Grafham Water Asymmetric Challenge

 

The titans of the asymmetric sailing world will descend on Grafham Water, Cambridgeshire, on 11-12 July for the 2026 Grafham Water Asymmetric Challenge.

Competitors from across the UK fleet scene will battle to take the title from reigning champions Peter and James Curtis, winners of last year's event in their RS500.

Set on Grafham Water's impressive 1,550-acre reservoir, the event offers expansive race areas and the opportunity to run outstanding windward-leeward courses. Last year's regatta attracted a wide variety of classes, including RS500s, 4000s, K6s, Cherubs and an ISO, producing close and exciting racing across the fleet.

The event is open to all asymmetric classes with a Great Lakes Handicap between 697 and 1095, creating a competitive and varied entry list that could include 49ers, B14s, Cherubs, RS classes, International Canoes, Musto Skiffs, International 14s, K6s and ISOs and 2000s. Three classes, the B14, Buzz and Cherub have designated the event as their 2026 Inland Championship.

A full programme of eight races is scheduled across the weekend, with Saturday evening featuring a meal and bar.

Whether you are chasing podium places or simply looking for a great weekend of racing, the Grafham Water Asymmetric Challenge offers high-quality competition, spectacular viewing afloat and a welcoming social atmosphere ashore.

Camping will be available within the club grounds, with food, drinks and hot showers provided throughout the weekend.

The entry fee which includes an evening meal on the Saturday evening has been kept to a very reasonable £83 for double handers and £60 for single handers.

Entry and camping bookings open on 11 June on the Grafham Water Asymmetric Challenge Entry Page

Mirror Southern Championship 2026 at Netley Sailing Club

 

The Mirror fleet returned to Netley, after a very successful Nations. The big home fleet helped boost the entry to 28 boats. Most were looking forward to slightly less than the 25knots every day at the Nationals!

Saturday dawned with a gentle breeze and sunshine, but anyone with a weather app knew this was a false dawn. The fleet started in around 10 knots that built throughout the day to a solid 15+ by race 3. By this point my crew/son no longer believed me that's its not always windy at Netley!

In race, James and Meris Date lead the fleet at mark one, with Ian and Ted Dobson finding a way past, which they held to the finish.

There were some massive shifts and big bands of pressure for race 2 and 3, which Nick and Seb Charles used to their advantage, working there way to the front in both. They were followed by Ian and Ted and James and Rhys Stuart in race 2.

These two boats then swapped position in race 2 to close out a great days sailing. Special mention also to Ian and Elizabeth Sharps who lead round the windward in race 3.

With most of the fleet camping or staying locally the fleet then retreated to the club of a BBQ, and then the adults propped up the bar while the kids played Manhunt, Giant Zenga and Table Football.

Sunday started very much in the same manner as Saturday, only this time it really did not get above 8 -10 knots, at least while we were racing. The wind was however a PROs nightmare as it switched from NW to W and back again.

Race 4 was a real game of snakes and ladders. James and Merris lead for the 1st lap, but Nick and Seb, Matt and Pippa Burge and Ally and Nicole Pots sniggled their way past up the last beat.

The wind the almost completely died for the first half of race 5, resulting in a very slow beat against the tide. Tom and Sam Halhead and Joe and William Adams initial lead, but Ted and Ian and Dave and Alex Steed read the second beat best and they looked to be long gone, however some more shifts down the last run enabled Nick and Seb to snatch second on the line.

This left Ian and Ted needing to win the last race, which they comfortably lead from start to finish. Unfortunately for them, Nick and Seb managed to sneak there way up to second, which was just enough for the title.

A huge thank you to Netley for again putting on an amazing event. Next up is the Mirror Northerns in Sunderland followed by opens at Looe and Poole.

Overall Results:

Pos Sail No Helm Crew Club R1 R2 R3 R4 R5 R6 Pts

1st 70961 Nick Charles Sebastian Charles Netley SC ‑3 1 1 1 2 2 7

2nd 71053 Ian Dobson Ted Dobson HISC 1 2 3 ‑6 1 1 8

3rd 70832 James Stewart Rhys Stewart Netley SC 4 3 2 4 ‑9 5 18

4th 70960 Matthew Burge Pippa Burge Poole YC 6 5 ‑13 2 4 3 20

5th 71045 David Steed Alex Steed Netley SC 5 4 4 ‑9 3 7 23

6th 70967 James Date Meris Date Burghfield SC 2 7 5 7 5 ‑14 26

7th 70821 Ally Potts Nicole Potts Netley SC 10 8 (RET) 3 6 6 33

8th 70572 Dan Ellis Mia‑Rose Yealm YC 7 12 (RET) 12 10 4 45

9th 70987 Christian Humphrey Xanthe Humphrey Netley SC 8 6 7 ‑14 12 12 45

10th 70667 Joe Adams William Adams Oxford SC 12 9 9 ‑15 7 10 47

11th 71060 Rozalyn McGrane Keira McGrane Netley SC 11 11 8 13 ‑14 9 52

12th 70648 Nicky Walsh Rory Walsh Poole YC 9 16 ‑19 11 13 11 60

13th 71083 Richard Searle Rupert Searle Netley SC 17 10 11 16 8 ‑19 62

14th 71072 Tom Halhead Sam Halhead Llandegfedd SC 15 18 12 8 16 (RET) 69

15th 70893 Becky Priest Ella Saunders Staunton Harold ‑18 15 18 10 17 13 73

16th 71081 Tim Freeman Joshua Freeman Netley SC 21 ‑22 15 20 11 8 75

17th 70571 Tom Odell Rafferty Odell Netley SC 13 14 10 21 18 (RET) 76

18th 71004 Ian Sharps Elizabeth Sharps Burghfield SC 22 13 14 23 15 (DNC) 87

19th 71014 Sarah Burge Rosie Burge Poole YC 16 ‑24 22 22 21 16 97

20th 70713 Charlie Coulborn Maddie Coulborn Netley SC 20 19 16 18 25 (OCS) 98

21st 70737 Louise Steed Daniel Steed Netley SC ‑25 20 23 19 19 17 98

22nd 71084 Lucy Searle Rosy Searle Netley SC ‑26 23 21 17 23 15 99

23rd 71038 Olivier Vidal Evie McGrane Netley SC 24 25 6 24 27 (RET) 106

24th 70587 Ralph Bonfield Evan Bonfield Netley SC 14 (OCS) DNC 5 DNC DNC 109

25th 71073 Dave Kent Lowenna Lowry‑Kent Hooe Point 23 17 (RET) 27 24 20 111

26th 70354 Euan Bradshaw Joshua Bradshaw Emsworth SC ‑28 26 20 25 22 18 111

27th 70810 Sam Parker Bertie Parker Netley SC 19 21 17 (DNC) DNC DNC 117

28th 70510 Zoey Bradshaw Enfys Horner Emsworth SC ‑29 27 24 26 20 22 119

29th 70972 Ronald Vass Reading SC 27 (RET) DNC 28 26 21 132

Looking towards the future: First World Sailing Day - 28 May 2026

 

World Sailing Day has been created as a neutral, non-political annual day for the entire sailing and marine community to use, celebrate and benefit from together.

The success and value of the Day for everyone including the media itself will ultimately be determined by one thing: engagement and visibility. The more the Day is recognised, discussed, published and shared, the greater the long-term benefit for the entire sector.

Importantly, this is not only beneficial for sailing itself, but also for the media sector. World Sailing Day creates a fixed and recurring annual moment at the beginning of the sailing season when clubs, companies, events and organisations are actively seeking visibility, while the public is looking ahead towards the coming season on the water or at the waterfront.

Since launching the initiative, support and recognition have continued to grow internationally. In the lead-up to this inaugural year, outreach has expanded to more than 3,000 sailing clubs, maritime heritage institutions, youth organisations, sailing schools as well as sailors and marine businesses across more than 60 countries.

Among those embracing the Day are the UK Sea Cadets and the US Sea Scouts, representing more than 1,700 locations combined. In addition, maritime museums including the National Maritime Museum in Greenwich and the Dutch National Maritime Museum in Amsterdam are helping raise awareness of the Day within the wider international maritime museum community of more than 500 museums worldwide.

Our initial and direct request is a simple mention of World Sailing Day and/or wishing readers "Happy World Sailing Day" helps contribute to the momentum and visibility needed to establish this annual tradition.

Other coverage can take many forms, including:

Highlighting a sailor, club, regatta or sailing school

Covering a local youth initiative or community project

Featuring a maritime museum, charity

Publishing heritage stories or interviews

Sharing local activities taking place around 28 May

Encouraging participation through social media and community engagement

We also have access to leading sailors, Olympic medallists and marine industry figures who may be available for interviews, commentary and feature articles.

During these crucial days leading up to 28 May, there is a unique opportunity for the sailing media to help create what could become the largest coordinated global media and social media moment sailing has ever seen on a single day.

More information: worldsailingday.org

Rooster come on board as Title Sponsor of the HISC Flying Fifteen, Fireball, 505 and Merlin Open

 

Hayling Island Sailing Club is delighted to announce that Rooster will be the title sponsor of our upcoming Open Meeting for the Flying Fifteen, Fireball, 505 and Merlin classes from Saturday 6th - Sunday 7th June 2026.

As part of their support for the two-day Open Meeting, Rooster will be providing a range of kit for overall prizes for competitors.

This title sponsorship reflects the ongoing partnership between Rooster and Hayling Island Sailing Club. Rooster has been the Official Clothing Partner of HISC since 2025.

Entries are still open for competitors, with discounted entry fees in place on entries received before Monday 18th May 2026. Online entries will close on 5th June 2026.

This Open Meeting provides a great opportunity for competitive racing, not least for the 505 Class, with the World Championships taking place at HISC during the following month.

Everyone at HISC is looking forward to welcoming our visitors and hosting another successful Open Meeting.

Ibiza Sailing Extravaganza

 

Ibiza is perfect for combining sailing with onshore exploration—beautiful waters, hidden coves, vibrant culture, and great food. Here’s a 7-day sailing itinerary that balances cruising and land activities:

Day 1: Arrival & Ibiza Town

Morning/Afternoon: Arrive at Ibiza Marina, check into your yacht or catamaran.

Evening: Explore Dalt Vila, the UNESCO-listed old town with cobbled streets and panoramic views. Enjoy a tapas dinner at a local restaurant.

Onshore activity: Walking tour of Dalt Vila and harbor area.

Day 2: Ibiza Town → Cala Jondal (≈15 nm)

Morning: Set sail south towards Cala Jondal, known for its beach clubs and clear waters.

Afternoon: Anchor, swim, or snorkel.

Evening: Dine at Blue Marlin beach club for sunset vibes.

Onshore activity: Beach club relaxation, paddleboarding, or short hike to nearby coves.

Day 3: Cala Jondal → Es Vedrà → Cala d’Hort (≈8 nm)

Morning: Sail past the iconic Es Vedrà rock, shrouded in myths and legends.

Afternoon: Anchor at Cala d’Hort. Hike to viewpoints for stunning views of Es Vedrà.

Evening: Casual dinner at a seaside restaurant.

Onshore activity: Short coastal hike and sunset photography.

Day 4: Cala d’Hort → San Antonio Bay → Cala Salada (≈12 nm)

Morning: Cruise to San Antonio Bay, famous for its lively sunset scene.

Afternoon: Anchor at Cala Salada for swimming and snorkeling in crystal-clear waters.

Evening: Visit Café del Mar for the classic sunset experience.

Onshore activity: Sunset café visit and coastal stroll.

Day 5: Cala Salada → Formentera (≈20 nm)

Morning: Sail to the island of Formentera, renowned for turquoise waters and pristine beaches.

Afternoon: Explore Ses Illetes Beach and its shallow, calm waters.

Evening: Rent a bicycle or scooter to explore the small island villages.

Onshore activity: Bike tour of Formentera, beach picnic.

Day 6: Formentera → Santa Eulalia → Cala Llonga (≈15 nm)

Morning: Sail back towards Ibiza, stopping at Santa Eulalia for a more relaxed town experience.

Afternoon: Anchor at Cala Llonga, enjoy water sports, swimming, or just sunbathe.

Evening: Dinner in Santa Eulalia’s marina, sample local seafood.

Onshore activity: Visit the Santa Eulalia promenade and marina.

Day 7: Cala Llonga → Ibiza Town → Departure (≈10 nm)

Morning: Return to Ibiza Town marina.

Afternoon: Quick shopping, café breaks, or last swim at Talamanca Beach.

Evening: Disembark and depart.

Onshore activity: Leisurely town stroll, souvenir shopping, last sunset at the harbor.

Tips & Extras

Charter options: Catamaran or sailing yacht.

Activities to pack: Snorkel gear, hiking shoes, paddleboards, bicycles (especially for Formentera).

Dining: Mix casual beach clubs with authentic local tapas or seafood restaurants.

Anchor spots: Cala d’Hort, Cala Salada, and Ses Illetes are perfect for swimming and privacy.

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Pudsey Bear sets sail from Hamble on round-Britain voyage

 

Pudsey Bear has set sail on his first ever round-Britain voyage - leaving from Hamble.

The ambitious Big Bear Voyage, launched on Thursday, May 14, aims to cover 2,200 nautical miles over three months to raise £70,000 for BBC Children in Need.

It was the idea of yacht owners Jonathan and Jackie Brewin, who wanted to mark Mr Brewin's 70th birthday with a meaningful challenge.

Mr Brewin, who will serve as skipper, said: "This year I turn 70.

"Rather than marking the occasion quietly, my wife Jackie and I decided to do something more purposeful – aiming to raise £70,000 for a charity that achieves so much for young people in need."

Pudsey is travelling aboard a 53ft yacht named Big Bear, which departed from Hamble today.

The route includes around 35 planned stops across England, Wales, Northern Ireland, and Scotland.

Along the way, Pudsey and the crew will take part in community events and fundraising activities to raise awareness for young people experiencing adversity, including mental health challenges.

The voyage has already raised more than £10,000 ahead of its launch.

"This voyage will help change young lives across the UK, and we’re honoured to have this support."

The journey comes just after Pudsey Bear spoke for the first time in 40 years, reinforcing the urgent need for support services and safe spaces for young people.

The voyage will also include community walks and fundraising activities.

Fans can follow Pudsey and the crew’s progress in real time through the YB Tracking platform,

 available at pro.yb.tl/bigbearvoyage.

The website shows the yacht’s current location and planned stops along the UK coastline.

Sail 4 Cancer Reaches Century of Respite Milestone

 Sail 4 Cancer, the marine charity based in Hampshire, has achieved its long-term objective of providing ‘100 years of respite days’ i.e. 36,500 days of respite for families affected by cancer.   

Founded in 2001, Sail 4 Cancer provides days out and holidays for families affected by cancer, the vast majority of which have a nautical element or focus.  From bespoke sailing days to longer holidays on canal boats and cruise ships, Sail 4 Cancer gives families something to look forward to during the darkest of times.

Commenting on the announcement, Andrew Hayward, Founding Trustee of Sail 4 Cancer said: “After losing my father to cancer on Boxing Day in 1999, I vowed to help other families who were living through similar experiences. Given my dad’s love of the sea (a former Royal Naval Commando) and my love of sailing, it seemed fitting to set up a charity in 2001 with a nautical connection.

“In early 2002 Sail 4 Cancer chartered a tall ship and challenged 50 people to climb the two 150ft (45m) masts.  As well as raising a large sum of money, three people on board that day were undergoing cancer treatment and their feedback was compelling. 

“Aside from having a tangible date in the diary to focus on, all three had not thought about cancer from the moment they had set foot on the ship.  They found solace in talking to the other cancer patients on board.  They achieved things they never thought their bodies would ever allow again. 

They came ashore with a renewed sense of confidence, re-energised and ready to continue the fight. Sail 4 Cancer had delivered its first three respite days.”

Fast forward to the end of 2025 and Sail 4 Cancer has just delivered its 37,000th respite day. Over 100 Years of Respite Days was an objective the charity aimed to deliver by the end of 2025. Despite now having a ‘Group’ of subsidiaries, hitting this 100 year target has been a formidable challenge given that the charity’s funding dropped by 90% since the onset of COVID.

Andrew concluded: “We would like to thank the vast number of people within the global sailing community who have enabled Sail 4 Cancer to reach this incredible milestone. To all the donors, volunteers, sailing clubs, class associations, trustees, ambassadors and sponsors, we would like to thank each and every one of you.

“We would also like to extend a special thank you to our Patrons for their considerable support. These include multi Olympic gold medallist Sir Ben Ainslie, Australian sailing legend Nick Moloney, round the world yachtswoman Dee Caffari MBE and sailing philanthropist Andrew Pindar OBE. We would also like to thank the former First Sea Lord, Admiral of the Fleet, Baron Boyce for his considerable and significant support from 2001 until his death in 2022.”

To find out more about Sail 4 Cancer, visit their website at www.sail4cancer.org

The charity is especially keen to hear from anyone who can offer fundraising support or volunteer their time.

Rutland Foil Festival 2026

 

Rutland Sailing Club is delighted to be hosting the 3rd RSC Foil Festival over the Spring Bank Holiday weekend, 30-31 May 2026. This exciting weekend promises a fantastic mix of racing, on-water demonstrations, and social sailing, all set against the stunning backdrop of Rutland Water.

Across the weekend there will be a lively programme featuring mixed-course racing alongside foiling demos, creating a brilliant opportunity to both take part and watch top-level foiling in action.

We're excited to have confirmed participation from the International Moth, Switch, iQFOiL, and WASZP classes, with mixed-fleet racing planned. Importantly, all foiling craft are warmly welcomed, so whether you race regularly or are new to foiling, there's a place for you on the water.

The festival will also showcase a range of excellent demo boats and equipment, with support from leading UK suppliers and classes:

Shock Sailing will be bringing the Switch for demos, if you would like to book a test sail please email simon@shocksailing.com

Melges UK will be joining us with the Skeeta and Nikki, offering sailors the chance to see and try these exciting boats

Sail Power will be bringing the Birdyfish S, and IODA, representing some of the most innovative designs in modern foiling. Book now

The UK Moth Class will be on site with the UK demo Exocet, kindly provided by Maguire Boats. To book a session please contact manager@rutlandsailngclub.co.uk

The UK iQFOiL Class will be available throughout the weekend to talk about equipment, share knowledge, and offer guidance—particularly supporting youth sailors transitioning into adult iQFOiL equipment. 

If foiling is something you've always wanted to try or you're keen to give it another go, there's no better opportunity. With such a wide variety of boats and expertise available, the Rutland Foil Festival is the perfect chance to experience different foiling classes, talk to experienced sailors, and get time on the water.

Racing entry details can be found at www.rutlandsailingclub.co.uk/event/foiling-festival-

If you would like to get involved by bringing demo equipment or supporting the weekend in any way, please contact us at manager@rutlandsailingclub.co.uk

Sailing Club Open Day

 

Draycote Water Sailing Club is hosting a fun day, encouraging visitors to try sailing, windsurfing or paddleboarding – with experienced helms to show them the ropes.

Visitors will also be able to try windsurfing on a land simulator and afloat, and enjoy paddleboarding, depending on wind strength.

Event organiser Dave Rowe of Draycote Water Sailing Club said: “It’s a great opportunity for anyone wanting to give sailing or windsurfing a go, and we’ll also have lots of fun games ashore for families, including a chance to meet our resident pirate, who has a hoard of treasure and loves nothing more than a water fight!”

Severn Trent Water and Rugby Canoe Club will also exhibit at the event. Refreshments will be available from the club galley.

The event takes place on Saturday (May 16) from 10am to 2pm. Entry is free.

Visit www.draycotewater.co.uk/club-open-day for more information, and to book activities.

Norfolk Punt Open at the Norfolk Punt Club

 

The 9th and 10th of May saw the first Norfolk Punt open event of the year. Hosted by the Norfolk Punt Club, the weekend began on the Friday with a filming day for the documentary film being created about the class in the club's centenary year.

The filming day was attended by 14 punts with a range of designs from the class's history including 108-year-old Prawn. Organised by Gavin Smith and choreographed by Andrew Friend, the filming involved a number of race starts, tacks, gybes and spinnaker handling which gave the crews the chance to refresh their skills in perfect conditions ahead of the racing on the Saturday and Sunday.

When the racing began in earnest on Saturday morning, the fleet had swollen to 19 boats, the most at an open meeting for many years and a glowing endorsement of the health of the class. The glorious conditions gave the fleet three pulsating races including a long spinnaker run down the length of the Broad. Max Dixey in the Morrison-designed Jackdaw was able to utilise the long run most effectively and led for most of the race. Jackdaw could not however sufficiently shake off Charlie Stewart's newly-acquired Hardchine Snow Goose who won on handicap with Jackdaw second and Bart Sawyer in Cormorant third.

The second race start saw a big right shift which allowed the boats starting at the starboard end to round the windward mark without tacking. First to the mark was Jack Drew in Pipit but with a such a skinny lay that he was rolled by Jackdaw who led to the finish. Simon Clayton in the Traditional design Decoy was able stay close to enough to the leaders to win on handicap with Snow Goose in second and James Clarke's Wild Duck in third.

The third race saw Jackdaw first home again with a great battle over the water between Snow Goose and Cormorant. Charlie and Tom in Snow Goose sailed superbly again to win the race on handicap with Jackdaw second and Cormorant third. The class was treated to a wonderful and jovial party on the Saturday evening hosted by Rupert Redington and Bridget O'Brien.

Sunday presented a far greater challenge for the crews with 25 knot gusts manifesting as forecast. Norfolk Punts are already very overpowered boats carrying 49er-like sail areas but with narrow hulls and no wings or racks to create greater righting moment. It was hardly any surprise then that the two races on Sunday were littered with capsizes and swims.

Snow Goose again however showed her class to keep upright throughout and took two bullets to give her a perfect record minus the discard. Andrew Friend in Blackbird with fresh crew took second in both races with Jackdaw third in the first race and Wilum Johnston in Shoveller taking an excellent third in the final race after an attritional battle with Pipit.

Congratulations to Charlie Stewart in Snow Goose for winning the Ardea Trophy with Max Dixey in Jackdaw in second and Andrew Friend in Blackbird in third.

Overall Results:

Pos Boat Name Sail No Helm Crew R1 R2 R3 R4 R5 Pts

1 Snow Goose 96 Charlie Stewart Tom Chandler 1 ‑2 1 1 1 4

2 Jackdaw 100 Max Dixey Adam Hare 2 4 2 3 ‑20 11

3 Blackbird 74 Andrew Friend Catherine Friend 4 ‑7 5 2 2 13

4 Cormorant 88 Bart Sawyer Eliza Bolton 3 ‑5 3 5 5 16

5 Razorbill 73 Richard Parker Robert Snelling 6 6 9 7 ‑20 28

6 Decoy 40 Simon Clayton Felix Dixey 5 1 4 ‑20 20 30

7 Goosander 89 Henry Drew Alastair Drew 8 11 8 6 ‑20 33

8 Shoveller 61 Wilum Johnston Kate Davies 12 ‑13 11 9 3 35

9 Pipit 58 Jack Drew Douglas Mileham 11 14 ‑15 8 4 37

10 Cavender 32 Darren Pike Humphrey Bedford‑Payne 13 12 14 20 ‑20 59

11 Snark 49 Mark Elson Kate Dulieu 7 8 11 ‑20 20 46

12 Redwing 98 Rupert Redington Steve Mackay 9 9 10 ‑20 20 48

13 Wild Duck 52 James Clarke Thomas Evans 20 3 6 ‑20 20 49

14 Peregrine 86 Noël Bradshaw Harry Leveridge 10 15 17 ‑20 20 52

15 White Eagle 95 Jack Holland Gavin Smith 15 17 16 10 ‑20 58

16 Prawn 19 William Glover Alison Glover 16 19 7 ‑20 20 64

17 Kookaburra 76 Charles Hare‑Winton David Lennard‑Jones 14 10 ‑20 20 20 64

18 Swallow II 35 William Daniels Rosa Bolton ‑20 16 13 20 20 69

19 Hobby 62 Philip Jenkins Crew ‑20 18 20 20 20 78

Make waves with sailing club

 

A sailing club is inviting members of the public to get on board with them.

Welland Yacht Club is hosting an open day at its River Bank base, off Cradge Bank on Sunday, May 17.

Anyone can pop along and enjoy a sailing sessions for free in one of the club’s boards.

“It’s just about giving people the opportunity to come down and have a look at what the club has to offer,” said sailor of over 50 years Andy Agar. “Anybody is welcome to come down and, if they want, they can have a go on the club’s boat.

“Hopefully people will come down and enjoy themselves.

“The days are well received and we had a particularly good reaction last year getting a number of new members, quite a few of whom are regularly taking part in our events.”

Welland Yacht Club has been operating for over 60 years, with Andy himself having been a member for over 20 years after moving to the area.

“We’re a predominantly family oriented club,” he said. “Membership for a whole family is around three of or four times cheaper than some other nearby clubs.

“We’re members of the Royal Yachting Association and can deliver qualified training to club members.

“We’re looking forward to seeing people there on the day.”

You can book your place in advance by visiting www.wellandyachtclub.co.uk/openday2026

There is also more information on the types of boats available at the club along with 20 per cent discount on membership.

RORC North Sea Race Set for Tactical Offshore Battle

 

The 2026 RORC North Sea Race starts on Friday 15th of May with an international fleet set for the 165-nautical mile crossing from Harwich to Scheveningen in the Netherlands. Organised by the Royal Ocean Racing Club with Royal Harwich Yacht Club, the East Anglian Offshore Racing Association and Yacht Club Scheveningen, the race remains one of offshore sailing’s longest-running contests.

First sailed in 1931, the North Sea Race forms part of the RORC Season’s Points Championship, regarded as the world’s largest offshore racing series. The route across the North Sea presents crews with shifting weather, strong tides, sandbanks, shipping lanes and offshore wind farms. Tactical calls around Smith’s Knoll and the Dutch coast are expected to prove decisive.

Around 50 boats are entered from Britain, the Netherlands, Germany and Belgium. Among the fully crewed contenders are Rotterdam Offshore Sailing Team’s Ker 46 Van Uden, the J/122 Moana, Michel Dorsman’s MAT 1070 Checkmate and Paddy Moriaty’s Swan 44 Astrid.

The double-handed division is expected to produce one of the closest contests in the fleet. Rob Craigie’s Sun Fast 3600 Bellino, racing with RORC Commodore Deb Fish, returns after winning overall under IRC in 2025. They face strong competition from Astrid de Vin and Roeland Franssens aboard the JPK 1030 Il Corvo

Diederik Forma’s JPK 1030 Jetpack returns after finishing second overall last year, while John van der Starre and Robin Verhoef campaign the Dutch Xr 41 X-Esteem.

British entries also include the RORC Griffin team and Gavin Howe’s Tigris, racing double-handed with Griffin Pathway sailor Albert Barber.

The race also offers a preview of the challenges crews will face later this year in the 1,805-nautical-mile RORC Round Britain and Ireland Race. Prestigious prizes include the Goeree Challenge Cup for best corrected IRC time and the Golden Dragon Trophy for the IRC Two-Handed division.

Streaker Northern Paddle and Yorkshire Series Open at Ripon Sailing Club

 

Ripon SC hosted a Steaker Open meeting on 9 May, one of the Streaker class's Northern Paddle and Yorkshire series. The forecast for the event was not optimistic, rain and light winds only giving way to up to 16mph late in the day and this may have contributed to the rather lower than usual entry of 12 boats.

The day and the water were shared with a Supernova Open taking place at the same time. The decision was taken to postpone for 30 minutes for both classes to give time for the wind to perk up a little. A worthwhile wait as a better breeze did arrive and racing got under way with the Streakers off a few minutes ahead of the Supernova fleet. The course for both classes were the same but only at a couple of pinch points did they find themselves wanting the same part of the lake and by then both fleets had spread themselves out somewhat.

In the first race the start line favoured a port end start followed by an early tack onto port as soon as there was space to do so. This allowed boats from that end of the line to get away and build up a gap on the others, just so long as they read the shifts right. There were shifts aplenty to help or hinder this. Ian Priest took an early lead ahead of Chris Wright and Tim Coleman and on the long downwind leg back to the southern part of the lake was able to capitalise on his own personal corridor of breeze to set up a substantial lead. Some this lead was eroded in the later stages when the chasers received more favourable shifts up the final beat but he was never seriously under threat and those three finished in the order that they had raced in for vitually the whole of the race.

After a break for lunch race 2 got under way from a startline in much the same area of the lake as the previous race and again a port end start seemed favoured. However Chris Hampshire, sailing in a borrowed boat, worked the right hand side of the beat, rounded the first windward mark well clear of the others and was never challenged for the whole of the race to lead from start to finish. The wind strength increased throughout the race, giving occasional planing and with it Ian Priest climbed to second place ahead of Chris Wright. The Supernovas were well spread out behind the Streaker fleet though a gaggle of them arrived at the exit from the narrows, between the north and south lakes, at the same time as a gaggle of Streakers were headed in the oppostite direction. Everyone was well behaved though and there were no conflicts or even raised voices.

The third and final race proved eventful for some. There was no port bias on the line this time and towards the end of the countdown a group of boats near the committee boat end seemed determined to push each other over the line. Most made it back in time and a general recall was avoided but Ian Priest had to duck back, having been OCS. A change of course for this race saw a repeat use of several of the marks used in the previous races though there was one crucial difference. A buoy at the farthermost end of the course, that had previously been taken to starboard earlier in the day, was this time a port rounding. The first four boats to get there erroneously rounded to starboard and immediately had to try to unwind themselves and re-round without impeding the next group of boats to arrive ready to correctly leave it to port. Surprisingly they managed to do this without undue entanglement or problems but the pack was comprehensively shuffled. Ian Priest somehow managed to benefit from this potential mayhem to set up an event winning lead. Chris Hampshire at one point seemed to be in a position to challenge him but fouled another boat in the later stages and had to take penalty turns. Second boat home Tim Coleman crossed the finish line just ahead of Chris Wright but didn't get a finish signal, having been OCS at the start, so Lucy Priest took third place for this race.

Overall Results:

Pos Helm Sail No Club R1 R2 R3 Pts

1st Ian Priest 2106 Ripon SC 1 ‑2 1 2

2nd Chris Wright 2166 Ripon SC 2 ‑3 2 4

3rd Chris Hampshire 1970 Ripon SC ‑8 1 6 7

4th Lucy Priest 2117 Ripon SC 4 ‑5 3 7

5th Tim Coleman 2211 Ripon SC 3 6 (OCS) 9

6th Stephen Bristow 2197 Ripon SC 5 4 ‑7 9

7th James Ricketts 1863 Ripon SC 6 ‑8 4 10

8th Simon Cook 2182 Scaling Dam SC ‑11 9 5 14

9th Peter Kitchen 1914 Ripon SC 7 7 (DNF) 14

10th Mark Smith 2218 Ripon SC 9 ‑10 8 17

11th Edward Lilleyman 2234 Ripon SC ‑12 11 9 20

12th Andrew Hague 2225 Ripon SC 10 (DNF) DNS 23