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Saturday, 20 December 2025
2026 Youth Match Racing World Championship heads to Denmark
The 2026 Youth Match Racing World Championship will be held in the stunning waters of Middelfart, Denmark, from 21-25 June 2026.
This world-class event will bring together the brightest young talent in match racing from around the globe to compete in intense, close-quarters competition in the Lillebælt strait.
Middelfart is renowned for its excellent match racing conditions, including shifty winds and manageable currents, which promise challenging and dynamic racing for the youth competitors.
The championship is being hosted in partnership with Dansk Sejlunion (Danish Sailing Association), Go Sail and the Middelfart Sailing Club, hosts of the 2015 and 2023 Women's Match Racing World Championships. This history of success underscores the venue's capability and the high level of organisational excellence provided by the local team.
The event is open to sailors who will be under the age of 23 on 31 December 2026, and will comprise four or five members per boat, including at least one female and one male sailor, with a total weight limit of 350kg.?
National teams will compete in a fleet of supplied one-design Blu26 boats to ensure a level playing field focused purely on skill while delivering high speeds and agility when fully-crewed.
Competition takes place over five rounds: a round robin, a knock-out quarter final round, a third stage to determine fifth to eighth place, semi-finals and the Grand Final, with a Petit Final to determine third and fourth place.?
The one-on-one duel format demands tactical acumen, boat handling precision, and exceptional teamwork, serving as a proving ground for those aiming for the highest levels of the sport, including the Olympic Games and the World Match Racing Tour.
Friday, 19 December 2025
Scottish Sailing Team Announced for 2025-26 Season
RYA Scotland is proud to announce the sailors selected for the 2025-26 Scottish Sailing Team, the governing body's top-level programme within the Scottish Performance Pathway for talented sailors competing across recognised Youth racing classes.
This achievement marks a significant milestone for these athletes, reflecting their dedication, skill, and commitment to the sport. Each sailor has demonstrated impressive ability in their chosen class each earning their place through a focussed selection process overseen by the RYA Scotland Selection Panel and supported by the RYA Scotland Performance Committee.
This year, 11 sailors have been named in the Squad, across two classes. Read on for a full list of selected sailors:
Jamie Rogers, RYA Scotland Pathway Manager, shared his excitement for the season ahead:
"Selection onto the Scottish Sailing Team is something to be celebrated. Scotland has an incredibly talented pool of up and coming sailors who continue to impress on the national stage. Bringing them together creates an environment where they can push each other to become the best sailors they can be.
"As we continue our winter training block, it's rewarding to see the growing impact of high level coaching and wider athlete support in helping unlock potential."
Scottish Sailing Team athletes regularly compete at major regattas, backed by an intensive training schedule that combines on water practice, tactical development, and fitness training. This holistic approach ensures they take to the water with the best preparation possible, ready to unlock potential and chase ambitious goals.
The Scottish Sailing Team sits within RYA Scotland's Performance Pathway Programme, which delivers top quality coaching and development opportunities to sailors. In addition to the team outlined above, the Performance Pathway also facilitates a Scottish Sailing Development Squad, and Scottish Sailing Junior Squad onto each of which selection is a key milestone to be celebrated.
RYA Scotland's Performance Pathway offers dedicated athletes the opportunity to refine their skills and maintain momentum during the colder months, rewarding their commitment to countless hours of hard work with tailored support and guidance.
Guernsey Yacht Club (GYC) on way to becoming a ‘centre of excellence’
They have been recognised as a British Sailing Pathway club, a testament to their commitment to supporting young sailors and racing endeavours.
Created by UK governing body the Royal Yachting Association (RYA), the British Youth and Junior Sailing Pathway has long been a foundation for success for aspiring sailors.
The club programme underpins the pathway’s ‘Racing for Life’ initiative, aiming to make competition fun, develop strong sailing fundamentals, and foster a lifelong love of the sport.
It is a nationwide initiative aimed at identifying and developing clubs across the UK to become centres of excellence for junior racing, offering affordable, high-quality sailing and coaching close to home for junior racers.
By becoming a British Sailing Pathway club, the GYC joins a network committed to creating fun and accessible racing communities where young sailors can develop fundamental skills and feel part of a team.
RYA pathway club manager Hannah Wilcox was ‘thrilled’ to welcome the GYC into the network.
‘Their commitment to fostering young talent and promoting accessible, high-quality racing and race training aligns perfectly with the goals of the programme,’ she said.
‘We look forward to supporting their efforts in inspiring the next generation of sailors.’
Thursday, 18 December 2025
Round the Island Race date announced for 2026
One of the world’s most famous yacht races will return in 2026.
The Island Sailing Club has announced that the 2026 Round the Island Race will take place on Saturday, July 11.
Based in Cowes, the race is one of the largest in the world and is expected to draw thousands of sailors and huge crowds to the Isle of Wight and the Solent.
Race director Dave Atkinson said: "It’s hard to believe that in just five weeks' time, we’ll be opening registrations for the 2026 Round the Island Race. Time is flying by, and next year’s race will be here before we know it.
"The last few months have given myself and the race team lots of time to reflect on what was a really special day in June.
"The weather was far more favourable than we expected, and although the forecast put a few off from taking part, it was a fantastic race and certainly a big improvement on 2024.
"Every year, the sight of all the boats lining up at the Royal Yacht Squadron, watched by crowds of people along the seafront, is really special.
"I never tire of the buzz race day brings - Cowes comes alive, from the Race Village on Cowes Parade to the Island Sailing Club itself, where we manage the race and welcome sailors across the entire weekend.
Round Britain & Ireland Race 2026 Marks 50-Year Milestone
The Round Britain & Ireland Race will return in August 2026, marking 50 years since the Royal Ocean Racing Club first staged the event.
The 1,800-nautical-mile non-stop race starts and finishes in Cowes and is held once every four years.
The 2026 edition will be open to monohulls and multihulls under IRC and MOCRA, as well as IMOCA and Class40 entries.
The race starts on Sunday, 9 August 2026.
First run in 1976, the Round Britain & Ireland Race is widely regarded as one of offshore sailing’s toughest examinations.
For sure , its importance is simple. “If you love offshore sailing, you have to be on the start line.”
Wednesday, 17 December 2025
Tuesday, 16 December 2025
Nominate your Yachtsman and Young Sailor of the Year in under a minute!
Any member of the public can submit their nominations for the Yachting Journalists' Association's (YJA) Yachtsman of the Year and Young Sailor of the Year Awards.
Nominations need to recognise outstanding individuals who have significantly contributed to British yachting either through exceptional achievements in performance, seamanship, sportsmanship, or youth talent across the sailing and watersports sectors.
The nomination period closes at 23:59 on 31st December 2025 and nominations can be submitted here: yja.world/2025-yja-yoty-and-young-sailor-nominations
The Yachtsman of the Year Award was first established in 1955, and previous winners include Pete Goss, Sir Francis Chichester, Samantha Davies, Ian Walker and Nikki Henderson.
Introduced in 1993, the Young Sailor of the Year celebrates rising stars under the age of 19 (as of 31st December 2025) who demonstrate outstanding skill and commitment and has been awarded to the likes of Dame Ellen MacArthur, Hannah Stodel, Nick Thompson and Sir Ben Ainslie.
Following the nomination period, the YJA Committee will shortlist three finalists in each category, with the winners determined by YJA members.
The winners will be announced at the 2026 RYA Dinghy & Watersports Show on 21 February 2026.
Ulley Sailing Club receives another Grant
Ulley Sailing Club is using its grant to expand its dinghy fleet to give more local young people the chance to give sailing a try and to give it the capacity to deliver a greater number of Royal Yachting Association-accredited training courses.
It has purchased four Topper class sailing dinghies, which are specifically designed for youth racing and will give an increasing number of young people attending the Club's Youth Squad the chance to take part in casual and competitive sailing sessions.
Based within Ulley Country Park, the Sailing Club is a volunteer-run organisation which offers affordable sailing opportunities to people of all ages and abilities.
It has also previously received support from the Penny Hill Wind Farm fund, with grants helping cover the cost of refurbishing its race tower, upgrading its main jetty and providing dedicated access to the lake for people with disabilities.
Monday, 15 December 2025
2025 Youth Sailing World Championships in Portugal
World Sailing selected the Portuguese venue of Vilamoura Sailing to host the 2025 Youth Sailing World Championships, which takes place from 12-20 December.
For more than half a century, the Youth Sailing World Championships have been the pinnacle of youth sailing performance, providing the global stage for future sailing stars to shine and becoming a major stepping stone for many world and Olympic champions.
The Youth Sailing World Championships attracts the best youth sailors from around the world and follows a similar format to Olympic sailing where all sailors compete on a level playing field across all events. In total, 11 events will be sailed in male, female and mixed categories, with the events open to sailors aged above the age of 12 years and under the age of 19 years on 31 December 2025.
Quanhai Li, World Sailing President, said, "The Youth Sailing World Championships have long-been one of the most important events in the World Sailing calendar and an important showcase for emerging talent and future legends of the sport. We are delighted to award the 54th edition of the championships to such an impressive host venue and ambitious Organising Committee which will further World Sailing's commitment to inclusion, equality and sustainability and lead to a truly memorable championship."
David Graham, World Sailing CEO, added, "The Youth Sailing World Championship represents the future of our sport, and to be able to witness such high levels of performance year after year is a privilege. We have seen the event grow from 16 nations at the very first edition in 1971 to what it has become today where this year over 400 sailors from 70 countries took part, and we look forward to another incredible championship in Portugal in 2025."