Entries are already coming in for Event No.1 of the Seldén Sailjuice Winter Series. Taking place on the weekend of 23 & 24 November, the Fernhurst Books Draycote Dash is the first of nine events in this, the 16th edition of the Series.
When you enter two or more events by the start of the Draycote Dash, you will receive a
GJW Direct Beanie, great for keeping warm throughout the Winter Series, and a £10 off voucher when you spend over £50 at Sailing Chandlery.
With a major clothing brand about to announce its support for this year, word is getting through that there are few better ways to reach the whole of the UK dinghy and small-boat racing scene than through this nine-event circuit which runs from late November through to late February with the main stage prizegiving at the.
RYA Dinghy & Watersports Show
The Sailing Chandlery has become the title sponsor for the second event of the Series in December, what will this year be known as the Sailing Chandlery Datchet Flyer. Other sponsorship and naming opportunities are still available. To find out more while there’s still time, contact simon.lovesey@sailracer.co.uk
Duo between some old rivals
When we say ‘old rivals’, do we mean two venerable classes – the 470 and Fireball – or do we mean the people set to race them? You be the judge, but the fun and interesting fact is that some past winners of the Series are lining up in opposing yet very similar race craft.
Back in 2011/12, Pete Gray and Rachael Rhodes raced to Series victory in their Scorpion. Pete and Rachael subsequently got married but perhaps wisely the married couple of decided to race in separate boats since then. These days Rachael [now called Gray] races in multiple classes and has won multiple championships crewing for Tom Gillard. Now Tom won the Series in 2012/13 in a Fireball crewed by Simon Potts. But, and I hope you’re keeping up, this year Tom Gillard and Rachael Gray are teaming up in a 470 to see if they can continue their winning ways in yet another class
Meanwhile Pete Gray, who since won another Series title (2022/23) in an Osprey crewed by Geoff Edwards, is now hopping into the back of a Fireball with Richard Pepperdine on the wire. And so the marital battle of the Grays will begin. Will it be superior sailing or a better/worse handicap that wins the day between these two? Will Tom Gillard, as reigning Fireball World Champion, be prepared to share his best tuning tips with Gray and Pepperdine, or will he keep that hard-won edge to himself?
Great Lakes Handicap Numbers
Which means that in a typical 45-minute race, the Fireball will need to finish around a minute ahead of the 470. The race is on!
You can sit back with your popcorn and watch the racing unfold from the comfort of your home thanks to the live
SailRacer GPS Tracking. Or you could do the hard thing, the better thing, and sign up for the events yourself.
THE EVENTS
The following events are in the Seldén SailJuice Winter Series 2024/25:
Prizegiving at RYA Dinghy & Watersports Show, Farnborough
Previous winners of the Seldén Sailjuice Winter Series
2022/23 Peter Gray & Geoff Edwards (Osprey)
2021/22 Roger Gilbert & Ben McGrane (505)
2020/21 Simon Horsfield & Katie Burridge/ Natalie Johnson (2000)
2015/16 Ian Dobson & Andy Tunnicliffe (
GP14 Class)
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. (
SailJuice)
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.
SailRacer GPS Tracking
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.
Seldén Mast
GJW Direct Insurance provides 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 the full dinghy insurance policy wording, please read here…
