WIGHTLINK SPONSORSHIP

The Club Committee is very pleased to announce that Wightlink, Isle of Wight Ferries has agreed to continue its sponsorship of the Club for another year taking the agreement through to December, 2022. The cross-Solent ferry company provides the Club with considerable assistance in transporting its competitors, coaches and equipment to and from the Island for competitions throughout the year. Its support allows the Club to compete on the mainland on a regular basis in the Hants & Dorset ARA Coastal Regatta Programme during the summer months and inland in River events during the winter. Its support has been especially useful to the Club’s successful and expanding Junior Section enabling them to attend competitions and training camps on the mainland. Without Wightlink’s support all these activities would be substantially restricted.

Wightlink is the main link between the Isle of Wight and the mainland. Every year, it carries over 4.6 million passengers, making it one of the UK’s largest domestic ferry operators. The company provides Island residents with an easy and frequent service to the mainland, as well as giving millions of holidaymakers a taste of Island life.

Crossings take just 22 minutes by FastCat and from 40 minutes by car ferry - and the company completes more than 100 sailings a day across three convenient routes. Wightlink is also dedicated to giving excellent customer service and providing the best facilities on board and at its terminals.

Wightlink’s sponsorship of the Ryde Club is one of the company’s oldest sponsorship agreements - as they were the first Club sponsored by the company, formally known as Sealink following their support of the 1987 Isle of Wight hosted South Coast Rowing Championships Regatta. It is believed to be the longest running and most successful sponsorship partnerships in Coastal Rowing and one of the longest running in the sport of rowing.