The British Keelboat Academy (BKA) is pleased to announce that entries are now open for the newly-formed Inter Club Challenge Cup 2013 which is to be held at the Royal Southern Yacht Club, Hamble, on Saturday 13 April 2013.  

The overall trophy for the event is for two boat teams representing clubs, comprising of a J/80 and an IRC yacht crewed mainly by young sailors who wish to further their skills, experience and knowledge of keelboat racing.

The format of the event is a day of sailing consisting of four races in the Central Solent. This will then be followed by an evening function which will include a two course buffet dinner, prize giving and a talk from a top professional sailor about their journey to the top of the sport. There will also be current and past squad members available to discuss their experiences of the BKA as well as owners who have successfully worked with BKA sailors in the past.  

Luke McCarthy, British Keelboat Academy Head Coach, commented: "We are really excited to be launching this new event. The aim is to encourage more young sailors to get involved with keelboat racing with their clubs, and also to showcase the opportunities which the BKA is able to provide to get to the top level of the sport. We already have indications from many clubs that they are keen to send teams, so look forward to seeing the young sailors do battle on the water."  

The J/80s will be racing as a one-design class in accordance with the International J/80 Class Rules. Four of the crew should be 24 years old or under on Saturday 13 April 2013.

IRC entries must have a TCC of between 0.900 and 1.050. 65% of the crew should be 24 years old or under on Saturday 13 April 2013. Entries are invited for individual boats in each class, but these will not be eligible for the team prize.

Entries must be submitted to Royal Southern Yacht Club by the Tuesday 12 March along with the entry fee of £100 per boat which includes three tickets for the evening function. Entry forms can be found on the Royal Southern Yacht Club website.

For more information about the British Keelboat Academy please visit the BKA website at www.britishkeelboatacademy.org , or follow the BKA on Facebook or on Twitter (@tweetbka)