From our newest advertiser and sponsor of our Dinghy Anarchy Forum, RS Sailing
With a couple years of massive success exposing Bermudian and sailors local to the ACWS events, there is no doubt that the Endeavour Program has exceeded their goals. But last week, all eyes glued to the main show of the America’s Cup, it is easy to forget the effort that the teams have put in to give back to the local community. The America’s Cup Endeavour Program has spent the last couple years focusing on giving back to Bermuda with getting locals sailing in various fleets including the RS Feva.
RS Sailing is a boat company made up of sailors that make products for sailors. The company vision is “Sailing should be available for everyone, uncomplicated enjoyment, with exciting innovative products, creating friends for life while having fun on a global scale”
When Russell Coutts set out to find the right boats for The America’s Cup Endeavour Program it’s no surprise he looked at a company who had similar goals to his new program. He didn’t have to go far, knowing the RS Feva to be a versatile and exciting platform that would check all the boxes.
The Endeavour Program’s primary goal is to connect all levels of the sport. It is the link that makes this sport great, bringing together both children and adults from all walks of life for a common cause, to go sailing. RS Sailing is proud to be involved as the program demonstrates how an entirely new generation can access what is often perceived to be an unattainable sport.
Introduced in 2002, the RS Feva has been giving Europe a solution that the North Americans are now catching on to, an affordable, exciting high-performance boat that is challenging but not quite that of a skiff, that can introduce children of all varieties to sailing and keep them interested! Parts of North America have caught on that this boat is ideal for retaining 10-16 year old sailors by allowing them to sail with a friend on a boat and decide how seriously they want to take their sport. With World and UK Championships routinely attracting 160+ boats, many of Europe’s top sailors have gone through this class. Now that it’s finally being taken seriously here, North American sailors can have their chance to compete in a local event building up to the 2018 RS Feva World Championships in Clearwater, Florida!
Now that the America’s Cup racing is here, the teams have joined together to bring youth sailors from all over the world for a once in a lifetime opportunity to compete in the America’s Cup Endeavour Regatta and witness the history of the 35th America’s Cup.
Sixteen teams all under the age of 15, from all over the world (including one from the USA and one from Canada) have been invited to compete in a round robin on June 15th and 16th. On June 18th, the final races were held as the ‘Half-Time’ show racing between the official America’s Cup finish line and the America’s Cup Village Grandstand. The race course was surrounded by thousands of spectators, super yachts and filmed on high-tech drones – this is an event our young RS Feva sailors will never forget.
The RS Feva fit has been proven to retain sailors in the sport and develop potential stars. Whether this program has created a lifelong sailor or the next America’s Cup superstar, RS Sailing wishes all the sailors who have enjoyed this program and are taking part in the America’s Cup Junior Endeavour Regatta the best of luck!
