The SAILING Champions League (SCL) dates and venues for the seventh SCL season are set. In three qualifier events the participants for the final in Porto Cervo, Sardinia, will be determined from the best five sailing clubs of all the National Sailing Leagues in Europe.

For the first time the SAILING Champions League will be held in Germany and Finland. The draw that took place on Thursday evening determined in which of the three rounds the clubs will sail for a ticket to the final.

• Qualifier 1: Mariehamn, Finland – 11 to 14 June
• Qualifier 2: Travemünde, Germany – 23 to 26 July
• Qualifier 3: St. Petersburg, Russia – 13 to 16 August
• Final: Porto Cervo, Italy – 1 to 4 October

The reigning national champion from Finland, Åländska Segelsällskapet, will be the first-ever Finnish host of the SAILING Champions League from 11 to 14 June in Mariehamn. The second qualifier will follow from 23 to 26 July in Germany as part of Travemünde Week. The third and last qualifier will be held from 13 to 16 August at St. Petersburg Yacht Club, in Russia, as in previous years.

For the first time in the history of the SAILING Champions League boats of the type RS21 will be sailed in Travemünde. Michiel Geerling from RS Sailing proudly announces the new partnership with SAILING Champions League: “RS Sailing have specifically developed the RS21 for the purpose of league racing, an affordable boat designed for real teamwork and close one-design racing. The International Sailing League Association has created a racing formula that we believe ups the game for sailing events now and in the future. We are thrilled to be contributing to the forward-thinking racing concept by supplying a fleet of RS21’s for the SAILING Champions League qualifier in Travemünde.” For the other regattas of the season J/70 boats will be used as in previous years.

Per qualifier 32 clubs will compete against each other. The best nine will qualify for the season final at the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda in Porto Cervo, Sardinia. In the final they will meet the best three clubs of the SAILING Champions League – Asia Pacific. In the region of the defending champion Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron, the qualification for the SAILING Champions League final already started in January at the Royal Geelong Yacht Club. The three clubs from the Asia Pacific region that will make it to the final in Porto Cervo will be decided in April during the season final in Sydney, Australia.

The list of the qualified sailing clubs of the SAILING Champions League season 2020 can be found on www.sailing-championsleague.com/season-2020/qualifiedclubs-2020

by Thomas Bässgen