Enterprise Masters Championship at Wigan and St Helens Sailing Club

 

The 2026 Cock of the North Northern Series heads to Wigan & St Helens Sailing Club next month for what promises to be one of the standout weekends of the season, as the fourth round of the series combines with the prestigious Enterprise National Masters Championship.

Set on the renowned waters of Scotman's Flash, the event on 18-19 July is expected to attract a strong fleet from across the North and beyond, with seasoned championship contenders, Masters sailors and club racers all set to line up on the same start line.

Following excellent turnouts at Scammonden, Tynemouth and Ogston, the Northern Series has already delivered a fantastic mix of inland and sea racing, close competition and memorable social events. Wigan & St Helens now offers a very different challenge, with Scotman's Flash well known for rewarding tactical decision-making, sharp boat handling and consistent teamwork.

The National Masters title adds extra significance to the weekend, bringing together some of the most experienced and respected sailors in the Enterprise fleet. Open to helms and crews aged 40 and over, the Masters Championship celebrates the depth of talent and experience within the class, with years of racing knowledge on display and highly tactical, closely fought racing expected throughout the event.

However, the weekend is about far more than Masters honours. While sailors aged 40 and over will be competing for the National Masters title, the event is open to everyone, with all Enterprise sailors warmly welcomed to race as part of the Cock of the North Northern Series. Whether you are chasing Northern Series points, competing for Masters honours, or simply joining for competitive racing and great company, Wigan & St Helens offers something for everyone.

As always, the famous Enterprise social scene will be in full flow once boats are ashore, with plenty of post-race discussion, stories from the boat park and the usual friendly rivalry continuing long into the evening.

With Northern Series points on the line, Masters honours up for grabs and another fantastic host club ready to welcome the fleet, Wigan & St Helens is shaping up to be an unmissable weekend in the 2026 Enterprise calendar.

Entries are now open, and competitors are encouraged to sign up early for what promises to be another superb chapter in this year's Cock of the North series.

www.wish-sc.co.uk/open-events

2026 Fireball Worlds - Fireball legends evening open invite

 

Calling all current and former Fireball sailors.

The Fireball World Championships are returning to the UK and will take place on 21st July at the Royal Torbay Yacht Club.

As part of the evening entertainment on the 28th, at 7pm we will be hosting a Legends Evening to celebrate the most influential and decorated Fireball sailors through the decades.

For more information or to register your interest in attending, please contact Adam Whitehouse at a.whitehouse74@googlemail.com. You may even have a story to share.

Event tees are mandatory — older shirts are encouraged—and spot prizes will be awarded throughout the night.

Bridlington Sailing Coble Festival Set for August Return

 

Bridlington Sailing Coble Festival 2026 celebrates fishing heritage

The Bridlington Sailing Coble Festival 2026, organised by the Bridlington Sailing Coble Preservation Society (BSCPS), returns to celebrate the region’s rich fishing heritage. First staged in 2016, this popular free event continues to attract visitors eager to experience traditional coble boats and coastal culture.

Historic coble boats on display

The festival opens at 10am each day, with traditional cobles moored along Harbour Road near the Harbour Heritage Museum. These historic fishing vessels will then head out into Bridlington Bay for scheduled sailing sessions.

Once the backbone of the inshore fishing industry, cobles were a familiar sight along the coastline from the Humber to the Tweed. Today, Bridlington offers one of the few opportunities to see these iconic boats in action and gain insight into a bygone era.

Visitors can admire craft built by renowned boatbuilders, including:

One notable absence at the 2026 festival will be the Flamborough coble Imperialist. Built in 1934 for the Stephenson family, it is currently undergoing a full refit at the BSCPS workshop at Beck Hill.

Live music and harbourside entertainment

Alongside the sailing displays, the Bridlington Sailing Coble Festival will feature a lively programme of entertainment throughout the weekend.

Performances include:

Hornsea Shanty Lasses

Headlanders

Ramshackle Shantymen

Colleen’s Fancy

Bridlington favourite Jim Eldon will return with his wife Lynette, an award-winning clog dancer. On Sunday, the Flamborough junior long sword dance team will add a traditional touch to the festivities.

Inside the Exhibition Hall, visitors can explore a range of displays celebrating local fishing heritage. Highlights include traditional fishermen’s ganseys and educational exhibits.

The North Eastern Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authority will also be present, showcasing its work in protecting and managing the local coastline and fisheries.

The festival offers something for all ages, making it a perfect family day out in Bridlington. Refreshments will be provided by the Bridlington Lions, while the Harbour Heritage Museum will be open throughout the weekend with free admission.

Community support and sponsorship

As a registered charity, the Bridlington Sailing Coble Preservation Society relies on funding and community support to deliver this annual event.

Funding for the 2026 festival has been provided by:

The Lords Feoffees and Assistants of the Manor of Bridlington

Dogger Bank Wind Farm

Trevor and Janet Kidd

Additional support has come from Wold Top Brewery. The festival committee has also thanked Bridlington Harbour Commissioners and the harbour master for their continued support.

For further information about the Bridlington Sailing Coble Festival 2026, the BSCPS, or the Harbour Heritage Museum, enquiries can be made via email at:

threebrotherscoble@gmail.com

Navigators & General is new title sponsor of the Sailjuice Winter Series

 

After eight successful years, the SailJuice Winter Series bids a fond farewell to Seldén as title sponsor. The support of Steve Norbury and his team at Seldén Mast has helped the Series continue to thrive through some of the most challenging periods in recent memory, including the disruption caused by the Covid pandemic.

The Series is now delighted to welcome Navigators & General as its new title sponsor, with the 18th edition officially named the Navigators & General SailJuice Winter Series 2026/27.

For more than a century, Navigators & General has been at the forefront of pleasure craft insurance in the UK, supporting generations of sailors and boating enthusiasts. The company joined the Series during the 2025/26 season through its support of the SailJuice coaching programme led by three-time Series champion Simon Horsfield, and the partnership will now expand into title sponsorship of the UK's leading winter dinghy racing series.

John Tuckwell, Business Development Manager at Navigators & General, commented: "We're delighted to be title sponsor of the Navigators & General SailJuice Winter Series for the 26/27 season. This series brings together sailors from across the UK and from an incredible variety of classes, making it a perfect fit for Navigators & General as a specialist insurer supporting almost every type of dinghy class on the water."

Seven Events for 2026/27

The 2026/27 edition returns to a seven-event calendar (see details below), following the temporary expansion during the Covid years, when additional events provided resilience against lockdowns and cancellations.

One notable change sees the Polar Chase expand to a two-day event, while the Grafham Grand Prix is no longer included in the Series. Although hugely respected in its own right, the event's three-race course-racing format sat outside the SailJuice philosophy of mass participation handicap racing where the entire fleet races together.

The Navigators & General SailJuice Winter Series continues to offer sailors of all classes and abilities the opportunity to enjoy competitive winter racing at some of the UK's best-known venues, combining close competition, camaraderie and endurance across the winter months.

The following events comprise the series:

Fernhurst Books Draycote Dash, Draycote Water Sailing Club - 21 & 22 November 2026

Datchet Flyer, Datchet Water Sailing Club - 5 & 6 December 2026

Polar Chase, Chase Sailing Club - 12 & 13 December 2026

Yorkshire Dales Brass Monkey, Yorkshire Dales Sailing Club - 27 December 2026

GJW Direct Bloody Mary, Queen Mary Sailing Club - 9 January 2027

John Merricks Tiger Trophy, Rutland Sailing Club - 6 & 7 February 2027

Oxford Blue, Oxford Sailing Club - 13 February 2027

Prizegiving at RYA Dinghy & Watersports Show, Farnborough - 20 February 2027

You can find out more about the Series here: www.SailJuiceSeries.com

 

NJO Sails and Dart Sails & Covers Regatta 2026 at Plym Yacht Club

 

After many years away, PYC Regatta returned for a weekend of mixed yacht racing. Generously sponsored by NJO Sails and Dart Sails & Covers, the plan was a weekend of competitive sailing with fun on and off the water. 14 boats entered across three fleets meaning the Race Committee took the decision to put all the boats into one YTC fleet, ranging from a Charisma to a J/122e, with a trimaran and handful of J/24s thrown in for good measure!

All week Plymouth has suffered with severe fog, and although it wasn't in the forecast, Race 1 was AP'd after the visibility dropped to only four boat lengths! A painful few hours waiting for it to clear saw several false starts, but the visibility never came, forcing the RO to abandon racing for the day. Racers were given the choice to replace Sunday's planned Pursuit Race with some fleet racing, which all were in favour of, and boats returned to the Yacht Club for drinks, barbecue and ice cream, which by now was welcomed due to the scorching heat.

Sunday came, and boats optimistically headed to the startline. A short AP from RO Mike Pearson allowed the wind to fill in across the course, and racing got under way. Racing south towards Plymouth Breakwater, boats that went left tended to benefit from the end of the incoming tide, and the bigger J/122e, Corby 35 and J/92s were leading at the first buoy. An early gybe at the windward mark from the J/24 of Caspar Barton and Jason Culmer pulled them forwards to Stitch, the Formula 28 of Dominic Hanley, which they held onto enough to win race one comfortably by just under 2 minutes.

The light winds and not insubstantial tide caught several boats out on the starts, and a third row start for the J/122e JuJu of Johnny Hearth and Tim Octon's NJOS forced them both right off the start. Stitch and Tilted went hard left, and the port lay line proved to be advantageous, with both boats coming in ahead of the markedly quicker Corby and J. A long run against the tide however did allow the larger boats to extend, and a large split opened up across the fleet.

At the finish, however, it was still the small boats that were found to have done well, with Ann & Keith Whitfield's Tilted doing just enough to take 3rd from NJOS. Mark Lewers' DanJerous When Wet came in second, with Dominic Hanley's Stitch comfortably winning by a 3 minute margin, therefore winning the Regatta by 2 points. 5th in the last race meant Violent J had to settle for third to DanJerous When Wet overall, and the top Cruiser was Chris Cload's Calypso.

The fleet returned to PYC for the prize-giving, where many prizes were dished out from NJO Sails and Dart Sails & Covers, and everyone left having had a great days sailing in the glorious sunshine. Thanks go to the sponsors and all the volunteers that make Plym Yacht Club so successful. Sailors can still enter our Friday night yacht racing, where the current wave of enthusiasm has attracted a Cork 1720 and a Backman 21.

Full results: halsail-1e484.kxcdn.com/Result/Public/96874

Sailors want to hold talks with water company over costs that make it 'cheaper to go to England'

 

Sailors and windsurfers say access to what was one of South Wales’ most popular reservoirs has been restricted and travelling to England is now cheaper.

They fear the future of water sports at Llandgefedd Reservoir could be limited as costs have also increased with tighter rules and regulations implemented.

Welsh Water, which owns the 434 acre reservoir near Pontypool, has defended its pricing and said it remains “dedicated to ensuring Llandegfedd Lake remains accessible to all”.

Regular and longstanding recreational users, who aren’t affiliated to the sailing club at the reservoir, say they want to hold talks with the privately owned, not-for-profit water firm over access and pricing following changes they say were made without consultation.

Emirates GBR out of racing on day 2 in Canada Sail Grand Prix after dramatic nosedive damages F50

 

During practice laps on Race Day 2 of the Canada Sail Grand Prix on Sunday, Emirates GBR suffered a nosedive which caused damage to the wing of the team's F50 race boat.

All team members were OK, but the damage to the wing meant they were unable to race. The F50 and team have returned to the shore and work will begin to repair the damage before Emirates GBR's home event, the Emirates Great Britain Sail Grand Prix in Portsmouth on 25-26 July.

Emirates GBR Driver Dylan Fletcher said: "We were just doing our typical warm-up laps and in a bearaway around the top mark we lost the rudders and the boat spun round out of control into the gybe and broke the wing. We need to look into exactly what happened but ultimately we lost the rudders. Likely three flaps on the wing broken and the wheel broke as well, all sailors were safe. It's obviously very disappointing to not have raced but we are very thankful that the SailGP tech team do such a great job and have a bank of spares so I'm sure the boat will be fighting fit for Portsmouth. We've had a real rollercoaster of a season so far but hopefully we will be back on the up and putting on a great show for the home fans."

Emirates GBR Shore Team Manager Matt Haslam said: "There's quite a lot of damage to the wing but in terms of the platform of the F50, that's mostly superficial damage. We will give everything a good inspection and do some ultrasonic testing but SailGP has spare wing parts and with the next event being Portsmouth, and so close to SailGP Technologies in Southampton, everything is in good shape for the team to get back on the water for our home event."

After Emirates GBR had to come ashore, Race Day 2 got under way in Halifax with the split fleet racing initiated on Saturday carried through to Sunday. Each group did two races on Saturday and two races on Sunday, before the two teams from each group progressed to the winner-takes-all event final. The four teams in the final were Australia, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland, with Diego Botin's Spanish crew sealing the deal after nailing the start and fending off stiff competition from the Swedes.

The next stop on the Rolex SailGP Championship 2026 Season calendar will be the Emirates Great Britain Sail Grand Prix in Portsmouth on 25-26 July. Fans can expect adrenaline-fuelled, close-to-shore racing on Southsea Common, as well as live performances from Jess Glynne on Saturday and Craig David on Sunday. Tickets are available to buy online at SailGP.com/Portsmouth.

British Moth Open at Leamington Spa Sailing Club

 

On 20th June Leamington Spa Sailing Club held their British Moth Open Meeting that was postponed in March due to adverse weather. The forecast was for a reasonable breeze from the west (the best direction for the club) and a dry, warm day. There were 13 competitors on the day made up of 8 visitors and 5 home sailors.

Race 1 started cleanly with Toby Cooper (Broxbourne) quickly breaking free followed by Tim Davison (Medley), the pair made the first mark ahead of the rest of the fleet. Home sailor Elaine Laverty showed good speed and cleared both Toby Smith (Medley) and Andrew Perrot (Oxford) at the first mark to hold third place, these positions held for most of the race until Toby S eventually overhauled Elaine. Peter Angwin (Severn) came through strongly for fifth place and Andrew Parsons (Medley) was the only retirement of the day having had his tiller extension come adrift requiring a quick fix before race 2.

Race 2 was held back to back with race 1, again the fleet got away cleanly with Toby C showing a clean pair of heels, the real battle of the race was between Toby S, Andrew Perrot and Tim for the minor places with Toby S winning the battle and Tim finding himself in fourth place Pete Lee (Leamington Spa) in a boat borrowed for the day was fifth and Steve Baker (Leamington) was sixth.

After race 2 the fleet came in for a hearty lunch prepared by the lovely ladies in the galley.

Race 3 Toby C sat this race out as he had already won with 2 first places allowing other sailors to have a chance of a win. Tim showed a clean pair of heels from the start leaving Toby S battling in the middle of the fleet but eventually pulling through into second place and when they crossed the line the duty team were unable to split them and scored it as a draw, Peter Angwin was a good solid third having battled with Elaine for most of the race.

As is traditional at Leamington once the boats were packed the sailors were offered a selection of homemade cakes, special mention to Dot Meredith for her Victoria sandwich which was eaten in record time!

Prizes were presented, thanks were given, more cake was eaten before the visitors went on their way.

Overall Results:

Pos Helm Sail No Club R1 R2 R3 Pts

1st Toby Cooper 887 Broxbourne 1 1 (DNS) 2

2nd Toby Smith 888 Medley ‑3 2 1.5 3.5

3rd Tim Davison 892 Medley 2 ‑4 1.5 3.5

4th Peter Anguin 859 Severn 5 ‑7 3 8

5th Elaine Laverty 898 LSSC 4 ‑8 4 8

6th Andrew Perrot 893 Oxford ‑6 3 6 9

7th Peter Lee 886 LSSC ‑7 5 5 10

8th Steve Baker 890 LSSC ‑9 6 7 13

9th Jeremy Gorbold 372 Birchfield 8 ‑9 9 17

10th Gary Hogan 894 Emberton ‑10 10 8 18

11th Andrew Parsons 884 Medley (RET) 11 10 21

12th Janet Smith 850 LSSC 12 ‑13 11 23

13th Pam Coop 850 LSSC 11 12 (DNS) 23

7 Day Balearic Sailing Adventure

 

Here's a 7-day Balearic sailing itinerary that balances good sailing passages, anchorages, beaches, hiking, culture, and food. It assumes a monohull or catamaran charter starting and ending in Mallorca during the sailing season (May–September).

Day 1: Palma → Cabrera (20 nm)

Start from Palma de Mallorca and sail south to Cabrera Archipelago National Park.

Onshore activities

Walk up to Cabrera Castle for panoramic views.

Explore the island's nature trails.

Swim or snorkel in crystal-clear protected waters.

Visit the famous Blue Cave if conditions allow.

Overnight: Mooring in Cabrera (book ahead during summer).

Day 2: Cabrera → Colònia de Sant Jordi → Es Trenc (10–15 nm)

A relaxed day along Mallorca's southeast coast.

Onshore activities

Wander around Colònia de Sant Jordi.

Walk the dunes and white sands of Es Trenc.

Try paddleboarding or kayaking along the coast.

Enjoy fresh seafood at a waterfront restaurant.

Overnight: Anchorage near Es Trenc.

Day 3: Southeast Mallorca → Cala d'Or → Porto Petro (15–20 nm)

Cruise among Mallorca's picturesque calas.

Onshore activities

Explore the coves around Cala d'Or.

Rent bikes and ride coastal paths.

Visit the fishing harbour of Porto Petro.

Sunset drinks overlooking the marina.

Overnight: Porto Petro.

Day 4: Mallorca → Formentera (45–55 nm)

The longest sailing leg, ideally with an early start.

Arrive at Formentera, known for Caribbean-like water.

Onshore activities

Cycle the island's quiet roads.

Visit La Mola Lighthouse.

Relax on the beaches of Ses Illetes.

Enjoy a beachside dinner.

Overnight: Anchorage or marina in Formentera.

Day 5: Formentera → Ibiza (10–15 nm)

A short sail north to Ibiza.

Onshore activities

Explore the UNESCO-listed old town of Dalt Vila.

Visit local galleries and boutiques.

Hike sections of the coastal cliffs.

Experience Ibiza's renowned dining and nightlife at your preferred pace.

Overnight: Ibiza Town or nearby anchorage.

Day 6: Ibiza West Coast Exploration (15–20 nm)

Cruise along Ibiza's dramatic western shoreline.

Onshore activities

Swim and snorkel in secluded coves.

Visit viewpoints overlooking Es Vedrà.

Take a coastal hike near Cala d'Hort.

Watch one of the Mediterranean's most famous sunsets.

Overnight: West-coast anchorage.

Day 7: Return Passage to Mallorca (55–65 nm)

A full sailing day back toward Palma.

Optional stop if conditions permit

Lunch anchorage near Sant Elm.

Short walk with views toward Sa Dragonera Natural Park.

Arrive back in Palma for your final evening ashore.

Why this route works so well

Mixture of three islands: Mallorca, Formentera, and Ibiza.

Includes protected nature reserves, historic towns, beaches, cycling, hiking, and snorkeling.

Only two longer offshore passages (Mallorca–Formentera and Ibiza–Mallorca).

Suitable for intermediate sailors or a skippered charter.

Provides a balance between adventure and relaxed exploration.

WE HAVE MORE THAN 12,000 PRIVATE YACHT CHARTER BOATS IN 60 COUNTRIES

WAITING READY FOR YOU - JUST SELECT - COMPARE - BOOK IN MINUTES ONLINE

UP  TO  50% OFF ON  EARLY  BOOKING  DEALS 👍

UNBEATABLE  PRICES  FOR  YOUR  COMPLETE  PEACE OF MIND ON THE WATER.

#yachts2rentnow

Tom joins Gery ahead of Round Ireland Race

 

One of Ireland's most accomplished offshore sailors has been confirmed as a late crew change for a leading French contender ahead of Saturday afternoon's start of the classic Round Ireland Race at Wicklow Harbour.

Meath sailor Tom Dolan, who was outright winner of the famous single-handed Figaro Race in 2024 has this week teamed top French contender Long Courrier skippered by Gery Trentesaux in the fleet of 56 starters expected to contest the 704 nautical mile course around Ireland.

Thousands of spectators are expected to line the quaysides and coastal paths towards Wicklow lighthouse to watch the fleet begin the race with the Irish Naval Service in attendance for the traditional guardship role.

As always, weather will play a big role in deciding the outcome of the race and whether or not one of the exotic large boats can win overall or will a smaller entry seize victory.

Likely to take early leads on the water are Khumbu skippered by Guy Gillon and Venemous skippered by Venomous Graeme Lewis and Christopher Brook. Both will be trying to reach the Tuskar Rock off the Wexford coast and the turn towards the Fastnet Rock before the wind dies as currently forecast.

Later in the race, winds are expected to become favourable and even deliver the classic "Atlantic sleigh-ride" conditions northwards toward the Donegal coast. Avoiding being becalmed at any stage will be the leading boats' goal to avoid handing an advantage to the smaller entries.

"We're looking forward to the challenge of being one of the smallest boats ever in the race," commented Mick Liddy, a Search & Rescue helicopter pilot who is competing with Barry O'Connor on Bergins Katanca. "As always, when we turn the corner and head for the finish, this is where the race will be won or lost."

While the overall race is decided on corrected time, a system similar to handicapping the leading boats on the water will be vying for 'Line Honours' and the first boat home. But it could be several days until the true winner reaches Wicklow and overall result confirmed.

In the 2024 edition of the race, Howth entry The Big Picture owned by brothers Mike and Ritchie Evans placed second overall, narrowly missing victory by just five minutes.

"The excitement before the Round Ireland is like a five year old the week before Christmas with the anticipation - it's such a great event," commented Ritchie Evans. "We just need to go five minutes quicker and focus on getting through the tidal gates."

Meanwhile, ports and marinas from Howth to Greystones to Dun Laoghaire have been hives of activity as anticipation grows and crews start gathering from around Ireland and overseas. Safety inspections are being carried out on every boat and final provisions are being loaded. Saturday morning will see a steady stream of boats muster at Wicklow with crowds expected to gather from late-morning onwards.

Emirates GBR hoping to recreate success across the pond at Canada Sail Grand Prix

 

Emirates GBR currently sits second on the 2026 Season leaderboard on 44 points, 11 points behind Australia’s BONDS Flying Roos in first, while the US SailGP Team is in third on 36 points.

This weekend is set to be the first time all 13 SailGP Teams will be in action since February, as New Zealand’s Black Foils return to the race course following their crash in Auckland which led to their F50 needing extensive repairs.

The Brits are currently defending champions in Halifax after taking the win at the last event in the Nova Scotia city in 2024. Back then, double Olympic gold medallist Giles Scott MBE was at the wheel of Emirates GBR F50, and with Scott now Driver of the North Star Canada SailGP Team, there’s potential for some healthy competition between him and Emirates GBR Driver Dylan Fletcher MBE on the race course.

But Fletcher, who took over from Scott ahead of the 2025 Season and led Emirates GBR to championship glory at the Grand Final, said he was not thinking about “what’s happened in the past” in Halifax and was focused on the team’s performance this weekend.

“The last time the team was here they won which was fantastic but it was very different conditions to what we’re expected to see this weekend,” Fletcher said.

“The main thing we’ve been discussing as a team is just how shifty and tricky the conditions are here, so it’s not necessarily a venue to think about what’s happened in the past.

“It’s my first time racing in Halifax and I’m looking forward to it. It’s a fantastic race course in the middle of the city with a natural amphitheatre. It’s going to be a challenging weekend with very cold water but fingers crossed we get good breeze and great conditions out there.”

Following the Canada Sail Grand Prix this weekend, the Rolex SailGP Championship heads to Portsmouth for the Emirates Great Britain Sail Grand Prix on 25-26 July. The event will bring adrenaline-fuelled, close to shore racing to Southsea Common, followed by live performances by Jess Glynne on Saturday and Craig David on Sunday. Tickets are selling fast and it’s set to be even bigger than last year, which saw nearly 20,000 people attend across the race weekend.

This weekend’s action at the Canada Sail Grand Prix in Halifax is expected to draw in more than 12,000 spectators. The inaugural Canada Sail Grand Prix delivered one of Season 4's most memorable weekends, with rain, wind and capsizes. This year, it’s all to race for as teams look to bank as many points as possible as the championship enters to second half of the season. The action is available to watch live in the UK on TNT Sports 1 from 20:00 BST on Saturday and Sunday.

Blind sailor and stroke survivor overcome the odds

 

A blind sailor and a stroke survivor have qualified for a European championship – and they hope their success will inspire others to get involved in inclusive sailing.

Simon Mahoney will man the sail and Terry Shiels will steer the helm when they represent Great Britain at the Hansa Class European Championship in Barcelona.

The Derbyshire pair said they wanted their success in getting to the para and inclusive sailing regatta to encourage others to sign up to Sailability, which they have attended at Carsington Water.

Mahoney, 79, said: "When you're on the water, you forget the past, you forget the future, it's just now and it has an extraordinary beneficial effect on your mental health."

The former Royal Marines officer, from Ashbourne, said sailing had been a "very important" part of his life since the age of eight.

He started losing his sight in 2012, which he described as "very difficult", and became blind in 2020.

"I found being sight impaired a lot harder because my sight changed every few minutes, let alone days," he said.

"When you lose your sight, you go through a hell of an emotional firestorm and I knew that sailing would be ideal to get me back on an even keel," he added.

Mahoney joined a Sailability club, which use specialist equipment and modified Hansa boats, designed with a heavy ballasted centreboard.

This lowers the centre of gravity of the boat, acting as a counterweight to the wind in the sails, making the boats virtually impossible to capsize.

At Carsington in 2016, Mahoney teamed up with Shiels, from Belper, who said it was "life-changing" to be introduced to the sport.

Shiels suffered a brain haemorrhage in 2011, which caused a stroke and left him without the use of his left arm and limited use of his leg.

"At the time the statistics were 60% of people didn't survive, so I was one of the lucky 40%. Every day I remember that and tell myself I'm lucky," he said.

He added: "Once I'm in the boat and on the water, I can do anything that everybody else does. I'm on a level playing field and it's just amazing."

Shiels said he had been amazed by Mahoney's incredible hearing to identify approaching boats and race course buoys.

"One of the standing jokes is I have to be careful what I'm saying about him at the other side of the clubhouse, because he'll hear it," said Shiels.

The pair have been working "like an old married couple" to develop their sailing skills and teamwork to a competition level.

"If somebody had told me 10 years ago that we'd be going to Barcelona to compete in September, I'd say, 'Don't be crazy,'" said Shiels.

The championships are due to begin on 6 September.

Irish Challenge Builds For 2026 Dragon Edinburgh Cup

 

Irish Dragon sailors will be among a strong international fleet contesting the 2026 Dragon Edinburgh Cup and UK Grand Prix in Cowes this August. Around 40 teams from 10 nations have already confirmed entries for the championship, with six weeks still remaining before the initial entry deadline.

The regatta, which incorporates the British Open Dragon Championship and the third leg of the International Dragon Association European Grand Prix Series, will be hosted by the Royal Yacht Squadron in Cowes from 16-21 August.

Ireland's challenge will be led by former Edinburgh Cup winner Martin Byrne. Irish sailor Nicola Halloran is also among a record number of female helms already entered for the Seagull Trophy. The fleet will include competitors from Austria, Belgium, Germany, the Netherlands, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, the USA, Ireland and the UK.

Event Director Gavia Wilkinson-Cox said the championship returns to a venue closely linked to the trophy's history. "The history of the Edinburgh Cup is deeply rooted in Cowes, as it was here that the trophy began and was first raced for nearly 80 years ago," she said.

Wilkinson-Cox said organisers were working to deliver "the very best Edinburgh Cup/UK Grand Prix" and looked forward to welcoming both British and international Dragon sailors.

Championship racing will take place on windward-leeward courses in the central Solent from 18 to 21 August. Four races are required to constitute a series, with one discard permitted after five races. Race management will be led by experienced Dragon sailor and former Edinburgh Cup winner Rob Brown. "The Royal Yacht Squadron is once more honoured and delighted to be hosting this prestigious event," Brown said.

The race committee will use the Vakaros RaceSense system, which provides live start-line detection and race tracking for competitors, officials and spectators.

Among the international entries are Swiss sailor Jan Eckert, Germany's Christoph Toepfer, Belgium's Xavier Vanneste, Sweden's Jan Secher and defending Corinthian Edinburgh Cup champion William Swigart of the USA. The British challenge will be headed by four-time Dragon World Champion Andy Beadsworth, alongside recent Dragon Gold Cup winner Grant Gordon and the Louise Racing Team.

The event also coincides with the 70th anniversary of the British Dragon Association. Celebrations will include a special anniversary race on 17 August ahead of the main championship. Racing concludes on 21 August with the Edinburgh Cup and UK Dragon Grand Prix prize-giving at the Royal Yacht Squadron.