RYA Marlow Ropes Women's Match Racing Championship 2025

 

team representing Rutland Sailing Club emerged victorious to take the RYA Marlow Ropes Women's Match Racing Championship title.

With low pressure sweeping in from the Atlantic, six teams battled it out over a breezy weekend at Weymouth & Portland National Sailing Academy (13-14 September 2025).

Racing in Elliott 6M keelboats, the popular annual fixture saw teams reefing for a big day on the Saturday, completing a full round robin series in the challenging conditions.

Topping the leaderboard overnight was the Rutland team skippered by Alice Lucy after winning all five of their races, ahead of defending champion Juliette Kennedy and Josie Gliddon.

An early start to beat an adverse forecast for the Sunday saw Juliette Kennedy taking the first win in a semi-final against Josie Gliddon, with the latter then taking the next two races for a place in the final. The other semi-final was won by Alice Lucy against Heather Quinn's team with a 2:0 scoreline. In the petit final, Kennedy took a 2:0 win over Quinn for third overall.

The final was then concluded 1:2 with Josie Gliddon taking the first race but having to settle for second overall after Alice Lucy and her Rutland team made a comeback with two wins.

The event had an all-female race officials team comprising Nicole Ames (PRO), Georgie Hand (ARO) and umpires Liz Procter, Stephanie Gunn, Cordelia Procter and Robyn Francis.

Event Director Jess Beecher, RYA Keelboat Development & Universities Officer, said: "I'm proud of how the sailors and our all-female race team performed across the weekend in some very tough conditions.

"On Saturday we went afloat with reefed sails with strong gusts coming through in the morning with some rain showers, however the teams continued to match race giving those watching some exciting racing to watch.

"We completed the round robin on Saturday and came ashore for a debrief. With the forecast for Sunday to bring stronger winds and more rain by lunchtime, we set the first attention signal for 0853! We proceeded with the semi-finals and finals, where we saw very close racing with teams winning or losing by less than a foot in some races.

"In the Final, each team took a win, so the final match decided the winner. With the lead switching throughout the race, as the pressure built, Alice stormed ahead down the final downwind leg to take the title.

Top four:

1. Alice Lucy, Amelie Hacker, Issy Leetch, Freya Pembery

2. Josie Gliddon, Jody Slater, Madelaine Kirk, Hannah Morris

3. Juliette Kennedy, Kate Macadorey, Ellen Morley, Olivia Jacklin

4. Heather Quinn, Ellie Thomas, Maisie Harkness, Matilda Evans

The four friends in the winning team came through Rutland Sailing Club's youth Hydra programme, led and coached by Fiona and Steve Tylecote, and enjoyed their reunion at WPNSA. Now in their early 20s, all have team raced for their universities and continue to be members of Rutland SC, meeting up at the club when free at weekends and during holidays.

Winning skipper Alice Lucy, commenting after her first match racing event at the helm, said: "We've all grown up together racing and training at Rutland and I wouldn't be doing the sailing I'm now doing without the amazing Hydra programme and all the good people I've been coached with making us all better and giving us the skills to jump into any boat.

"I only wanted to helm if I had my other three teammates on board because they're all so good and have more experience than me - Issy went to the Youth Match Racing Worlds this year and Freya has been twice, and Amelie has done keelboat sailing.

"We were glad the event went ahead because we got in some really good racing over the two days which I don't think anyone expected looking at the forecast. It was very windy but we enjoyed it! What helped our team was staying calm and having a really good atmosphere on the boat with an ethos of 'let's just see how it goes'. We were the lowest ranked team going into the event so there was no pressure or expectation to perform.

"Our boat speed was really good though and the team racing we've done helped with the skills for starting and match racing. The team were so good at what they were doing with sail trim it meant I was able to focus on tactics and positioning."

Alice, who recently started work after graduating and now hopes to do more match racing with the team, added: "Being able to do a women's match racing championship was a good first event for us with a great environment, and it was nice to have an all-female race committee and umpire team as well. Everyone was welcoming, you could ask questions to learn, and having a debrief on the Saturday afternoon brought everyone together so it was also really sociable."

Next up for the RYA National Match Racing Championship Series is the final qualifier of the year, the sold out Ceilidh Cup at Royal Northern & Clyde Yacht over the weekend of 4-5 October 2025, incorporating the Scottish Student Sailing Match Racing Championship.

The top teams from each qualifier will then be looking forward to duelling in the Royal Thames Yacht Club's fleet of Sonar keelboats at the invitational only Grand Final, which will take place 17-19 October 2025 at London's Queen Mary Sailing Club.

2026 Fireball Worlds Torquay - Website now available

 

The taste of the last limoncellos may still be lingering on the taste buds following the recent 135 boat Worlds on Lake Garda, but the Fireball Class is already turning its attention to next year's World Championship being hosted by Royal Torbay Yacht Club in the UK.

The event incorporates the UK Nationals and runs from Monday 20th to Friday 31st July.

The event website can be found at 2026.fireballworlds.com and contains the provisional schedule and details of accommodation options. Further content, including the Notice of Race, will be added to the site over the next few months.

Team Toddbroccoli make their mark at the Southport 24 Hour Race

 

Toddbrook Sailing Club once again turned out in style for the famous Southport 24 Hour Race, hosted by West Lancashire Yacht Club. With the reservoir at Toddbrook still out of action following the 2019 dam crisis, the club has made the Southport 24 hour race a focal point of its sailing calendar - and this year, they arrived with more energy, more colour, and more broccoli than ever before.

Sailing under the banner of Team Toddbroccoli, the Toddbrook crew embraced their vegetable theme wholeheartedly. From green morph suits and broccoli hats at the Friday night party - where the team made a big impression with their commitment to costume - to chants of "eat, sleep, broccoli!" and decorations around the club gazebo, there was no mistaking which club had gone all-in on the fun!

On the water, Toddbrook delivered a strong and consistent performance across the full 24 hours. At the end of a closely fought race, the A team secured 8th place overall and an impressive 4th out of the GP14s. To top it off, they were awarded the coveted "Surprise Award" for the most identifiable boat - recognition of their creativity and team spirit.

Saturday evening saw the launch of a new Toddbrook tradition: Brocctail Happy Hour. At 6pm sharp, the team served up an array of broccoli-themed cocktails to weary sailors, supporters, and curious spectators. The gazebo was packed, the atmosphere buzzing, and, most importantly, the initiative raised over £100 for Sail4Cancer, ensuring that the fun came with a lasting positive impact.

Reflecting on the weekend, team captain Lewis Coppinger summed it up: "We might not have our home water at the moment, but Southport gives us the chance to come together as a club, race hard, and remind everyone that sailing is as much about camaraderie as competition. The broccoli theme just added to the fun—and judging by the response, it won't be the last you see of Team Toddbroccoli."

An honourable mention also goes to Toddbrook's B Team, who took to the water in an Enterprise. With equal determination and good humour, they battled through the shifts to finish 34th overall and 6th Enterprise - a performance that earned them well-deserved cheers back at the tent.

With results to be proud of, funds raised for a good cause, and a growing reputation for creativity both afloat and ashore, Toddbrook's Southport story continues to blossom.

Huge thanks to West Lancs YC, all the competing clubs, and the army of volunteers who make the 24 hour race such a fantastic and special event every year!

K6 Nationals

Disabled Sailing Association’s new yacht arrives in Torquay Marina

 

After three years of fundraising and weeks of waiting, the Disabled Sailing Association’s (DSA) new yacht, a Bavaria 38C, finally arrived in Torquay Town dock on Saturday, September 6, 2025.

Built in Germany and shipped to a Solent boatyard a couple of months ago, it has been undergoing final fitout, including all of the adaptations and other features that make it safe for their disabled members.

It was sailed from the Solent to Torquay, with a stopover at Portland, by four DSA skippers, led by Guy Hester, a cruising instructor from the DSA’s RYA Training School, ably supported by Roger Moore, Aly Ridyard and Bosun Tim Brooks.

The DSA would like to thank all those who contributed to the funding of their new yacht, notably the National Lottery Community Fund who were the major sponsor, with significant donations from the RYA Foundation, the Clothworkers Foundation in London, the Asda Foundation, the Ralphh and more locally from the Claire Milne Trust in Cornwall, The Sports Foundation for the Disabled Newquay, the Whirlwind Charitable Trust Honiton and another Devon based Trust.

We are also grateful for support from Armadillo Self Storage in Torquay, Pantaenius Marine Insurance, the Ralphh charity, Torquay Golf Club and other organisations and individuals who helped raise money along the way.

The DSA now has two fabulous modern yachts, DSA Freedom, a 38ft Beneteau, which they have had for nearly eight years and now DSA Free Spirit 2. Both can carry up to eight passengers, which includes 3 DSA crew and 5 members, so they now have the capacity to take out 10 guests on a daily basis – weather permitting!

Thanks to the generosity of all those sponsors, national and local, the DSA is able to continue its mission of offering “safe and affordable sailing for the disabled” into the future.

For more information about the Disabled Sailing Association, please check out our website www.disabledsailingassociation.org.uk or email enquiries@dsadevon.org.uk or telephone 07447 941724.

Royal Thames Yacht Club Winter Team Racing Programme open for entries

 

The Royal Thames Yacht Club is the premier keelboat team racing club in the UK running a large number of events (racing and training) in the club's outstanding fleet of Sonars and sending teams to top international events.

As we wrap up our 250th year we are excited to announce that some of the Autumn / Winter events will be open to non-members. This is a great opportunity to do high quality keelboat racing and to see what the Royal Thames is all about.

The events are one day Random Pairs format where teams enter as a single boat (4 people) and are randomly allocated to race with and against different teams in each race. It's a great leveller and all races are exciting.

Please see below for details of the events and how to sign up.

One Day Events

Masters Random Pairs - 12th October 2025, Queen Mary (Sonars with Spinnakers)

Helms must be over 45 years old and average age of the crew must be over 40 years old. Enter as a boat / team of four.

Crew's Cup - 9th November 2025, Queen Mary (Sonars with Spinnakers)

This is a new format which focuses on the Crews. Teams enter as a team of three crew (main, jib, bow) and will be randomly allocated a different helm for each of the random pairs team races. The winners will be the crew of three with the most wins. Sign up for the opportunity to race with top helms and to show you can get any helm around the course!

Hot Rum 1 - Sunday 16th November, Queen Mary (Sonars with Spinnakers)

Returning to the calendar the hugely popular Hot Rum is a day of higher level action. The Hot Rum is ideal for anyone looking to practice for 2026 championship events including Lochan Cup, Carmela Cup or international events. Enter as a boat / team of four.

Hot Rum 2 - Sunday 18th January, Queen Mary (Sonars with Spinnakers)

The second Hot Rum weekend. Same format as Hot Rum 1 with high level keelboat team racing with spinnakers.

Mixed+ Random Pairs - Sunday 1st February, Queen Mary (Sonars with Spinnakers)

The Mixed+ Random Pairs promises to be bigger and better than ever before with several top helms already lining up their crews. Female helms paired with a 50/50 crew. This format is very popular in the US and is growing from strength to strength in the UK. Enter as a boat / team of four, with Female helm and 50/50 crew.

Championships

Three championship events will be held over the winter:

Schools' Team Racing Championships 29th & 30th November, Queen Mary (with Spinnakers)

kicking off on the 29th & 30th November with the Schools' Team Racing Championship. After a trial event last year, this event is sure to sell out as soon as entries open.

Carmela Cup - 11th and 12th April, Queen Mary, 2 boat team racing (with Spinnakers)

The UK Two Boat, Keelboat, Team Racing Championship for the Carmela Cup returns and will see the best teams from around the UK fighting to see if they can wrest the trophy from three times winners, Elmside Neighbours. Always a sell-out, get your entries in early. Enter as a team of two boats / 8 people.

Lochan Cup - 25th and 26th, Queen Mary, 2 boat team racing (with Spinnakers)

The Lochan Cup, the UK Womens' keelboat Team Racing Championship returns and is attracting the attention of international teams, keen to line themselves up against the best of British Women's Team Racers, this event is sure to be a sell-out so sign up quickly. Enter as all female team of two boats / 8 people.

Any questions relating to the Team Racing programme should be emailed to teamracing@royalthames.com

We look forward to seeing you on the water!

Monaco Classic Week 2025 - Le derush

York Sailing Club Regatta 2025

 

It may not seem a particularly big fleet, but 14 boats is quite enough in the confines of the River Ouse just to the south of York, with overhanging trees, moored boats and passing motor boats added in for good measure. The annual regatta of York SC and Yorkshire Ouse SC was held this year on 7 September, and it was YSC's turn to host the event.

We had a very mixed fleet, with no fewer than eight different classes represented, and 22 sailors, aged from seven to seventy-plus (quite a large plus). One of the four GP14s had a crew of three, and the Laser/ILCA had two (with the crew sitting on the foredeck most of the way round).

The forecast suggested gusts in the range of 25-30 mph, but these never materialised, and in the event we recorded more like 6-8 mph. Much more suitable for the fleet (especially, dare I suggest, the Laser crew). A wind from the ESE makes for tricky course setting at YSC, so all races were held downstream of Joe's Gap, with the windward mark off the Marina cafe and the leeward mark on Ranganui Corner. (If these names mean nothing to you, you'll just have to come and visit us!).

The format was three pursuit races, all 35 minutes long. The first was based on class handicaps, while the next two were run on personal handicap, based on previous performance on the day (with the race officer's knowledge of the sailors used for fine adjustments).

As usual, Peter Craggs and Phil Nelson did an excellent job of running the races and keeping everything ship-shape. We had three different race winners and one OCS (by a minute and a half - which is quite an achievement). Other notes provided by Peter and Phil include comments (here edited for publication) on one of the GP14s going on an unscheduled mid-race visit into the Marina and losing a few places as a result; the eventual winner sailing well but shedding places towards the end of the final race and making it closer than it needed to be; and, in general, slow boats doing well to keep the fast boats at bay, although when the wind dropped in race three this made it hard for the late starters to make their way through the fleet.

Many congratulations to Ben Thomas on his win, and many thanks to Yorkshire Ouse SC for turning up in such numbers. All in all, it was a very successful event. The main downside was perhaps a shortage of jetty space - but that's the price you pay when your regatta attracts its best attendance for at least 10 years.

Overall Results:

Pos Class Helm Crew Club R1 R2 R3 Pts

1st Topper Ben Thomas York SC 4 1 4 9

2nd Hartley 12 (big rig) Steve Axford Yorkshire Ouse SC 1 7 5 13

3rd RS Quba Ben Kilner Yorkshire Ouse SC 5 2 7 14

4th GP14 Mike Craggs Angela Craggs York SC 2 5 8 15

5th Enterprise Sam Thompson Doug Thomas York SC 9 4 3 16

6th RS Quba Gregory Yorkshire Ouse SC 3 8 9 20

7th GP14 Anna Browne Emma Ridge York SC 6 3 12 21

8th GP14 Steve Parry Joanna Bell / Rohan Browne York SC 7 6 10 23

9th Enterprise Peter Rawson Alfie Yorkshire Ouse SC 12 10 2 24

10th GP14 Sean Catternach Bailey Catternach York SC 10 OCS 1 26

11th ILCA 7 Sam Sytsma Vivi Yorkshire Ouse SC 8 13 6 27

12th Hartley 12 Harry Byatt Yorkshire Ouse SC 11 9 11 31

13th Fusion Vlad Ponizovskiy York SC 13 11 13 37

14th Fusion Ross Harben York SC DNC 12 14 41

The Soak Insure Tide Ride Returns in 2025 - Bigger, Faster, and More Exciting Than Ever!

 

Following the roaring success of its comeback in 2024, the Soak Insure Tide Ride will return to Hayling Island Sailing Club in 2025 for two thrilling days of high-octane racing, running Saturday 8th November to Sunday 9th November.

Race Format & Fleets Racing is fast, close, and fiercely competitive. Held at high water, each short-format race includes an upwind leg followed by a downwind slalom that brings boats together for dramatic, crowd-pleasing finishes. For 2025, we're inviting:

29ers

RS800s

Waszps

Wingfoiling

Entries are limited to 40 craft per fleet, so early registration is encouraged. Thanks to our 7-day refund policy, you can enter early with confidence.

Event Schedule

Saturday 8th November - Heats on two courses with live balcony commentary, onshore fleet raffles, and the legendary Party Night featuring a chilli supper and DJ Freddie Covell.

Sunday 9th November - More heats, raffles, and commentary leading into the adrenaline-charged Finals over Winner Bank.

The Soak Insure Tide Ride is proudly supported by Soak Insure as title sponsor, alongside partners Salcombe Gin, Ovington Boats, Rooster, and AFS.

Soak Insure's role goes far beyond sponsorship, contributing extensive maritime expertise and a true enthusiasm for sailing. Simon Tonks, Founder of Soak Insure, comments: "We had an incredible time working with Hayling Island Sailing Club last year, and the Tide Ride was a real highlight. It was fantastic to see so many sailors coming together for such an exciting event, and we loved being involved. We can't wait to do it all again this year and build on that success."

Headcase Wins J/24 Worlds as Irish Lead Holds Firm

 

In a regatta where Ireland’s Headcase, skippered by Cillian Dickson, held the lead all week, the all-Ireland crew clinched the J/24 World Championship at Plymouth Yacht Haven on Saturday (September 13th).

The Irish crew signed off with 2-1 on the final day to finish on 18 net points from nine races, one discard.

Tony Parker’s Bangor Packet (USA) took silver on 25 points. Kohei Ichikawa’s Gekko (JPN) rose to bronze after winning race eight.

Event media called it “a 4-way shoot-out for the podium spots,” adding that Headcase “held their nerve to take the crown.”

They reported Gekko’s plan was to “win the first race” and then “attack ‘War Canoe’,” which slipped to fourth overall.

Britain’s Majic (James Torr) was fifth and first local boat.

The U25 prize went to the American youth team Saltine, securing back-to-back titles.

Irish results were strong throughout the fleet.

Hard on Port (David Bailey) finished seventh with a 5-6 on the final day.

Snoopy’s J (Martin Mahon) placed 11th after an eighth in race nine.

Blind Squirrel (Colm O’Flaherty) took 14th; Il Riccio (JP McCaldin) 18th; Jupiter (Conor Haughton) 21st.

Further down, Hedgehog (Mark Usher) was 29th; Crazy Horse (Luke McBride) 41st; Proud Mary (Bernard McConville) 50th.

Get ready for an unforgettable day out at the Southampton International Boat Show

 

Now in its 56th year, the show returns with a refreshed layout and exciting new attractions designed to elevate your experience. Whether you’re a family looking for a fun day out or a serious boating enthusiast, you’ll find hundreds of boats, hands-on water activities, expert advice, and live entertainment, all in one incredible marine event.

Our purpose-built show marina hosts over 300 exceptional crafts, offering a standout on-water showcase for visitors to explore.

With sea trials, on-water attractions, and clearly defined zones for different boat types, it’s easy to explore and find exactly what you’re looking for. From world-renowned sailing yachts and powerful motorboats to high-end tenders and chase boats, you’ll find something to get excited about.

Get on the water with Try-a-Boat, delivered by FlexiSail and Rockley Watersports. Included with your ticket, it’s perfect for visitors wanting a hands-on boating experience. You’ll also have the opportunity to try boats from Portsmouth Historic Quarter, Team Endeavour Racing, Wetwheels, and Clipper Ventures.

Chefs Ahoy, brought to you by The Rustic Chef Martin Dawkins, serves up boat-friendly recipes using seasonal, local ingredients.

With three daily sessions, enjoy dishes from Martin and the Dishy Dads, plus meet South Coast producers of chocolate, gin, sauces, and more – all made using natural ingredients and traditional methods. 

Opening Dates & Times | 19 – 28 September 2025

Friday 19 – Thursday 25 September: 10:00 am – 6:00 pm (trade entry from 9:30 am)

Saturday 20 & 27 September: 10:00 am – 6:00 pm | Shipyard open until 9:00 pm

Sunday 28 September: 9:30 am – 4:30 pm

For more information please go to :-

https://www.southamptonboatshow.com/

Emirates GBR wins ROCKWOOL France Sail Grand Prix after race day two cancelled due to thunderstorm

 

The Emirates Great Britain SailGP Team has won the ROCKWOOL France Sail Grand Prix in Saint-Tropez, after Race Day Two was cancelled due to an incoming thunderstorm and lightning risk.

The British crew, driven by Olympic gold medallist Dylan Fletcher, topped the event leaderboard after the first day's racing on Friday, coming away with a scorecard of 2-4-6-1 from the four fleet races.

There was due to be three more full fleet races on Saturday, with the top three teams from across the weekend then going into the winner-takes-all event final. Saturday's action was cancelled early this morning after forecasters deemed there to be a thunderstorm and lightning risk, in which the carbon fibre F50s are not allowed to sail. This meant Emirates GBR was declared winner of the event, taking away the trophy and the 10 season points. New Zealand took second while Spain placed third. The British crew now sits second on the 2025 Season leaderboard, just two points behind the Kiwis in first.

Day 1 Highlights // ROCKWOOL France Sail Grand Prix 🇫🇷