Skandia UK will be title sponsor of the UK’s first Olympic Class regatta to be held at the Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy (WPNSA), the sailing location for the London 2012 Games.

The Skandia RYA Sail for Gold Regatta runs from 13-15 October this year and is already attracting world-class competitors, former Olympians and up-and-coming sailors from countries around the globe.

Skandia’s sponsorship of the Sail for Gold Regatta is a sign of their continuing commitment to British sailing. The company has been title sponsor of the UK’s oldest and largest keelboat regatta – Skandia Cowes Week – for 12 years and, earlier this year, Skandia became title sponsor of the British sailing team in training for Beijing 2008 – Skandia Team GBR. Skandia also sponsors the major Scottish schools sailing event, the Skandia Brown Cup.

Tim Sewell, Skandia’s sponsorship manager comments: “Our sponsorship of sailing events in the UK now covers all spectrums of the sport. From amateur sailors on day boats and rock star yachtsmen on performance racing boats at Skandia Cowes Week through to keen youngsters at the Skandia Brown Cup and now world-class competitors at the Skandia RYA Sail for Gold Regatta, we’re delighted to be backing Britain on the water.”

The Skandia RYA Sail for Gold Regatta is run by the RYA and is Britain’s first major event that will count towards Olympic qualification. It is one of several events that the RYA have put on this year in an effort to establish Great Britain as a host for world-class sailing competitions.

Open to all Olympic classes, the Skandia RYA Sail for Gold Regatta will show case some of the worlds best talent with entries already pouring in from countries such as France, Denmark, Sweden, Barbados and of course Great Britain.