Grand Finale the National Championships at the Royal Yacht Squadron where we are already anticipating a record entry - WOW! Keep looking at your website for dates for your diaries and more information as it becomes available for all these exciting events.

2012 is the first year where the Grand Slam Series will be made up of FOUR events with three to count. The Scottish Series, the Irish Nationals, Cowes Week and the National Championships are your events for next year so get the dates in your diaries in preparation for what looks to be an exciting year ahead on our very own circuit.

This traditionally is the time of year when I ask everyone for articles for the Newsletter and Yearbook but of course we are now using our super up to date and active website so a slightly different appeal. Steve Powell has transformed the website on your behalf and spent an inordinate amount of time and energy bringing everything up to date and he has been keeping you all abreast of news by referrals to the website in regular emails.

Steve needs our on-going assistance however and he needs YOUR news, YOUR photos and YOUR information - don't leave it to someone else - get typing and emailing your articles to our esteemed Webmaster (he rather likes that moniker) and attention all Club Class Captains - you must surely be penning your 'end of term' reports for the website as I type!! Any piece of news is good news so pass it on to steve@uhuru.mailasail.com he is doing a sterling job and we MUST SUPPORT HIM!!!!!

We have just heard from RS Sailing that they do not intend to have a stand at the January Boat Show and we are currently discussing our options regarding where and when to hold our Association meeting. Any thoughts you may have might be useful when we are making our decision.

Finally, can those of you who haven't been receiving email updates for the website let me know and I will ensure you are on Steve's mailing list.

Regards to all

Lyn Brown

RS Elite Class Association Secretary

 

2012 RS Elite Nationals dates announced

The 2012 RS Elite National Championships will hosted by the Royal Yacht Squadron, Cowes, on Thursday the 30th August to Sunday the 2nd September, 2012.

The Event Director will be Charlie Egerton-Warburton. email

For more information about early booking of accommodation and for regular Nationals updates monitor the Nationals page