Weymouth and Portland to host Open Handicap regatta
The host venue of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic sailing events is set to launch an annual event inspired by the Games.
Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy's (WPNSA) Open Handicap regatta is set to take place during the August Bank Holiday weekend.
It will combine coaching, fleet sailing and racing.
The event will take place on the same stretch of water used during the 2012 Games, close to Nothe Fort.
Three races, inclusive of all classes, will take place on both Saturday 24 and Sunday 25 August.
Competitors will also have access to support from Olympic coaches on Friday 23 August.
An all classes pursuit race, run under the RYA Portsmouth Yardstick scheme, will be held on the Bank Holiday Monday.
John Tweed, chief executive of WPNSA which has developed the event with SailRacer, said: "There will be a WPNSA Regatta Cup awarded and the event will not be one-off, but be part of a programme to ensure there is a continuing and lasting legacy in Dorset and the United Kingdom."
SailRacer will stream the event online to allow spectators to follow the live action.
Chartered boats will also be provided by SailLaser, the onsite sailing school, to allow those who do not own boats to take part in the racing.