Seldén continues sponsorship of winter sailing series

Continuing its support of the popular off-season sailing series, Seldén Mast has announced it will return as title sponsor for the SailJuice Winter Series for the fifth consecutive year.

Organisers of the series says Gosport based Seldén’s steadfast support over the last few years has enabled the Seldén SailJuice Winter Series to grow into a nine-event winter racing competition, starting with the Fernhurst Books Draycote Dash at the end of November and culminating in the Oxford Blue towards the end of February.

Based around the UK’s biggest winter handicap events, it’s said the series also gives a focal point to dinghy racing during the quieter months. 

“Because most class racing circuits go into hibernation during the colder months, the Series gives those sailors keen enough to keep on sailing throughout the year a circuit on which to compete,” explains Andy Rice, founder and co-organiser of the series.

“Appealing to many different classes, the Series aims to be as inclusive as possible, encouraging a diverse range of dinghies to take part and, where possible, welcoming small catamarans and keelboats.

“Steve Norbury and the team at Seldén Mast are as passionate about grassroots dinghy racing as I am, along with my series co-organiser Simon Lovesey. It’s a complex sport with a lot of specific challenges that are not easily understood, and it’s great to have a sponsor who sees the challenges in a similar way and is helping us to keep the sport as healthy as possible. 

“Since the first edition of the Sailjuice Winter Series in 2009, the circuit has become a real point of interest for the UK dinghy racing community. Not just for those who turn up and compete, but for those who watch from a distance. Having a committed sponsor like Seldén provides the budget for all the promotional activity around the Series.

“This all helps create a buzz and a sense of occasion. Becoming the champion of the Seldén Sailjuice Winter Series is a big deal. It’s also very useful to sense check what we’re doing with the Series, to be able to speak to Steve and the team at Seldén to make sure we’re delivering the best experience possible for the sailors.”

With 77 different classes and 108 clubs represented during the recent winter season, the importance of the series has become well established in the minds of UK dinghy racers.

Last year, the Seldén Sailjuice Winter Series was one of the finalists for Event of the Year at the 2022 Sailing Today/Yachts & Yachting Awards, while the prizegiving is widely acknowledged to draw the biggest audience at the RYA Dinghy & Watersports Show.

“We’re delighted to return as title sponsor of the Seldén SailJuice Winter Series,” says Seldén Mast Ltd managing director, Steve Norbury. “It’s a fantastic way for Seldén to connect with grassroots sailing and dinghy racing. 

“We spend a great deal of time working closely with dinghy manufacturers and brands, so it’s a wonderful opportunity to be able to interact with the sailors directly and receive feedback first hand, not just on our equipment but also on how we can support them and dinghy sailing in general.

“We’re really keen to encourage participation over the winter months, supporting events and sailors who want to race and indulge their passion all year round, ensuring they’re at the top of their game when the main racing season comes back round.”

The races that will form the 2023/2024 Seldén SailJuice Winter Series are as follows:

Fernhurst Books Draycote Dash, Draycote Water Sailing Club – November 2023

Datchet Flyer, Datchet Water Sailing Club – December 2023

Yorkshire Dales Brass Monkey, Yorkshire Dales Sailing Club – December 2023

Burghfield Breezer, Burghfield Sailing Club – December 2023

Grafham Grand Prix, Grafham Water Sailing Club – January 2024 

Bloody Mary, Queen Mary Sailing Club – January 2024 

King George Gallop, King George Sailing Club – January 2024

John Merricks Tiger Trophy, Rutland Sailing Club – February 2024 

Oxford Blue, Oxford Sailing Club – February 2024

Exact dates are still to be confirmed.

In March 2023, Seldén Mast was appointed by Hadron Dinghies Ltd as the spar supplier to the Hadron H2 class.