Wayfarer racing returns in 2024, including the Craftinsure National Circuit!
by Sam Pygall 2 Jan 19:06 NZDT
Craftinsure Wayfarer National Circuit Finale at Bough Beech © Sarah Seddon
It seems only last week that the 2023 Craftinsure National Circuit had a very fitting Finale event at Bough Beech in November and yet the excitement is building for an exciting 2024!
The Wayfarer fleet is gaining momentum; a boat and a fleet that offers so much in terms of excitement and exciting racing across all age ranges and many varied conditions.
As ever, the Craftinsure National Circuit forms the majority of the events but there are also a number of exciting opportunities to race around the country in other events including the Battle of the Hikers at Rutland, a double head of one-off events on the River Medway on consecutive weekends and the fantastic racing experience that is offered by Poole Week.
If there are any other racing events planned for Wayfarers in 2024, please do get in touch () and I would be happy to list and publicise the events across the Wayfarer racing community.
Wayfarer Racing in 2024 around the country
The season starts at what is becoming a traditional curtain raiser at Datchet Water Sailing Club on the 13/14 April which is always a great event and doubles up as the Inland Championship this year. This will be followed by the opportunity to race at the fantastic West Oxfordshire venue the following weekend (20-21 April) to hone Wayfarer boat handling skills in a tight inland venue to close out the early season opens.
Moving into May, we are very fortunate to be able to travel to Shoreham Sailing Club this year (18-19th May) in what presents an excellent sea venue shake-down ahead of our national championships later in the year. For any Wayfarer racers who have not experienced racing at Shoreham, this really does present an opportunity to race this sea-worthy boat at a classic sea venue. An opportunity not to be missed! The month of May also offers the opportunity to race at Rutland as part of their regular Battle of the Hikers event (25-26 May).
Moving towards the middle of the year, we start at what is a growing open event at Banbury on the 1st and 2nd June before the National Championships at Paignton (13-16 June) which promises a great event after a bit of a break by the Wayfarers of travelling to a fantastic part of the country.
The transition of June into July with an opportunity to compete in a double header of special events on the River Medway; firstly the Medway Marathon at Medway Yacht Club (30th June) and the Medway Regatta and Wilsonian Sailing Club (6-7 July).
A small gap in the schedule then sees a double header of salt-water venues – firstly a return to Arun Yacht Club (27-28 July) who hosted a highly successful European Championships in 2022 and always lay on a great on and off the water experience for competitors. For anyone who hasn’t been to Littlehampton before, again a great opportunity to race on the sea. A transition into August begins with a visit to one of the numerous Suffolk Wayfarer strong-holds in Aldeburgh Yacht Club before an opportunity to compete in the truly memorable Poole Week (Parkstone Yacht Club).
2024 represents a unique opportunity to race the Wayfarer in Brittany as the Europeans (11-14 September) are held on rotation in mainland Europe this season. Please do get in touch () if you are interested in competing in this once in a lifetime event as details become available and are finalised.
The season will close with a likely return trip post the inaugural visit to the Midlands in the form of Blithfield (dates TBD), the growing Wayfarer racing powerhouse of Blackwater (5-6 October) who were crowned top team at the Nationals this year before closing with the traditional Finale at Bough Beech (9-10 November).
These events are only possible thanks to the commitment of volunteers on the ground at many of these venues, be it in planning catering, sorting out boat parking, writing Notice of Races and Sailing Instructions and then running the events on the day. My thanks in advance for all those involved in pulling these events together to allow the Wayfarers to run such great racing across a wide range of events.
Wayfarer Racing Dates for the Diary for 2024
For your convenience, the Wayfarer racing dates including the Craftinsure National Circuit for the diary are listed below. Please note, other events are currently being planned for and may not be listed in the agenda currently and will be added to the Yachts and Yachting website. If there are other regattas/events where you would welcome Wayfarer attendance please get in touch.
| Event | Dates |
|---|
| Inlands at Datchet | 13/14 April 2024 |
| Event at West Oxfordshire | 20/21 April 2024 |
| Pre‑national warm‑up at Shoreham | 18/19 May 2024 |
| Battle of the Hikers at Rutland (non‑circuit event) | 25/26 May 2024 |
| Banbury | 1/2 June 2024 |
| National Championships at Paignton | 13‑16 June 2024 |
| Medway Marathon | 30 June 24 |
| Medway Regatta (hosted by Wilsonian Sailing Club) | 6-7 July 2024 |
| Arun Yacht Club | 27/28 July 2024 |
| Aldeburgh Yacht Club | 3/4 August 2024 |
| Poole Week (hosted by Parkstone Yacht Club) | 25-30 August 2024 |
| Europeans – Brittany, France | 11-14 September 2024 |
| Blackwater Sailing Club | 5/6 October 2024 |
| Finale at Bough Beech | 9/10 November 2024 |
Interested to find out more? Please get in touch
So Wayfarer Racing enthusiasts, it's time to mark your calendars, polish your boats, and prepare for a gripping year of racing across the fleet. We can't wait to see you on the water!
Please do get in touch if you are currently a Wayfarer racer who would be interested in getting involved in any form of Wayfarer racing in 2024!