30.07.2020 by Drew Malcolm

Announcing the 2020 Forward WIP European Championship

The 49er and Nacra 17 Classes with Host Club Union-Yacht-Club Attersee, on Lake Attersee, Austria are proud to announce the 2020 Forward WIP European Championship. Racing will be from September 28 to October 4 for the 49er, 49erFX, and Nacra 17.

After a halt to global racing in March, this will be the first time for teams to come together and race in a Championship since the World Championship in Geelong in February. Additionally, it will have been 18 months since the last Class Championship in Europe, with two Worlds Down Under, so many European based teams will be anxious to get some class racing.

All teams are invited to race, but the classes and organizers understand the rational limits to travel in this period and it is expected that many teams will elect to forgo attending, while others will make the effort to compete. Each team will make their decision for themselves, and the regatta will do everything we can to ensure a safe venue for sailors that do participate.

The regatta will not be like other championships. We are eliminating as many mass gatherings from the regatta as possible. For example, we will have an electronic notice board, a zoom skippers meeting, no meals/snacks after racing, and we are considering having zoom protest hearings. We will aim to eliminate or reduce all aspects of personal contact on shore, while keeping our racing as much like normal as possible.

We anticipate that our sailors are already social distancing with team mates, coaches, and possibly training group. Sailors will be expected to keep their physical distance from friends outside their bubbles while on shore and in the lead up to racing.

With safety at the core of executing this regatta, we are excited for the possibility of many new teams and many upcoming Olympians resuming competition on the water. Fans of our racing can expect a modest media offering including tracking, video, and photos to keep up with the action. Sign up to our newsletter to ensure you’re part of the action.

Schedule:

European Championship Racing Schedule

Venue:

• The 2020 Forward WIP 49er, 49erFX and Nacra 17 European Championships will be held at the Union-Yacht-Club Attersee, Lake Attersee, Austria.