[18th February 2012] As entries into the RYA Volvo Dinghy Show SailX Championships 2012 pass the 500 mark, the Organising Authority are delighted to announce the prizes for the winners of this exciting competition.

PRIZES FOR 'LIVE FINALS'

At the conclusion of the ‘Live Finals’, which will be held at 1515 on both days of the Show on the Volvo Main Stage (on the big screen), the individual winner of the Championships will become the first recipient of the new “Virtual Endeavour Trophy”, a new version of this famous trophy which is being specially made for this competition, to take away – not to mention huge bragging rights!

On top of this, the individual winner will receive a Volvo XC90 ‘Weekend Experience’ (kindly provided by Volvo as part of their continued support for the RYA Volvo Dinghy Show) a beautiful pair of Bollé sunglasses (kindly provided by Bollé as Official Supplier to Skandia Team GBR) and a free subscription to Yachts & Yachting magazine (inc. p&p) for 12 months!

Second and third placed individuals will receive a pair of Bollé sunglasses plus a free subscription to Yachts & Yachting magazine for 12 months.

Finally, in addition to all of this, we are delighted to announce that the RYA will be providing each finalist (40 each day) with free tickets to enter the Show so they can compete in the ‘Live Finals’.

Amando Estela founder of SailX.com commented “We are absolutely delighted with the support we have received for this Championships –from players, from the RYA, from The Royal Corinthian Yacht Club and from our prize sponsors Volvo, Bollé and Yachts & Yachting. It really was the last minute when we all agreed to run this competition but with their help it’s really taken off - and with nine days still to go until entries close (midnight on Sunday 26th Feb) there is still plenty of time for people to enter, so who knows how big its going to get!”

PRIZES FOR 'ONLINE FINALS'

For those competitors (from the UK and throughout the world) who cannot make the RYA Volvo Dinghy Show, SailX.com will also run an online Finals. When it comes to prizes these competitors will not be forgotten either, with first, second and third placed individuals also winning a beautiful pair of Bollé sunglasses and free subscription to Yachts & Yachting magazine for 12 months.

Amando commented “These prizes for the online competition are really important as we already know that the online finals are going to be contested by some of the best sailors in the world including current and aspiring Olympians, World Champions and more.”

Finally ALL users who have entered this competition at SailX.com will have the chance to claim a free copy of Yachts & Yachting magazine (inc. p&p) for one month immediately following the Live Finals.

Register by clicking HERE. If you are already a registered user click HERE to return to the home page to login.
Click HERE to watch the latest videos of racing.
Click HERE to go straight to take part in racing as a guest (Note: Your scores will not count until you enter register to SailX.com and enter the regatta).

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NOTES ON PRIZES:

Virtual Endeavour Trophy
A replica of the original Endeavour Trophy (the original of which is recognised by the RYA as the pinnacle of the year's dinghy sailing achievements and which results in the annual crowning of the UK’s "Champion of Champions") engraved onto a stainless steel plaque. This trophy will be given to the winner to take away. For more info on the real Endeavour Trophy click HERE the list of winners over the past 50 years speaks for itself and it is an honour to be associated with it.

Volvo XC90 ‘Weekend Experience’
The Volvo XC90 is the ultimate in four-wheel drive luxury. Sporty and elegant it provides an exceptionally fun driving experience. It is fitted with Volvo’s latest safety technology including blind spot sensors and has a built in sat nav, motorway driving has never seemed so easy. The XC90 is incredibly spacious with seven handcrafted leather seats, making the journey enjoyable for all the family. This wonderful prize involves drop-off / pick of the car at the winners house and a full tank of petrol. For more information on Volvo and sailing click HERE.

Bolle Sunglasses
For over 100 years, Bollé has designed state of the art frames and lenses. Using the very latest optical technology and polarization, Bollé provide Skandia Team GBR with the very best eyewear in order for the sailors to achieve their optimum performance both on and off the water. These products are designed specifically to help face the challenges on the water including harsh glare, poor visibility and of course, fast action. The winner will be able to choose their glasses from Bollé’s entire range that can be found HERE

Yachts & Yachting
Yachts & Yachting is the magazine for dinghy and keelboat racers – essential reading for anyone who is serious about the sport of sailing. Since 1947 it has been famed for its excellent coverage of all aspects of racing, from local dinghy and keelboat events to the heights of the Olympic Games, America’s Cup and Volvo Ocean Race. As well as the top end events, each issue is full of vital information, including technique and tips from some of the best coaches in the sport, interviews and profiles, kit and equipment guides, and tests of the latest boats. Winners will receive a full 12-month subscription (inc p&p) via details to be taken following conclusion of the Finals. Click HERE for more info.

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NOTES ON SailX:

What is SailX? SailX is a unique online game that enables users from all over the world to race virtual sailboats against each other in real-time around short courses and in strict accordance with the Racing Rules of Sailing. SailX races last approx. 5 minutes each (perfect for that quick distraction) and take place continuously, 24/7 meaning over 100,000 races take place per year! SailX is free and users can race as few or as many races as they like.

How does it work? SailX is designed to ‘game’ the mental aspect of inshore racing. SailX puts the gamer in the position of being able to issue simple instructions to a virtual sailor onboard their race boat. These instructions are very simple (tack now, gybe now, etc) yet the rationale behind them is based on the same complex strategic and tactical considerations that exist in real-world racing. Because of this (like chess or checkers) the game is simple and addictive for the ‘newbie’ and, at the same time, extremely challenging for the advanced user and real-world sailor. We even have current Olympians training and being coached on SailX in the build up to July ...

How realistic is it? Racing is strictly controlled by an advanced automatic rules engine in accordance with ISAF Racing Rules of Sailing. The SailX rules engine has taken five years to develop and now interprets sailing incidents in the game with approximately 95% accuracy - 1.5m incidents per year and rising! In order to deal with inevitable disagreements, SailX also features a fully moderated Protest Room which features a clear incident replay to help users cut through the normal ambiguity!

How can I play? To play SailX and join the RYA Volvo Dinghy Show Championship you need to register. Registration and racing is completely free. By registering you will be joining a truly global community of racing sailors - 25,000 from 98 countries worldwide and growing fast.

Register by clicking here. If you are already a registered user click HERE to return to the home page to login.