Fixture Calendar’s Guide to the Biggest Sailing Events in May 2022
April saw exciting action in a number of sailing events around the world. Ian Williams won the Crimson Blazer for a 5th time, beating Taylor Canfield in the final of the Congressional Cup and matching the American’s record number of wins at the event. Britain’s best youth sailors faced tough conditions at the RYA Youth Sailing National Championships and competitors in the Cowes – Le Havre Cervantes Trophy are itching to set off across the channel at the end of the month. However, the action doesn’t stop there and in this article, Fixture Calendar’s third monthly guide for Sail Universe, we will be giving fans a rundown of the biggest sailing events in May 2022. To find out more about the sailing taking place next month visit Fixture Calendar to make sure you don’t miss a single start, first beat or finish.
Porto Montenegro Match race, Tivat, 6th – 8th May
The Porto Montenegro Match Race will take place between the 6th – 8th of May, with some of Europe’s best match racers competing against one another in J70s. After incredibly exciting action in Long Beach at the Congressional Cup, those who were unable to make it to the invitation only event will be keen to show their skills at the 4th event on the World Match Racing Tour Calendar. The light and manoeuvrable boats will favour strong boat speed and slick crew work, arguably more so than the more traditional tactical aspects of match racing – this could well see some of the more experienced match racers coming undone. Who will win this important event?
Sail GP Bermuda, Bermuda Great Sound, 14th – 15th May
Although it might seem like only yesterday that Tom Slingsby and his Australian crew lifted the Sail GP Season 2 trophy in San Francisco, Season 3 is just around the corner. 10 teams will head to Bermuda in May to start their campaigns. This season will see two new teams enter the fray, albeit with some familiar faces on board. Canada Sail GP skippered by match racing veteran Phil Robertson and Switzerland Sail GP skippered by Sébastian Schneiter who is new to the F50, will line up alongside the 8 teams from last season, with all of the teams hoping to win the series and with it the 1 million dollar prize. Can Slingsby overcome the world’s best sailors and win a third consecutive title or will another one of the highly skilled crews take the win? Either way every team and sailor competing in Bermuda will know how important it is to get their campaigns off to a good start.
North Sea Race, Harwich-Scheveningen, Starts 27th May
38 boats are set to take to the North Sea Race start line on the 27th, with an incredibly varied fleet of boats taking part. At one end of the fleet is Telefonica Black, a Volvo Open 70 sailed around the world for the first time in the 2008/09 Ocean Race, and at the other are an incredibly competitive selection of boats almost half Telefonica’s size. The race will take the crews through the Galloper Wind Farm before heading across the North Sea, before finishing just outside The Hague. Fans will be eager to see the new Infiniti 52 Tulikettu in action after months of sea trials in the Solent. The boat, fitted with DSS transverse foils, is seen as a game changer with regards to foil affordability and simplicity. Will the newly launched Infiniti take the win on her first competitive outing or will the fleet’s fight for the corrected time win end with a different crew on the top step of the RORC podium?
