Irish Pair Help Pace Claim Round Britain and Ireland Line Honours

 

Irish sailors Tom McWilliam and James “Jim” Carroll were part of the 14-strong crew aboard Johnny Vincent’s Volvo 70 Pace as she completed the 1,805-nautical-mile RORC Round Britain and Ireland Race, the first monohull to enter Cowes on Sunday morning. 

The Irish sailors McWilliam and Carroll claimed Monohull Line Honours in the 50th anniversary RORC Round Britain and Ireland Race after more than six and a half days at sea.

Pace crossed the Royal Yacht Squadron finish line in Cowes at 04:17:31 BST on Sunday, August 16, completing the 1,805-nautical-mile course in 6 days, 14 hours, 47 minutes and 31 seconds. McWilliam and Carroll were among a highly experienced 14-person crew that also included Volvo Ocean Race winner and navigator Jules Salter, Stu Bannatyne and Neal McDonald.

The YB tracker recorded Pace sailing 2,113 nautical miles during her lap of Britain and Ireland, with the Volvo 70 producing some of her most impressive speeds on the western side of the course. 

The decisive acceleration came off Ireland’s west coast and on the long push north towards Muckle Flugga, where the Juan Kouyoumdjian-designed Volvo 70 found conditions ideally suited to her offshore pedigree.

Vincent said Pace covered 486 nautical miles in one 24-hour period, reaching speeds of 26 and 27 knots.

“We had a good solid breeze and a fantastic wave pattern,” Vincent said. “Surfing at 27 knots is exciting for anybody. It was absolutely thrilling.” That high-speed northern leg allowed Pace to build a substantial advantage on her closest monohull rivals before turning at Muckle Flugga and beginning the long journey south.

While Pace has secured Monohull Line Honours, the biggest corrected-time prize remained unresolved following her finish. Pace’s IRC corrected time is now fixed, leaving Vincent, McWilliam, Carroll and the rest of the crew waiting for their principal rivals to complete the course.

Among those still capable of challenging is Antoine Magre’s Mach 50 Palanad 4, which had emerged as a major IRC Overall threat during the latter stages of the race.

The distinction is significant: Line Honours rewards the first monohull to complete the course, while the IRC Overall title is decided after each yacht’s elapsed time is corrected according to its rating. Whatever the eventual IRC outcome, Pace’s first-to-finish performance has already secured McWilliam and Carroll a place in the story of the 50th anniversary edition.

For Vincent, completing the lap was itself a substantial achievement.

“I am a normal bloke. I am not a professional sailor,” he said. “To set out on this adventure was really special. It is beginning to sink in now. It is a long way, and it has been a great journey.”

Pace crew: Johnny Vincent, Al Fraser, Anthony Haines, Antonio Cuervas-Mons, Ed Myers, James “Jim” Carroll, Jules Salter, Luke Molloy, Mark Bartlett, Neal McDonald, Pete Cumming, Stu Bannatyne, Tom McWilliam and Trystan Seal.

Irish Crews Crowned GP14 World Champions as Belfast Lough Delivers Dramatic Finale

 

Ireland celebrated a memorable home victory on Friday as Ger Owens of Wicklow Sailing Club and Mel Morris from East Antrim Sailing Club were crowned GP14 World Champions 2026, following a thrilling week of racing on Belfast Lough hosted by the Royal North of Ireland Yacht Club.

 The Irish duo secured the world title with a remarkably consistent series, finishing ahead of fellow Irish sailors Sam Street and Josh Lloyd of Blessington Sailing Club, who claimed the silver medal to complete an outstanding Irish one-two. Oli Hale and Harry Shaw of Great Britain rounded off the podium in third place after an equally impressive championship.

After a week that delivered sunshine, torrential rain, heavy breeze, drifting conditions and dramatic wind shifts, the 2026 GP14 World Championships showcased exactly why Belfast Lough is regarded as one of the world’s most demanding and rewarding sailing venues. With Irish crews lifting the world title on home waters, it was a fitting conclusion to a spectacular week of international competition.

Visit www.rniyc.org for full race results.

Hansa UK National Championships 2026 at the Weymouth & Portland National Sailing Academy

 

This year's Hansa National Championships were held as part of the Inclusive Games which were hosted by WPNSA with support from the RYA and Chesil Sailability. The event combined the Hansa class nationals, the Challenger class nationals, and sailing for both deaf and blind groups.

Eight Libertys lined up for the event. Paul Philips opened strongly, leading Race 1 until weed slowed him and David Durston snatched the win. David then controlled Race 2 from the start.

Light winds shaped day two. Mike Everitt won the morning race, with David second and Paul pushed to fourth by a late charge from Paul Pearson. After a course reset, Paul took 2nd behind Mike and ahead of newcomer James Woosnam, with David closing fast but finishing fourth.

Race 5 was another win for Mike, with James taking the inside at the final mark to beat David, while Paul's rare mistake sent him to start an extra lap and put him down to fifth. Mike's success on day 2 gave the overnight scores of Mike 6, David 7, Paul 10.

Paul fought back on the final morning with a decisive win, while Paul Pearson grabbed second and Mike third. That left Mike on 9, David and Paul on 11 going into the last race.

Mike delivered when it mattered, winning the final race and the national championship. David edged Paul by inches to secure second overall.

In the 11 strong 303 1-person fleet, Rory McKinna again demonstrated why he is a world champion contender, taking 1st in every race. The battle of for second third and fourth was more closely fought.

On day one, there was some confusion on the start sequence, unfortunately Margaret Foreman had not noticed that the race officer had decided to build in a gap between the liberty finish and the start of the countdown for the 303 singles. This meant starting the event with two scores of OCS, a big deficit to be made up. Her consistent, top 4 results across all of the remaining races enabled her to achieve a podium place, pipping Phil Monk to 3rd place on count back. Both finished on net 28, but Phil's results had been more erratic.

In second place, Sophie Brisley built on her 3rd place in 2025. Sophie achieved 5 second places, a 3rd, and a disappointing 6th which was her discard, finishing with a net 13, justifying her position over Margaret.

In the 303 2-person fleet the winning spot was again taken by Lynne and Stuart Swann with 7 1sts. The fight for the other 2 podium spots was much closer; all 5 of the other teams achieved at least one top 3 places across the 7 races. As with the Liberty fleet it came down to the last race, with Lara and Katy and Sue and Rick Jillings both on 16 points after discards. Lara having previously sailed in the 2.3 fleet held her nerve with Katy, taking 2nd, two ahead of their rivals.

Unfortunately there were only 2.3 entries so their races were run alongside the 303 2-person class. That was again won by Lindsay Burns over Andrew Lebec.

Overall Results:

Pos Helm Club R1 R2 R3 R4 R5 R6 R7 Pts

2026 Hansa UK Nationals Liberty

1 Mike Everitt Frensham Pond Sailability 3 5 1 1 1 3 1 10

2 David Durston Whitefriars Sailing Club 1 1 2 4 3 4 2 13

3 Paul Phillips Frensham Pond Sailability 2 2 4 2 5 1 3 14

4 Paul Pearson Rutland Sailing Club/Sailability 4 3 3 6 4 2 4 20

5 James Woosnam Frensham Pond Sailability 6 4 5 3 2 5 5 24

6 Mary Duffy Bray Sailing Club Ireland 5 6 8 5 7 8 7 38

7 Tessa Watkiss Frensham Pond Sailability 8 7 6 8 6 6 8 41

8 Terry Hewlett Whitefriars Sailing Club 7 8 7 7 8 7 6 42

2026 Hansa UK Nationals 303 1 Person

1 Rory McKinna Clyde Cruising Club 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 6

2 Sophie Brisley Whitefriars Sailing Club 2 2 3 2 6 2 2 13

3 Margaret Foreman Frensham Pond Sailability CS) CS) 2 4 3 3 4 28

4 Phil Monk Whitefriars Sailing Club 4 4 8 3 2 9 7 28

5 Leslie Philip Tideway Sailability (London) 5 5 4 7 4 5 6 29

6 Jayleigh Tilley Whitefriars Sailing Club 3 3 5 5 10 7 9 32

7 Katie Apse Frensham Pond Sailability CS) CS) 6 6 8 4 3 39

8 Rebecca Willcox Whitefriars Sailing Club CS) CS) 7 9 5 6 5 44

9 Richard Rochester Whitefriars Sailing Club CS) 6 9 8 7 10 10 50

10 Nia Faulder Leigh & Lowton SC 6 NS) 11 10 9 8 8 52

11 Ellie Scott Chesil Sailability CS) ET) 10 11 11 11 11 66

2026 Hansa UK Nationals 303 2 Person

1 Lynne Swan Frensham Pond Sailability 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 6

2 Lara Sturgis Frensham Pond Sailability 4 4 2 5 2 4 2 18

3 Rick Jillings Carsington Sailing Club 3 2 4 3 4 5 4 20

4 Kim Davies Frensham Pond Sailability 5 5 6 4 3 3 3 23

5 Philip Hall Chesil Sailability 2 3 3 6 6 6 5 25

6 Kiran Wade Uni of Lincs/NCSC 6 6 5 2 5 2 6 26

2026 Hansa UK Nationals 2.3

1 Lindsay Burns Frensham Pond Sailability 1 1 1 1 1 1 NS) 6

2 Andrew Lebec Frensham Pond Sailability 2 NS) 2 2 2 2 1 11

Lapwing Championship 2026 at Aldeburgh Yacht Club

 

The historic Aldeburgh Lapwing fleet took centre stage at Aldeburgh Yacht Club for its annual championships, on 1st/2nd August, with eleven boats contesting four races in near-perfect conditions. Warm sunshine and a light sea breeze made for an excellent weekend both on the water and for spectators ashore.

Designed by Francis Morgan-Giles in 1947, the clinker-built Aldeburgh Lapwing remains a thriving local class. Around 20 boats are still in active use, and a small number are renovated each year. Their survival owes much to skilled local boatyards and to committed owners who tackle the many running repairs demanded by boats approaching 80 years of age.

That heritage was strongly represented in this year's fleet: three of the ten competing boats remain with the families that originally commissioned them, having been passed down through two or three generations. The hot spell did present an early challenge, however, as several dried-out hulls began the weekend leaking—although most tightened up as the racing progressed.

Race officer Nick Barker set a compact course directly in front of the clubhouse, giving spectators a superb view of frequent position changes and tightly contested mark roundings. Each race ran for about an hour over eight or ten short legs, keeping crews busy and rewarding sharp boat-handling.

Ian Robson delivered the standout performance of the championships, winning all four races in Hummingbird (No. 71). Behind him, the contest remained wide open, with second and third places still undecided going into the final race.

Rob and Tanya Ritchie secured second place in the decider aboard Tufted, earning second overall. Sarah Davies and Charlotte De Milne in Tringa edged out Steve Liddell to claim third place. It was a memorable weekend of competitive sailing, friendly rivalry and celebration of a class that remains as relevant—and enjoyable—today.

Overall Results:

Pos Boat Sail No Helm Crew R1 R2 R3 R4 Pts

1st Humming bird 71 Ian Robson ‑1 1 1 1 3

2nd Tufted 37 Robert Ritchie Tanya/Toby Ritchie 3 2 ‑5 2 7

3rd Tringa 57 Sarah Davies Charlotte De Mille 2 ‑5 3 4 9

4th Whaup 51 Steve Liddell 4 3 4 ‑5 11

5th Cormorant 59 Chris Ritchie (RET) 4 6 3 13

6th Kookaboro 45 Robert Mulcahy 5 8 2 (RET) 15

7th Lapwing 1 Harriet Thame Siobhan Horner 6 6 7 (RET) 19

8th Quail 75 James Alexander Andrew Norrie 7 7 9 (DNC) 23

9th Knot 40 Bruce MacInnes Kitty Hughes 8 9 ‑10 7 24

10th Bittern 11 Anthony Hinton Allegra Hinton DNS (DNC) 8 6 25

11th Mallard 63 Emma Piper (DNC) DNC 11 8 31

Why would you sail around Crete ?

 

Sailing around Crete is fantastic , particularly if you want a holiday that combines sailing with plenty to do ashore.

This is why Crete works so well for a week of sailing.

1. Dramatic coastline and clear water

Crete has beautiful turquoise bays, caves, beaches and rugged cliffs. The northwest coast around Chania and the Gramvousa peninsula is particularly rewarding from a boat.

2. A good mix of sailing and exploring

You can alternate sailing days with time ashore for:

Ancient ruins and archaeological sites

Mountain villages and traditional tavernas

Hiking gorges and coastal paths

Snorkelling and swimming

Local food and wine

Historic Venetian harbours

3. Excellent food 🍋

Crete is arguably one of Greece's best food destinations. Sailing lets you reach small coastal tavernas that aren't necessarily convenient by road. Expect grilled fish, lamb, dakos, fresh vegetables, local cheeses and excellent olive oil.

4. Beautiful small harbours

Places such as Loutro, Chora Sfakion and Agia Galini give you a very different experience from staying in a resort. Arriving by boat makes these places particularly special.

5. You can combine famous sights with quieter anchorages

A seven-day route doesn't have to mean moving every day. You can spend a morning swimming in a remote bay, sail a few hours, then have dinner in a village harbour.

The important caveat !!!!

Crete is large, so I wouldn't try to sail around the entire island in seven days. You'd spend too much time covering distance.

For a first 7-day sailing holiday, I'd suggest either  :-

Option A – Western Crete ⭐

Chania → Gramvousa/Balos → Kissamos → Paleochora → Loutro → Chora Sfakion → Chania

This gives you spectacular scenery, beaches, swimming, villages and some of Crete's best-known attractions.

Option B – Eastern Crete

Heraklion → Dia → Agios Nikolaos → Spinalonga → Mochlos → Kouremenos → Sitia

This is better if you want more history, archaeology, traditional villages and quieter eastern coastline.

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Enterprise Northern Series at Wigan and St Helens Sailing Club

 

The Enterprise Northern Series returned to Wigan & St Helens Sailing Club for one of the calendar's most popular fixtures, incorporating the UK Masters Championship. Originally seeing seventeen boats entered, including four home crews, the weekend saw the arrival of 15 teams ready for the weekend ahead, but one that demanded patience from competitors and race officials alike.

Wall-to-wall sunshine greeted sailors throughout the weekend, but a fickle northerly breeze rarely exceeded Force 2, with only the occasional gust nudging Force 3. The wind switched on and off throughout Saturday, constantly changing direction and never establishing the steady breeze required to get racing under way. Despite the best efforts of the experienced race team, the difficult conditions ultimately forced the abandonment of racing for the day.

As is often the case in the Enterprise fleet, disappointment on the water was quickly forgotten ashore. Wigan & St Helens once again proved a popular stop on the circuit, with competitors enjoying an excellent hotpot supper before two talented club members provided live entertainment on bass guitar and saxophone, encouraging plenty of singing long into the evening.

Sunday dawned with more sunshine but little improvement in the wind. With the forecast offering no guarantees and time steadily disappearing, the difficult decision was taken to abandon the UK Masters Championship, with the intention of rearranging the title event later in the season. However, with a light breeze finally filling across the reservoir during the afternoon, competitors agreed to race an Open Meeting, ensuring the weekend would still produce a worthwhile contest and valuable Northern Series points.

The opening race immediately demonstrated just how difficult the conditions would be. Martin Honnor and Chris Parker judged the first beat well to round the windward mark ahead of Tim Sadler and Richard Sault, but the oscillating breeze ensured the order was far from settled. Al & Henry Roberts started strongly holding third until their rudder came loose. Alan and Henry briefly held fourth, while Steve Blackburn and Emily Rossiter steadily worked their way through the fleet as the race developed.

Up front, Tim and traded the lead throughout a fascinating tactical contest, with Martin & Chris eventually taking line honours by the narrowest of margins after an almost dead-heat finish. Tim & Richard were forced to settle for second, while Steve completed the podium after another consistent performance.

The second race again rewarded clean starts and smart tactical decisions rather than outright boat speed. Tim & Richard established an early lead and gradually stretched clear as those behind continually exchanged positions whenever the breeze disappeared on the runs before filling from a different direction. Martin & Chris held onto second despite pressure from Steve & Emily.

Further back the fleet saw regular chances in position between the Holdaways, Frys and Roberts however Charles Morrish and Luke Hartshorn sailed an excellent race to finish fourth after remaining firmly in the leading group throughout.

By the final race, Tim & Richard found their rhythm. Another excellent start allowed them to control proceedings from the front, opening a comfortable advantage before one of the day's trademark holes dramatically reduced his lead. Nevertheless, they remained composed to secure their second successive race win. Behind them, Steve & Emily found a way past Martin & Chris during the closing stages to claim second, with Martin & Chris completing a deserved third.

Further back, Paul Young and Esther Bowdler enjoyed one of their strongest races of the weekend after leading the chasing pack for much of the contest before Chris and Leo Fry capitalised on the final shifts to snatch fourth on the line.

With scores of 2,1,1, Tim & Richard's consistency in exceptionally challenging conditions secured overall victory. Martin & Chris' race win, backed up by two further podium finishes, earned second overall, while Steve & Emily's impressive sequence of third, third and second completed the podium.

Although only three races were completed, Wigan & St Helens once again delivered an outstanding event. The professionalism and perseverance of the race team, combined with the club's renowned hospitality and lively Saturday evening social programme, ensured competitors departed having enjoyed another memorable Northern Series weekend. Thank you also to our series sponsors Peak Dinghies, Allen & North Sails.

The Enterprise fleet now looks forward to the rearranged UK Masters Championship later in the season at St Mary's.

Overall Results:

Pos Boat Sail No Helm Crew Club R1 R2 R3 Net

1 The Big Saulty Dog 23384 Tim Sadler Richard Sault Yorkshire Dales Sailing Club ‑2 1 1 2

2 Riotvan 22619 Martin Honnor Chris Parker Ogston Sailing Club 1 2 ‑3 3

3 50 Shades of Blue 23310 Steve Blackburn Emily Rossiter WLYC ‑3 3 2 5

4 Wrinkled Stockings 20900 Chris Fry Leo Fry Ogston Sailing Club ‑6 5 4 9

5 23382 Alan Roberts Henry Burton Roberts Chester Sailing and Canoeing Club 4 6 (DNC) 10

6 Out of The Blue 22901 Paul Young Esther Bowdler Midland Sailing Club 5 ‑10.5 5 10

7 Simply Red 23089 Charles Morrish Luke Hartshorn St Mary's Loch Sailing Club ‑11 4 9 13

8 Jibbooms an Bobstays 23159 James Holdaway Owen Holdaway Scammonden Water Sailing Club ‑7 7 6 13

9 23121 Royston Taggart Rosie Wilson WiSH Sailing Club ‑8 8 8 16

10 Captain Sizer 19007 Mike Heap Duncan Willoughby Ogston Sailing Club (DSQ) 10.5 7 17.5

11 I Was Groot 22629 Richard Critchley Harry Lamb WiSH Sailing Club 9 9 ‑11 18

12 Another Myth 20897 Paul Shepherd Kieran Gascoigne WiSH Sailing Club 10 ‑12 10 20

13 TuTuWonOneToo 22112 Mhairi Ogilvie Claire Watson Largo Bay Sailing Club 12 ‑13 12 24

Epstein Sisters Win Irish 420 Championship at Lough Derg

 

Laragh and Roisin Epstein claimed overall victory at the 2026 Irish International 420 Class Championships on Lough Derg, topping a 29-boat Irish and British fleet after eight races. Lough Derg Yacht Club hosted the three-day championship from 7-9 August, with competitors facing changing conditions and close racing following two days of pre-event coaching. 

The Epsteins, representing CBYC aboard GBR 56943, established themselves at the head of the fleet with an exceptionally consistent series. They recorded four race wins and did not finish outside the top two in any of their seven counting scores.

Caoimhe Corkery of Kinsale Yacht Club and Riona Moriarty of Tralee Bay Sailing Club finished second overall and were the leading Irish pairing. They opened their championship with victory in the first race and remained firmly in podium contention with a string of strong finishes.

Royal Cork Yacht Club's Daniel Copithorne and Matt Mapplebeck completed the overall podium in third. Their challenge included victories in races four and eight.

Home-club sailors Kate Kovtun and James Love won the Silver Fleet after taking sixth overall. Their consistent series also made them the highest-placed Lough Derg Yacht Club crew in the championship. 

Freddie Nelson and Sam Smith of BLSC secured the Bronze Fleet title with 14th overall. Their results included a second-place finish in race two.

Lough Derg's Sean O'Doherty and David Evans finished 22nd overall, followed by clubmates Seamus Kennedy and Tom Ryan in 26th. Callum Evans and Aidan Love completed the home contingent in 29th.

The championship brought together 29 crews from Ireland and the UK, providing another showcase for youth double-handed racing on Lough Derg. Organisers thanked the competitors, coaches, race committee, volunteers, parents and supporters involved in staging the event both ashore and on the water.

Lowrider International Moth Scottish Championship 2026 at Loch Lomond Sailing Club

 

Loch Lomond Sailing Club welcomed competitors from across the UK for the 2026 Lowrider International Moth Scottish Championships. Seven conventional fleet races were followed by a unique two-hour island race around Inchlonaig, before rounding a small rock across a notoriously windless expanse behind the island and returning to the finish. The long-distance finale tested tactics, patience and local knowledge and proved a fitting conclusion to an excellent championship.

Throughout the fleet racing, local sailor Paul Hignett and Nigel Williams of Bartley Sailing Club were locked in a championship-long battle. Williams won races two through five, while Hignett claimed races one, six and seven. The final island race would ultimately decide the title.

The dramatic island race saw positions change repeatedly as competitors searched for pressure around Inchlonaig and crossed the calm patch beyond the island. Hignett eventually secured victory in the race, finishing the series tied with Williams on 10 points after eight races, each sailor recording four race wins. Hignett's win in the final race was enough to secure the Scottish Championship title and First Division honours.

Chris Jones from Waldringfield Sailing Club sailing Hungry Tiger (AUS9303) produced one of the most consistent performances of the weekend. A string of top-five finishes secured third overall on 24 points.

Lyndon Beasley sailing Stockholm Sprite finished fourth overall and won Division 2, while Simon Portman claimed Division 3 and Bee Portman took the Youth prize.

The social highlight of the weekend came on Saturday evening when the Loch Lomond Sailing Club committee boat transported competitors to Inchmurrin Restaurant on Inchmurrin Island for dinner. The unique setting provided a memorable evening and showcased the warm hospitality of the host club.

With close racing throughout the fleet, spectacular scenery and a championship decided only in the final race, the event was a tremendous success and highlighted the enduring appeal of the Lowrider International Moth class.

Overall Results:

Pos Design Sail No Helm Club R1 R2 R3 R4 R5 R6 R7 R8 Pts

1 Prowler 3175 Paul Hignett Loch Lomond 1 2 2 2 2 1 1 1 10

2 Prowler 0 3665 Nigel Williams Bartley 2 1 1 1 1 2 2 2 10

3 Hungry Tiger AUS9303 Chris Jones Waldringfield 3 3 5 5 3 3 3 4 24

4 Stockholm Sprite 3222 Lyndon Beasley Greensforge 4 5 3 3 6 5 4 3 27

5 Axeman 3 3967 Keith Cuthbert Dalgety Bay 5 4 4 4 4 10 10 10 41

6 Skippy 404 Sam Barker Royal Corinthian 6 6 6 7 5 6 5 10 41

7 Shelly 2893 Simon Portman Whitefriars 7 7 7 6 7 7 6 10 47

8 Prowler Douglas Wheel Loch Lomond 10 10 10 10 10 4 8 5 57

9 Skippy Bee Portman Whitefriars 8 10 10 10 10 8 7 10 63

International Dragon Edinburgh Cup and UK Grand Prix 2026 attracts biggest entry in 30 years

 

With 49 boats entered, the 2026 Dragon Edinburgh Cup featuring the International Dragon Association's UK Grand Prix, will be the largest edition of the regatta in 30 years. Hosted by the Royal Yacht Squadron, Cowes, the regatta will take place from 16th to 21st August.

Crews from Germany, the USA, Sweden, Turkey, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Ireland, Belgium, Hong Kong, Austria and across the UK will compete to win the historic Edinburgh Cup, which was presented to the British Dragon Association (BDA) in 1949 by the late Duke of Edinburgh, himself a keen Dragon sailor whose famous Dragon Bluebottle will race in the regatta. The Edinburgh Cup is awarded annually to the winner of the British Dragon Open National Championship. For 2026 the event is combined with the International Dragon Association's UK Grand Prix, the third of the four event 2026 European Dragon Grade 1 regattas, which adds to the international interest.

Registration will take place on 16th and 17th August and on Monday 17th August the teams will take part in a special warm up race to celebrate the 70th Anniversary of the BDA. Championship racing will run from Tuesday 18th to Friday 21st August, with racing on windward leeward courses in the central Solent.

Many of the big names of International Dragon sailing are set to participate. Reigning Dragon World Champion and 2022 Edinburgh Cup winner Andy Beadsworth, who will sail with his Turkish Provezza Dragon team, summed up the competition succinctly saying; "The Edinburgh Cup is one of the most prestigious trophies in sailing and racing Dragons on the Solent is always a good challenge, so we're definitely looking forward to the Edinburgh Cup and UK Grand Prix. It's fantastic that 49 boats including many of the top teams are confirmed, so we're excited to be going up against the likes of Christoph Toepfer, Graham Bailey, Jan Eckert, Grant Gordon and Jan Secher."

One of the interesting new faces joining the fleet for her first Dragon Grand Prix event is top German ILCA sailor Laura Schewe. To familiarise herself with both the Dragon and the race area Laura and her team took park in the recent North Sails Cowes Week, where she finished a very respectable tenth out of 25 boats. "Cowes Week was my first time in Cowes and also my first time steering the Dragon at an event. I am really looking forward to the Edinburgh Cup because Cowes Week was an amazing week. I am both a little excited and nervous to be sailing with nearly 50 Dragons, but I used to sail an ILCA dinghy which is a much bigger fleet, but I am still adjusting to the Dragon, I think I will be fine. Thank you for having us."

25 Dragons completing North Sails Cowes Week served as a great warm up opportunity for many crews. Once again Graham Bailey, sailing the beautifully restored Bluebottle took the victor's laurels. Graham has won the Edinburgh Cup three times in 2014, 2017 and 2018, but a win on home turf in the 1948 Camper & Nicholson built Bluebottle, would be a particularly special achievement. Also featuring strongly in the Cowes Week rankings and ones to watch out for at the Edinburgh Cup are Ivan Bradbury's Blue Haze in third, fourth placed Jono Brown's Fit Chick - the 2023 Corinthian Edinburgh Cup winner, and Gavia Wilkinson-Cox's Jerboa which came fifth.

There is always strong competition in the Dragon class for the Corinthian trophies, and this regatta will be no different. Sixteen all amateur crews will compete including the defending Corinthian Edinburgh Cup Champion William Swigart from the USA, Austria's Martin Lutz, Ireland's Martin Byrne who won the Edinburgh Cup in 2011 and was Corinthian Champion in 2022, Scotland's Cathy Ogden and Belgium's Guy Celis.

Dragon regattas in Cowes are famed for both great racing and great parties, and this event will be no different. Shoreside festivities get under way on Monday 17th August with an Opening Ceremony Cocktail Party which will also feature the prize-giving for the BDA 70th Anniversary Race. On Tuesday and Thursday crews will enjoy an Apres Sailing Happy Hour on the Royal Yacht Squadron lawn courtesy of sponsor Hendricks Gin. On Wednesday Happy Hour will be courtesy of Dragon maintenance specialist Katie Cole and will be followed by the Edinburgh Cup Summer Party at the Cowes Corinthian Yacht Club. The regatta will conclude with a Gala Prize Giving Dinner supported by The Royal Yacht Britannia Trust, which will commence with a Laurent Perrier champagne reception in the Royal Yacht Squadron Pavilion on Friday evening.

Live Coverage of the event will begin on Monday 17th August with updates available via the event website and the British Dragon Association's Facebook and Instagram pages.

For further information about the 2026 Dragon Edinburgh Cup and UK Grand Prix please visit the event website.

ISORA Welsh Coastal Night Race for members of Pwllheli Sailing Club

 

Pwllheli racers enjoyed a variety of races this weekend. The day started early with a feeder race from Pwllheli to Abersoch so that boats could join Abersoch regatta races and crews could enjoy activities in Abersoch town.

Starting at the PSC bridge at Gimblet Rock, the course was kept simple to ensure everyone could arrive at Abersoch, in good time to enjoy the day. The course rounded Partington Marine's turning mark to port shortly after the start and then headed to Abersoch, through the moorings to ODMY finish line.

Peter Dunlop and Victoria Cox's J122e, Mojito took first overall, Andromeda 2nd and Crackajack 3rd.

Mojito also won trophies in the Abersoch racing before returning to Pwllheli for the last of the ISORA Welsh Coastal races of 2026.

The night race started just after 20:00 in a light south-southwesterly. The course took in Firmhelm boatyard's turning mark number 2 before heading out through St. Tudwall sound. With wind angles opening up, code zeros were deployed to take them west to Gwylan islands off Aberdaron. A port rounding then returned the fleet to Pwllheli with kites up, to finish on the Plas Heli finish line by the fairway buoy.

The race already presented some excitement for some of the young mojito crew who were experiencing their first ever night race but the night presented an amazing array of additional sights, spectacles and distractions throughout the race.

Firstly as boats rounded Cilan Head, they could see a glow on Rhiw mountain in the distance. The drama of a wildfire starting to take hold ensued, accompanied by blue lights as fire engines rushed along the coastline. Once round the Gwylan islands, it was a relief to see firefighters had reached the scene and before the fleet disappeared back around Cilan Head, the flames had reduced to smoulder and smoke, leaving just the blue lights to pierce the dark night sky.

Although tired from the long day, the use of head torches provided much merriment for our young crew. The skies above added to their wonder as they were entertained by an abundance of shooting stars, part of the Perseid meteor shower at this time of year.

Mojito, with a mostly female crew, won the race overall. Paul&Sam Kitteringham's Elan 350, Finally, were 2nd overall, taking 1st in class 1 followed by Geoff Dufton Kelly's First 40.7, Crackajack, 2nd in class 1, 3rd overall.

Focus at Pwllheli is now on the Welsh IRC National Championships on 4th to 6th September with boats arriving from Ireland in the ISORA race the weekend before on 29th August. There is still time to enter and we are making a special appeal for YTC cruisers to come and join the fun on the water as well as the superb social program ashore.

See ;-  www.ircwelshchamps.com

IRC Northern Ireland Championship 2026 at Carrickfergus Sailing Club

Last weekend Carrickfergus Sailing Club hosted the GBR IRC Northern Ireland Championship as part of their annual regatta. 18 boats entered with 12 in IRC/YTC 1 and 6 in IRC/YTC2.

Racing began on Saturday morning with a Windward Leeward Race in 10-12 knots of breeze from the south. In class 1 Victric 3 and Final Call II had a close dual, with Victric 3 taking the win. In class 2 racing was extremely close between Hellaby Puffin, Symmetry and Squawk, all finishing within 10 seconds on corrected time, with Hellaby Puffin scraping the win.

Race 2 saw a 10 mile coastal for both fleets, with breeze filling in; this became a faster race than expected with gusts of 19-20knots. Fleets had two tricky reaches, with sail inventories being tested with some boats opting for Code Zeros, Symmetrical kites or Jibs.

In YTC 1, the VX One's dominated due to the reaching legs, with Sheep Dawg taking the win and Vixen in second. A35 Succession sailed a fantastic first beat, leading by over a minute on the water by the windward mark, but got pipped by sistership Final Call II later in the race. In IRC 2, Endeavour led the fleet over the line, with Symmetry taking the win on corrected time.

With most competitors ashore, they were greeted with bags of free beers, soft drinks and Haribo delivered to their boat on arrival, before heading to the Regatta Tea, equipped with the traditional brass band.

Sunday saw a lot of rain, but a steady 8-12 knots from the South East. The race committee made clear their intentions to run 4 Windward Leewards. Racing started on time, with 3 races ran in similar conditions. In IRC1 Final Call II had a clean sweep of bullets, with the largest boat in the fleet Spirit of Jacana became the 3rd boat to get a 2nd place in race 3, with event director Ryan Wilson taking 2nd in race 4 in Elixir. Victric 3 took the 2nd place in the podium in both race 5 and 6.

IRC 2 saw close racing between the whole fleet, with Quarter Tonners Hellaby Puffin and Symmetry taking 2 1st's each for the day.

Race 4 got a bit funky, with a replacement committee boat due to a smoking battery, followed by a 180 degree shift of breeze on the first downwind of the race. This offered a bit of a reset, but with racing being so close, nobody paid or lost massively from this so the race continued. Elixir was first over the line, but unfortunately to the sound of silence as they had been OCS.

Prize giving took place after a protest in IRC 2. Thanks to North Sails who provided a selection of hats, kit bags for the winners. Congratulations to IRC winners Final Call II and Hellaby Puffin, and YTC Winners Victric 3 and Hellaby Puffin. Final Call II took the overall event win with a 2,1,1,1,1,1 score card, taking home a 20% of voucher for a new North Sails sail.

The event returns to RUYC for its third year in 2027 on the weekend of the 26th / 27th June.

Hadron H2 Travellers Trophy series at Burghfield Sailing Club

 

Burghfield sailing club hosted the sixth event in the 2026 Hadron H2 calendar last weekend, sharing the blue inland waters of BSC with the Streaker Class. Meteorologists among you may recall that the Azores high was still omnipresent over the weekend and a (very) light wind forecast inevitably deterred a few entries.

Racing began more or less on time on Saturday though, with the nimble BSC Race officer setting up a course catering for the southerly wind at one end of the lake and a SW at the other end! Wind speeds were 2-16 knots making "hard hiking" a chancy business, however four races were miraculously completed, including a very civilised lunch break.

Despite these conditions, the Hadron H2 fleet featured the usual suspects at the front (Tim Garvin, Gavin Fleming and Richard le Mare) with occasional interventions from the author, Ian Little, Stephen Oliver and Adrian Peckham. We were also honoured with the addition of a new owner (Mobs) from Upper Thames SC who declared Burghfield Lake to be "open water" from his perspective. It takes all sorts!

The institutional H2 curry duly took place in the evening and the scene was set for a showdown on Sunday between Tim and Gavin for first place overall.

Sunday unfortunately offered even less breeze, swinging from East to West and after one attempted race, the day was aborted, leaving the results as of Saturday with Tim Garvin taking first overall, Gavin Fleming second and Richard le Mare third.

The fight for the coveted Travellers Trophy continues and will resume in Keyhaven YC in September, with our National Championships.

Swallow class at Cowes Week 2026

 

A fabulous week with fourteen Swallows enjoying mostly benign breezes, the usual tidal current challenges, sunshine-soaked days and a full-on social programme!

The quality and competitiveness of the fleet was emphasised through seeing five different winners across the six races sailed.

Following an intensely competitive Saturday passage race, won by Skua, racing commenced on Sunday with two races started from committee boat starts in Osborne Bay. Champagne sailing conditions!... commencing with a gentle Force 2-3 Southerly, increasing to Force 4 and backing South Easterly. Spectre established a commanding lead on the final beat to take the gun in race 1, whilst a penalty turn in race 2 cost them a repeat, the win going to Svala.

Whilst Monday's single race was sadly abandoned due to confusion over the windward mark, Tuesday saw two races again in a force 4-5 West South West breeze building to 5-6. In the increasingly challenging surfing conditions and a second race (5) finish close to the Breakwater amongst many other classes, Swift took the gun for race 1 and Svala for race 2.

With Wednesday's race 6 being abandoned on the basis of forecasted 30 knot gusts, races 7 and 8 started in a shifty North Westerly which together with a strong Eastgoing tide provided challenging sailing all day. Solitude turned in a top final leg windward performance to take the first race gun whilst Osprey took the second.

Wednesday evening saw a memorable National Swallow Class dinner take place hosted by the RORC. With race 9, the final race, being lost on Friday due to the sea breeze not filling in soon enough the fleet enjoyed a sparkling broad reach home to Itchenor as it built.

Overall Results:

Pos Boat Name Team R1 R2 R4 R5 R7 R8 Total 

1 SVALA Nigel Masding & Hugo Fisher 2 1 3 1 4 4 15

2 OSPREY James Hartley 4 3 6 2 2 1 18

3 SPECTRE Jonny Puds Pudney 1 8 5 4 9 7 34

4 SKUA Harry Roome Michael & Emma Arnold 7 2 4 7 12 3 35

5 GWAIHIR Charles Hyatt & Keith Bliss. 5 9 2 DSQ 7 2 40

6 MARENGO Philip Pascall 8 10 9 5 3 5 40

7 SOLITUDE Andrew Reid Diane Sherman & Adam       Levitt 3 5 DSQ 6 1 11 41

8 SWIFT Andy Fitzgerald / Paul Ward 10 4 1 DSQ 6 6 42

9 KANSU Olly Shaw Pete McCoy and crew 6 6 11 3 8 8 42

10 MIGRANT James Leaver 11 7 10 8 5 9 50

11 SPREADEAGLE George Miller 12 12 7 10 11 10 62

12 ARCHON George Wright 9 11 8 12 13 NOD 68

13 GOOSANDER Tim Taylor 13 13 12 11 10 13 72

14 KA NYENGA Michael Robinson 14 14 13 9 14 12 76