The rise of the SB3 continues

12th May 2008

There seems no end to the rise and rise of Laser's SB3, which continues to fit into clever packages and generate smart marketing strategies.

The boat has usurped its older, fatter sister, the 1720, taking over the Liffey Challenge with a Random Pairs event on June 6, and features in the VW Touareg King of Cowes event ahead of Cowes week.

Small and nimble, the Royal Alfred Random Pairs should make for a great spectacle in the confines of the Liffey, as boats race in pairs two-on-two, trying to make sure they don't finish with their team mate in last position, losing the race.

As far as team racing goes, Random Pairs is dramatic and combative, and should guarantee spectators a day of highly verbal close-quarters racing.

Then, over in the Solent a week ahead of Cowes Week, the class hosts the VW Touareg King of Cowes.

A sort of Champion of Champions event, the King of Cowes pits the winners of 30 classes from the previous year's Cowes Week against one another in heavily-branded SB3s. As was the case with the ISA Helmsmans/All-Ireland/Champion of Champions events, an owners' rep stays on board. VW have also chucked in prizes of new sail wardrobes for the top three donor skippers.

With umpteen SB3s in the country, could we see something similar at Cork Week 2010?

Vid below:

Published in News From the Afloat.ie Archive

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