Sunsail launches Funding the Future 2018-19

Sunsail Funding the Future winners © Emily Whiting

All UK sailing clubs can now enter Sunsail's Funding the Future competition 2018-19. Global Sailing Holiday provider, Sunsail is committed to supporting grassroots sailing in the UK as Funding the Future 2018-19 launches for a third year. Announced at the TheYachtMarket.Com Southampton Boat Show on Friday 15 September 2018, sailing clubs have until midnight 06 January 2019 to submit the winning 500-word entry, online or by post.

As well as the top prize of £5,000, the winning sailing club will be treated to a live Q&A with double Olympic medallist and Volvo Ocean Race winner, Ian Walker. There are two runners-up prizes of £2,000 and a separate prize of £1,000 dedicated solely to University sailing clubs.

Last year's winners, Burwain Sailing Club were thrilled to scoop the top prize of £5,000 at the RYA Dinghy Show in March 2018.

Peter from Burwain Sailing Club says, "Thanks to Sunsail's Funding the Future campaign, in May our five additional Optimists joined the fleet and it has been brilliant. As well as being used by our club sailors, children from our local primary school have been learning to sail in the Optimists. We were thrilled to receive thank you letters from all the school children that had been out on the water and that the local community is really benefiting."

Burwain Sailing Club has made excellent use of their five Optimists and introduced sailing to around sixty local primary school children as well as recruiting new members to join the club's junior group - 'Sailfish'. The club members have represented Burwain SC at several national and world championships in the UK, Europe and USA this summer and are all set to welcome double Olympic medallist, Volvo Ocean Race winner, and RYA Director of Racing, Ian Walker MBE in Spring 2019 as part of their winning investment proposal.

Judges on the panel included Ian Walker MBE, Mark Jardine, Editor of Yachts & Yachting Online, Josie Tucci, Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Sunsail, and Sunsail's Event Director, Simon Boulding.

Commenting on behalf of the judges, Josie Tucci, Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Sunsail says, "We set up this funding opportunity to support UK sailing clubs. It has been really rewarding to see the direct result of how winning the Funding the Future campaign has helped sailors - from improving facilities to encouraging more people to get involved with the sport. The Funding the Future application process is really simple and on behalf of all the judges, we can't wait to see this year's entries."

Ian Walker adds, "For anyone thinking of entering Funding the Future, be sure to get your entry in on time - the closing date for entries is the 6 January 2019 and I would encourage any club to enter. As judges we want to see Sunsail's investment go as far as it can to make the sport of sailing as accessible as possible through your club. We are dedicated to getting as many people sailing as possible. We love our sport and believe that everyone who wants to have a go should get the chance."

The Funding the Future prize money can be used to improve the club's facilities, equipment, and coaching capabilities; increase membership; promote youth and sailability participation; or launch other initiatives to support the club.

Entering the competition is easy; visit to download the application form and once completed fill in the online form, upload and submit. Postal entries should be sent to: Funding the Future c/o Sunsail, DST House, St Marks Hill, Surbiton, KT6 4BH

To find out more about how to apply come along and visit the Sunsail team at TheYachtMarket.Com Southampton Boat Show on stand J057 before Sunday 23 September or apply online at www.sunsail.co.uk/funding-the-future. Good luck!