Future brides and grooms are invited to the Wedding Fayre at Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy on the 9th April 2012 from 11.00-16:00.

The Fayre is a wonderful opportunity to meet and chat to a wide range of local wedding specialists and suppliers, who will all be gathered under one roof, for one day only! Anyone looking for their dream wedding cake, ideal photographer or ultimate wedding car can come along, see what’s on offer and plan their perfect day.

Dorset’s newest Wedding Fayre (at the venue for the sailing competition at the London 2012 Olympic Games and Paralympic Games) promises to be a very special occasion. Doors open at 11am for the fair and close at 4:00pm, with admission £2 (free with flyer), which includes a glass of bucks fizz on arrival and canapés.

The highlight of the day will be the two bridal fashion shows at 12 noon and 2.00pm presented by Valerie Honeywill of Wedding Whirled and featuring dresses from Oxfam and Girls of Elegance and suits by Moss Bros. Visitors are encouraged to arrive early and take a seat near the catwalk – so that they don’t miss the beautiful gowns on show.

Our wedding soloist Naomi Mulroy will be entertaining throughout the day and there will also be a “first dance” performance on stage. A dedicated ‘groom zone’, interactive workshops and crèche will help to ensure that brides and grooms simply can’t afford to miss this event! As an added bonus, couples can enter into a competition to win a wedding at our venue.

Refreshments will also be available in our cafeteria that boasts a stunning view of the Jurassic coast.

For couples yet to find the venue to hold their wedding reception this is also an opportunity to have a look around the Spinnakers Function room to see what it has to offer. There are still dates available for wedding receptions in 2012 and 2013, so whether you are planning an intimate dinner for or a large party, we are sure to be able to help and will even give a 20% room booking discount if the booking is made on the day.

For further information please visit our website www.wpnsa.org.uk or contact Claudia Webb on 01305 866000 or email Claudia.webb@wpnds.org.uk.

The UK’s number one sailing destination, the Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy (WPNSA) will be hosting The Outdoor Show on 31st March 2012 from 10:00 to 16:00. Entry is free and visitors are invited to the Academy for a fun-filled action-packed day.
The Outdoors Show will feature a variety of exhibitors including Weymouth Watersports, Weymouth College, Sail Laser, The Official Test Centre Windsurfing Made Easy, Sunsail, PGL Active, Geo Caching, Wessex Mountaineering Club, Weymouth Bike Hire, New Forest Activities Booking Centre, Pelican Adventures, Studland Sea School, Portland Revive, Westfield Arts College, Land & Wave Outdoor Centre, Mud Sweat & Gears, National Trust, BustinSkins Triathlons & other sporting events to name just a few!
The event will showcase a fantastic range of outdoor activities, equipment and have a go activities as well as special guest speakers and more. Attractions from the show will be taster sessions in the form of sailing, windsurfing, surf-ski paddling, stand up paddle boarding and even a mobile climb wall. Other show attractions include bike demos, a skate park and battle fields. The majority of these fantastic activities will be free whilst others will have a small fee associated to them.
Over the past decade thousands of people have had their first taste of climbing and many other outdoor activities at similar outdoor shows. Plus visitors will be able to try out the challenging sports of stand-up paddle boarding and windsurfing. Windsurfing is exhilarating and a water sport that’s really good fun. But it can be tricky to get the hang of it, without a little help. This show is the ideal introduction to windsurfing, a thrilling sport that combines both aspects of both sailing and surfing. The fully qualified and friendly instructors will ensure you get the very best out of your experience.
The show is also the perfect opportunity to sample a sport that has been taking the country by storm. The Academy are welcoming anyone and everyone to try stand up paddle boarding and learn what it’s all about. Thanks to the paddle, the sport is not nearly as strength-sapping as being on a surfboard and being constantly pummelled by walls of white water, making it ideal for young and old alike.
John Tweed, Chief Executive at the Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy, commented; “Our aim of hosting this event is to draw local businesses and clubs together and show our support for the local sports industry, along with our passion to enhance and develop the industry in our local area, by offering an affordable family fun day out.”
There will be a BBQ going all day as well as the cafeteria serving hot and cold food and drinks. The Academy is fortunate enough to have an extensive amount of indoor space so if we experience bad weather the show can still go ahead comfortably inside.
Entry is free. For further information please call Georgina Lee organiser of the outdoor show on 01305 866 003 if you have any questions relating to the Outdoor Show or georgina.lee@wpnsa.org.uk.
Website for the show coming soon.

Sunsail Racing has announced a new Medal Racing Programme running from spring to autumn next year. The programme will be held at the Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy from March to June and September to October to celebrate the elite sailors who have competed from these waters.

Sailors will test their mettle against one another in the waters of Weymouth Bay, getting to grips with the kind of conditions faced by Finn class gold medallist Ben Ainslie and other champion sailors.
The yacht racing programme has been backed by the chief of the Weymouth and Portland academy, John Tweed, who said the event would offer some of the most competitive racing around.
He added: “Sunsail is seen as a leader in quality yachting events and I know that this worldwide renowned brand fits with the commitment to excellence that the Academy prides itself upon. I am anticipating that the new 2012 racing programme will be extremely popular and I look forward to hosting a real mix of big boat sailors at our award-winning venue which will see some of the most competitive racing ever this coming summer in Portland Harbour and Weymouth Bay.”

In March (1st to 4th) the first leg of the programme will get under way, with the Chase the Gold Regatta pitting crews against one another in a race between Portsmouth and Poole. Once they’ve crossed the finish line there will be the opportunity to race in-port at the RNLI College. The second leg will see competitors racing to Weymouth, and it’s hoped the sailing will give the sailors an appetite, as a gala dinner will be laid on at the academy. But once appetites have been satisfied there’ll be more racing to get on with. The final day will see competitors fight tooth and nail for a medal, ahead of a glittering ceremony.
In May the Gold Medal Regatta will see sailors descend upon Weymouth to compete over two days (4th to the 6th) in a bid to be named champions of the town. Once the event is over, competitors may want to look into arranging some corporate sailing on the Solent for their workmates.

Simon Conder, UK Head of Marketing, said: “The new Medal Racing Programme is an exciting addition to the Sunsail Racing events programme and is a fantastic opportunity for amateur sailors to race and train from the prestigious Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy.”

During the Christmas period, from the 24th December – 27th December and from 31st December – 1st January, the WPNSA site will be accessible via member’s keycards through automated gate number 4, the new car park barriers and the pedestrian gate. This means that it will still be possible to access your boat and to use the slipways and the car park.
However, due to maintenance requirements the entire academy building including the changing rooms will not be accessible for this period.
We apologise for any inconvenience caused to you and if you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact us.

Chief Executive of the Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy (WPNSA), John Tweed, will address some of the world’s leading lights in yacht racing at the 2011 World Yacht Racing Forum and Yacht Racing Design & Technology Symposium this month.

Mr Tweed is amongst the highly distinguished international speaker panel invited to Estoril, Portugal for two days of discussing key topics from the world of yacht racing, as well as presenting many new initiatives and ideas. The WPNSA is part of a series of talks from high profile yachting experts including; Knut Frostad, CEO of the Volvo Ocean Race – Mark Turner, Executive Chairman of Offshore Challenges Thirdpole so instrumental in Ellen MacArthur’s successes – Global Ocean Racer, Dee Caafari MBE and Jim O’Toole, CEO at the World Match Racing Tour, as well as Jerome Pells, International Sailing Federation, Secretary General.

John Tweed will share with the Forum delegates a personal insight into the UK venue which will host the sailing disciplines of world’s largest sporting event on the planet during 2012. This will cover the history of the 2012 sailing venue, logistical processes undertaken to host the Olympic and Paralympic sailing competitions, sustainable projects to boost interest in sailing on site, the unique opportunities the venue offers for arena style sailing events and a lasting positive legacy on the local area post Games such as the economy, internet services and transport links.

John Tweed, Chief Executive of the WPNSA:

“Having previously sat in the audience at the World Yacht Racing Forum and listened to both past and current greats of the sailing world debate the merits of industry, it came as a great honour this year to be a member of the high profile speaker panel. I am very much looking forward to sharing our story of the Academy’s success, development and on-going opportunities for post Games with the Forum delegates and value my role as an ambassador for UK yacht racing to the international audience”.

The Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy (WPNSA) and TracTrac, the leaders in live sports tracking, are pleased to announce that they have signed a collaboration agreement and they will be working closely together. Event organisers at the WPNSA will now have the option to access pay as you go tracking infrastructure which will make the on-the-water action more accessible and more attractive to sailors, clubs, spectators, coaches and sponsors. The technology can be put in place to be used by major events, training days, small weekday events, youth activities or fun races.
TracTrac already tracks the excitement and action at most major sailing events, recently working closely with 2011 Skandia Sail for Gold to deliver a fantastic tracking experience both on the web and at venue via a 25 foot big screen. In addition to the WPNSA race management services on offer for race events on the site, this technology will now be available at an affordable rate within a fully managed operation.
TracTrac live tracking will present a number of benefits for event organisers using the WPNSA facilities. Participants and coaches will be able to analyse and replay the race, compare themselves against their competitors and visualise key moments of the race. TracTrac can assist race organisers in course setting, improve safety, support jury decisions and display results. And on top of all this spectators can live the excitement, understand the competition and feel close to the action.
John Tweed, Chief Executive at the Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy, commented; “This experience no doubt will be extremely positive. The system will arouse excitement in being part of an event both among the sailors and the general public. The means of presenting the tracking whether it is via the big screen on the harbour or through an internet browser will prove very attractive for both sponsors and followers of the event.”
Adrian Whaley, TracTrac UK, said; “We are very excited that the leading sports tracking provider and the UK’s premier sailing venue are teaming up. Through our service we are able to bring the race excitement to spectators at the venue as well as a global audience who can watch the events online through our live race viewer.”

The Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy (WPNSA) was the chosen venue for an intensive two week sea trials for the innovative new hydro-foil sailing catamaran, known as C-FLY. This is a 26ft catamaran created out of fifteen years of development by a team of aerospace engineers.

Chris Edwards, one of the C-FLY design team and who is leading the way in a new dimension of high speed sailing, explained his reasoning for selecting the venue which is hosting the London 2012 Olympic Games and Paralympic Games.

‘C-FLY can reach up to 40 knots in the right conditions and therefore we require a very large expanse of water to conduct our trials. We recognised the WPNSA as having one of the most extensive and sheltered harbours in the UK that is available for sailing. This gave us confidence that we could complete the trials in a controlled environment.’

‘Launching from the Academy gave our team direct access to the test area using the extensive slip ways. We could also head out on the water at any time of day due to the slipways being accessible at all states of tide and wind, which ultimately gave us excellent flexibility for our testing.’

After crossing Portland Harbour at speeds above 25 to 30 knots, the trials were continued outside the harbour in Weymouth Bay. This provided conditions for open sea trials in the English Channel, a real test for any craft. Encountering waves of 1.5 metres, C-FLY demonstrated her exceptional sea-keeping and ability to continue hydro-foiling safely at speed, a clear aim of this project that seeks to solve the difficulties of sailing at very high speeds both safely and in comfort.

For your chance to view the sea trials of the C-FLY in Portland Harbour please visit:

http://youtu.be/MHhWQ64Uqt8

Crews to include Dorset and London young people

A large fleet of Sail Training vessels will race to Portland in the summer of 2012. On the second weekend in June, 300 young people from Dorset and London will gather in West India Docks to prepare for the London to Portland Small Ships Race. 25 vessels ranging from 100 year old pilot cutters to modern ocean racing yachts are due to take part in an offshore race from London to Portland, and each boat will be crewed by young people from 12 years upwards.

The charities running the vessels use Sail Training to provide life changing opportunities for young and disabled people from across the UK. Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy (WPNSA) is working together with the Association of Sail Training Organisations (ASTO) to organise this spectacular youth event.

The ships will depart London on 11^th June, 2012 and race to Weymouth and Portland, arriving on 15^th June, 2012.  On the 16^th June, HM The Queen’s representative in Dorset, the Lord Lieutenant, Val Pitt-Rivers will start another race within Weymouth Bay by firing a cannon from the Nothe Fort. The races will be followed with a prize-giving at the Academy in the evening of the 16th.

John Tweed, Chief Executive at the Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy, commented, “This is a first class opportunity to link young people from Dorset with London in such a positive youth adventure.  The sailing will be just a small part of the overall experience; the young people involved will also gain valuable life-skills to benefit them for a long time afterwards.  It’s a very exciting project and one we’re very pleased to be on board with.

The event has been strongly supported not only by the Sailing Academy working closely with ASTO; we have also received enormous help from Portland Marina and Portland Harbour Authority.

The spectacle provided by these remarkable vessels will be a great opportunity for people in Weymouth and Portland to come and enjoy – and start to build excitement for the very special sailing events taking place a few weeks later.”

There are 60 places available for young people from Dorset to take part in this adventure. Schools are being contacted about this opportunity, but anyone interested in taking part should contact ASTO on 02392 503 222.  To find out more about Sail Training, take a look at www.uksailtraining.org.

Simmer Style Weymouth Speed Week takes place from 15 to 21 October 2011 at the Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy. The official British Championships will ensure that all possible is done to allow Harbour records to be broken, by kitesurfers, windsurfers and sailors. The event is centred on an accurately measured 500 metre course located in Portland Harbour. This provides the challenge for the speed sailor to pit his wits against the elements.
The Simmer Style Weymouth Speed Week will mark the last event of the ISWC European Speed Windsurfing Tour which, has already taken in Belgium, Sweden and Germany, as well as hosting the British Kitesurfing Association National Championships and the Spartan UKWA Windsurfing Championship.
Competitors help develop the sport and grow it internationally, to push the limits of other national and world records, including the present 55.65 knot record set by kite surfer Rob Douglas in Namibia. Signed up to push those boundaries this year are current ISWC European Speed Windsurfing Tour leaders Thorsten Mallon (GER) and Zara Davis (GBR). The course at Weymouth is suited to all competitors from boats to the kiters, so if the wind blows, and they are due a good year, the harbour record set by Anders Bringdal in 2008 could fall.
Other competitors to look out for are Anders Bjorkqvist (SWE) and Daniel Borgelind (SWE) both of whom have a chance to upset the close battle for the top spot. Also hoping to join the excitement in Weymouth is 40 world titles holder and 2012 World Slalom Champion, Björn Dunkerberk.
The lack of rules provides the ideal opportunity for both experts and dreamers to build the type of boats which, but for Simmer Style Weymouth Speed Week, would never see the light of day. There are no restrictions as to who may enter and all types of craft are welcome.
John Tweed, Chief Executive at the Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy, commented, ‘Simmer Style Weymouth Speed Week is a unique event. In recent years we have witnessed World Champions and Record holding professionals sailing on the same course as novices and juniors. With so many great competitors from all over the world we’re looking forward to, hopefully, a new harbour record being set.’