Please select your home edition
Edition

Zhik becomes latest sponsor in the Seldén Sailjuice Winter Series

by Andy Rice 14 Nov 2024 15:47 UTC
Seldén Sailjuice Winter Series © Tim Olin / www.olinphoto.co.uk

The high-performance clothing brand Zhik is the latest sponsor to come on board for the 16th edition of the Seldén Sailjuice Winter Series. With just over two weeks to go to the first of nine events this winter, entries continue to come in for the Fernhurst Books Draycote Dash on the weekend of 23 & 24 November. With entries from boats as diverse as the Albacore and the Vortex, the line-up is already almost the A-Z of dinghy classes in the UK and yet the winter season has barely even got going.

Enter here: www.sailjuiceseries.com

The Seldén Sailjuice Winter Series has long been a circuit that is aimed at grass roots small-boat racers in the UK, but which still attracts some of the best and most accomplished competitors to practise and hone the skills throughout the quieter off-season.

Winning formula

Last year for example, Sam Pascoe put together a concerted campaign to win the Seldén Sailjuice Winter Series, which the Castle Cove sailor did indeed manage to do. Helped in part by a predominantly breezy set of events over the 2023/24 winter, Pascoe powered his Musto Skiff to victory and then went on to win the Musto Skiff World Championship at Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy in July.

Pascoe says that competing in the Seldén Sailjuice Winter Series was a critical part of his preparation for the Worlds, where his boat handling and race craft was in a different league.

Laurence Mead, who has recently taken over the UK distributorship and marketing of Zhik, is a big fan of grass roots sailing. He's also excited about the new initiative to promote the use of older boats in the Series by applying different PY handicap numbers depending on the age and condition of the boat.

Zhik aiming at grass roots

A successful businessman who spent many years building brands in Hong Kong as well as racing keelboats like the Etchells at a high level, Mead returned to the UK a few years back and was racing director of Cowes Week for six years. His passion for helping to promote the sport at grass roots level is what has brought him to supporting these winter events.

"We are delighted to be supporting Seldén Sailjuice Winter Series. I spent a couple of very happy winters as a kid racing my Fireball (unbelievably number 3383) at Chew Valley Lake Sailing Club. To me, dinghy racing at local sailing clubs is the heart of the sport. Passionate sailors in wetsuits out there in winter battling around inland lakes, big and small.

"When my kids were small, we were racing at Redoubt Sailing club in Kent, a tiny gravel pit but loads of fun, and one January afternoon (on the third lap I think it was) it started snowing. At least two of us still remember it as a brilliant day," says Mead with a wry laugh.

Dinghy mad

Fortunately technical sailing clothing has improved in leaps and bounds over recent decades, and Australian brand Zhik has been at the forefront of those developments on the Olympic circuit as well as being used by the winning team in the Volvo Ocean Race in 2018. Mead is keen to use the brand's high-profile successes to show weekend sailors just how much more enjoyable sailing can be in the cold months if you dress in the best kit available.

"Zhik is the dinghy sailors' brand," says Mead. "It's where the company started and the team is now led by Mat Belcher, three-time Olympic 470 medallist and ten-time world champion. Mat knows a thing or two about dinghy sailing and is also passionate about supporting the grassroots of our fabulous sport. If you can race a dinghy well, you can race any boat well.

"I look forward to competing over a couple of weekends myself, so you may well see me in a Solo or a Fireball. And I'm also delighted that Zhik is lending its name to the final event of the season in February, the Zhik Oxford Blue."

Enter here: www.sailjuiceseries.com

To find out more about the build-up to the Series and all the new initiatives coming in for this winter, tune into a Facebook Live show going out this Sunday (17th Nov 2024) at 7pm UK time: www.facebook.com/SeldenSailJuiceWinterSeries

The Events

The following events are in the Seldén SailJuice Winter Series 2024/25:

  • Fernhurst Books Draycote Dash, Draycote Water Sailing Club
    23 & 24 November 2024
  • Datchet Flyer, Datchet Water Sailing Club
    7 & 8 December 2024
  • Polar Chase, Chase Sailing Club
    14 December 2024
  • Yorkshire Dales Brass Monkey, Yorkshire Dales Sailing Club
    27 December 2024
  • Grafham Grand Prix, Grafham Water Sailing Club
    29 December 2024
  • GJW Direct Bloody Mary, Queen Mary Sailing Club
    11 January 2025
  • King George Gallop, King George Sailing Club
    18 January 2025
  • John Merricks Tiger Trophy, Rutland Sailing Club
    1 & 2 February 2025
  • Oxford Blue, Oxford Sailing Club
    15 February 2025
  • Prizegiving at RYA Dinghy & Watersports Show, Farnborough

You can find out more about the Series here: www.SailJuiceSeries.com

Related Articles

Fishing: Patterning brown bass
Post-spawn through summer smallies Whitewater Fishing B.A.S.S. tournament pro, Alex Redwine, talks fishing the transition period Posted on 26 Jun
2025 Bahamas Fly-fishing Tournament Series
Anglers to compete across some of The Bahamas' top bonefishing spots The Bahamas Ministry of Tourism, Investments & Aviation announced the launch of Bonefishing Tournament Series that will showcase diverse pristine flats across four islands - Grand Bahama, Andros, Eleuthera and the championship round will be held in Exuma Posted on 20 Jun
Mote leads seagrass restoration initiative
Florida legislature establishes the Seagrass Restoration Technology Development Initiative Seagrasses play a crucial role in the health and resilience of Florida's coastal ecosystems. They provide nursery habitats for keystone species and stabilize shorelines and sediments. Posted on 20 Jun
Maritimo M50 Flybridge & S60 Sedan Video
We speak to Maritimo's Neil McCabe & Phil Candler We talked to Neil McCabe, Maritimo's Design Office Manager, and Phil Candler, Maritimo's General Manager Operations, to find out more about the M50 Flybridge and S60 Sedan during the Sanctuary Cove International Boat Show. Posted on 17 Jun
“I'm living my dad's dream”
Carl made sure to provide young Kyle the chance to be a seasoned pond hopper Carl Cortiana is about to turn 70, but he still remembers the days four decades ago when he'd cast a practice plug across the living room floor and his toddler son, Kyle, now a highly accomplished Vexus pro on the MLF Toyota Series. Posted on 14 Jun
Stories From The Salt - Ep.6
Insights from PENN's top anglers Whether you're a passionate saltwater angler who eagerly dedicates every spare moment to being out on the water, or you simply enjoy watching the techniques and experiences of others, we invite you to anchor up and learn some valuable insights Posted on 14 Jun
Bulwarks and Bulldust – watch Episode Six
Episode Six is now live - Are boat shows still relevant? Episode Six - asks the question, 'Are boat shows still Relevant?' We also offer some thoughts on changes and updates. The final episode of Series One is now live Posted on 13 Jun
Scania, Viking showcase renewable diesel
Mack Attack shows outstanding efficiency without compromise in performance of Scania V8 Engines Scania, one of the world's leading manufacturers of engines, announced today the successful demonstration of the performance and viability of renewable marine diesel fuel in a Viking 48 Convertible powered by twin Scania 1,150 HP DI16-liter V8 engines. Posted on 10 Jun
Sportfishing industry applauds decision by NOAA
Elimination of proposed South Atlantic bottomfishing closure The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Fisheries withdrew the proposed bottomfishing closure from Amendment 59 to the Fishery Management Plan for the Snapper-Grouper Fishery of the South Atlantic. Posted on 10 Jun
Marine Auctions: June online auctions
Bidding to open on Friday 20th June The Bidding for the June Online Auction will commence on Thursday 20th June and will end on Thursday 26th June at 2pm AEST. Posted on 7 Jun