Where can you get free expert coaching to help you race your dinghy faster? Outside of the Olympic or Youth circuits, most of us every-day dinghy racers have never had access to coaching. A lot of us are self-taught and we make it up as we go along.
But three-time winner of the Seldén Sailjuice Winter Series, 2000 helmsman Simon Horsfield, is set to offer free coaching to competitors taking part in the upcoming travellers’ circuit.
Thanks to the support of GJW Direct, the dinghy insurance company that has been associated for many years with the Sailjuice Winter Series as well as the Tiger Trophy pursuit race, Simon Horsfield will be providing a comprehensive coaching service throughout the winter.
Simon will be bringing all his expertise as a full-time sailing coach for the Royal Navy as well as his previous similar coaching role for the British Army. For each of the nine events throughout the winter, Simon will run a Thursday briefing, coaching during the actual weekend of racing, and then a Tuesday follow-up review.
“No matter what level you’re at, an outside perspective from a coach can really help sailors raise their game,” says Simon who, with wife Katie, won three consecutive editions of the Selden Sailjuice Winter Series. “There’s a special way of getting around the course cleanly in a busy handicap fleet with lots of traffic, so we’ll be looking at the tactics and strategy on the race course as well as helping people with their boat set-up and boat handling skills.”
Jez Entwistle from
GJW Direct is a keen racing sailor himself and is excited to be supporting Simon’s coaching programme. “GJW Direct is always looking for new ways of showing its support for grassroots sailing in the UK,” says Jez. “Simon is offering a rare opportunity for sailors to raise their game while taking part in some of the biggest, well-supported races of the winter season.”
Having specialised in Marine Insurance for over 195 years, GJW Direct can provide you with comprehensive cover for your dinghy with instant quotes available online. Our self-service portal allows you to manage your policy online 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.
*Offering new for old policies, cover for your kit, rapid online claims settlement and refund of entry fees if the event is cancelled and expert knowledge to assist you back onto the water quickly.
*Subject to exclusions and limitations, for our full dinghy insurance policy wording, please read here…
https://www.gjwdirect.com/policy-documents/
Online entry for the nine events in the Series opens 16th October.
THE EVENTS
The following events are in the Seldén SailJuice Winter Series 2024/25:
Fernhurst Books Draycote Dash, Draycote Water Sailing Club
23 & 24 November 2024
Datchet Flyer, Datchet Water Sailing Club
7 & 8 December 2024
Polar Chase, Chase Sailing Club
14 December 2024
Yorkshire Dales Brass Monkey, Yorkshire Dales Sailing Club
27 December 2024
Gill Grafham Grand Prix, Grafham Water Sailing Club
29 December 2024
GJW Direct Bloody Mary, Queen Mary Sailing Club
11 January 2025
King George Gallop, King George Sailing Club
18 January 2025
John Merricks Tiger Trophy, Rutland Sailing Club
1 & 2 February 2025
Oxford Blue, Oxford Sailing Club
15 February 2025
Prizegiving at RYA Dinghy & Watersports Show, Farnborough
You can find out more about the Series here: www.SailJuiceSeries.com
Photo Credits: Tim Olin
Notes to editors:
Previous winners of the Seldén Sailjuice Winter Series
2023/24 Sam Pascoe (Musto Skiff)
2022/23 Peter Gray & Geoff Edwards (Osprey)
2021/22 Roger Gilbert & Ben McGrane (505)
2020/21 Simon Horsfield & Katie Burridge/ Natalie Johnson (2000)
2019/20 Simon Horsfield & Katie Burridge (2000)
2018/19 Simon Horsfield & Katie Burridge (2000)
2017/18 Alistair Goodwin (Laser)
2016/17 Matt Mee & Emma Norris (RS200)
2015/16 Ian Dobson & Andy Tunnicliffe (GP14)
2014/15 Nick Craig & various crews (Merlin Rocket)
2013/14 Michael Sims (Solo)
2012/13 Tom Gillard & Simon Potts (Fireball)
2011/12 Peter Gray & Rachael Rhodes (Scorpion)
2010/11 Andy Peake (Musto Skiff)
2009/10 Olly Turner & Richard Whitworth (Merlin Rocket)
SailJuice.com is the ‘how to sail and race faster’ website, with hundreds of articles and exclusive interviews with National, World and Olympic Champions. Professional sailing journalist and editor of SailJuice.com, Andy Rice, came up with the concept of the SailJuice Winter Series (originally known as the SailJuice Global Warm-Up) as a way of increasing participation levels in dinghy racing during the off-season in the UK.
SailRacer manages event websites and processes online entry for major National, International, Youth and training events, providing online scoring, analysis and advanced sports presentation including GPS tracking and live video.
Seldén Mast Ltd is the world leader in dinghy spars. More races are won by Seldén Spars than any other brand. Dinghy spars are made using Seldén unique XPS aluminium with CNC cut tapers, automated welding and heat treating resulting in the highest quality and most consistent dinghy spars available. Seldén also produces about 400 carbon masts per year for boats including high performance dinghies and race yachts using state of the art Mandrel Filament Moulding Technology.
