Open 60 skipper Sam Davies, the only British sailor currently qualified for the Vendee Globe, will be speaking at the Solo Racing Festival in Southampton on Saturday March 15th, relating her recent experiences in the Transat Jacques Vabre and sharing her ambitions for ROXY and the Vendee.

Designer Simon Rogers will be reviewing some of the issues of Class40 with reference to his new Rogers 40 boats. Delegates will get a rare view of one of the Rogers forties on display in the marina along side the Owen Clarke designed Express 40 built by Paul Metcalf in Cowes. Solo racing has exploded in France and Nigel King is taking a break from winter training with the Figaro fleet in Brittany to give an insight into the French professional’s approach to racing solo, we may even hear some stories of his recent TJV as co- skipper of Aviva.

The best ‘Brit’ in the last years Mini Transat was Aussie Nicco Brennan! Placed fifth in the huge and enthusiastic 6.50 fleet is an outstanding result, how did he do that? Survival expert Professor Mike Tipton describes the hazards of cold water immersion with special reference to recent high profile capsize accidents and we will hear first hand from multi-hull racer Ross Hobson about his capsize and rescue in the Route du Rhumb.

Ten presentations are planned in all and the day starts at 12.00 with a Sleep Seminar by Dr. Chris Idzikowski of the Edinburgh sleep centre and aimed at insomniac solo racers. The Festival is organised by Racing at Petit Bateau ltd and tickets on line are 38 GBP from Jerry Freeman, contact is jjfreeman@uk2.net

The venue is the Royal Southampton Yacht Club, Ocean Village, 11.00 to 19.30 on Saturday 15th March 2008