Youth are the future of our sport, so we at the British Keelboat League believe it is fitting to have a dedicated Youth qualifying round to give the young aspiring champions a route to the national finals. This qualifier will take place on the 22nd and 23rd of June 2019. Royal Southern Yacht Club, based on the Hamble river will be the host club and they look forward to welcoming young talent from across the United Kingdom.

To meet the age criteria for this event the full team must be over 16 and under the age of 25 on the finals weekend of the 29th September.

Entering this event will give teams the chance to experience racing in one of the new RS21 keelboats one of the finest racing locations in the UK, the Solent. The weekend will comprise of a fleet of RS21’s and up to 12 teams from local clubs competing in quickfire “sprint” races, each lasting around 15 minutes. Races will be umpired, and teams will rotate between boats in the fleet throughout the weekend of racing. By Sunday afternoon every team will have competed in approximately 12 races and the top 3 teams identified for qualification into the national final. The 2019 final will be hosted by Royal Thames Yacht Club later in the year.

This event is a great opportunity for sailors to get together and race, representing their club at an event, without the hassle of transporting your own boat around the UK. The cost of entry for the Youth Qualifier at Royal Southern Yacht Club on the 22nd and 23rd June 2019 is £300 per team. All you need to do is enter your team and arrive at the club ready for racing on the Saturday morning!