Holland's North Sea Regatta in May has been cancelled again this year.

"We are disappointed that we had to make this decision after all our planning efforts for the additional programme started to take shape," organisers said. 

The North Sea Regatta is an annual sailing event hosted by North Sea Regatta and Jachtclub Scheveningen during the Whitsun and Ascension holiday period. This event is the annual highlight for regatta sailors on tidal waters of the coast of Scheveningen The Hague. It is the ultimate sailing location where sailors of many different divisions can sharpen their skills, battle for the prizes at stake and meet each others onshore.

Holland's North Sea Regatta has been cancelled in May

The North Sea Regatta

The Open Dutch Championships ORC 1, 2 and 3 were scheduled to be held during the NSR and is a key event counting treble scoring in the annual competition of the Dutch competition for the “Verbondsbezem” title of the Dutch Watersportverbond.

Last but not least the North Sea Regatta is the event where volunteers are able to practice and improve their race management skills on open tidal water. This practice is crucial in order to conduct fair and equal racing in the upcoming top sport events as the Youth Sailing World Championships in 2022 and the World Championships in 2023 in Scheveningen The Hague.

RORC's North Sea Race and Vuurschepen Race have both been cancelled due to travel restrictions in the UK and the North Sea Regatta has decided to organise an 'exciting replacement race'.

During this year’s upcoming Ascension Day Weekend, on Friday, May 14th and Saturday, May 15th the North Sea Regatta will host a brand-new Race: the NSR C-19 Windmill Race.

The NSR C-19 Race will cover a figure-eight course providing exciting and challenging racing around existing marks such as buoys, wind farms and platforms on the North Sea, starting and finishing in Scheveningen. The ORC/IRC 1 and 2 divisions and the Double Handed division will sail a 160 NM long course and the ORC 3 and SW-division will follow a short course of 130 NM.

“The NSR C-19 Windmill Race is a great alternative offshore race to replace both the Vuurschepen Race and the RORC North Sea Race. Due to the strict travel restrictions to enter the UK and the current Covid-19 regulations both races won’t be able to take place this year,” comments Peter Tjalma chair of the North Sea Regatta Foundation.

The North Sea Race C-19 Windmill Race Map course

Frans Driessen, Event Director of the North Sea Regatta adds: “On the day before the start, Ascension Day May 13th, the race teams have the opportunity to prepare their yachts for the race. On both the preparation day as well as the awards ceremony day, the organizing committee anticipates planning a fun-filled programme suitable to fit the Covid-19 regulations in place at that time.”

The NSR-19 Windmill Race counts as a qualifier event for the Fastnet Race 2021. In order to qualify to participate in the Fastnet Race at least 50% of the crew (with a minimum of 2) including the Person in Charge is required to have sailed 300 NM of offshore races, where an offshore race is considered to be more than 75 miles including at least one night at sea.

NSR Re-Save The Date

“With the cancellation of the originally scheduled races, there is even an opportunity to organize an extra Fasnet qualifying race on Tuesday, May 11th and Wednesday, May 13th.

Interested skippers can send a mail to [email protected].” concludes Frans.