WASZP Itchenor GP at Itchenor Sailing Club

 

Twenty-seven WASZPs made the trip to Chichester Harbour for the Itchenor GP, with bright autumn sunshine, a strong flood tide and the first real touch of winter in the air.

Eight races were sailed across the weekend, five on Saturday and three on Sunday. Max Rawlinson won the event with six race wins from eight, discarding a 2nd and a 3rd to finish on 6 points. Thomas Dempsey was second on 12 and James Deaton third on 18.

 

A big thank you to Itchenor Sailing Club, the race officer and team, the safety boat crews and the volunteers ashore for a fantastic weekend of racing and hospitality.

Category winners:

Top Female: Helena Mills Bowers

Top U17: James Broad

Top Master: Peter Hoyle

Top Super Master: Philip Gladman

Top 7.5 rig: Raffy Seddon

Top 6.9 rig and top U15: Felix Gladman

 

Tornado UK National Championship 2026 at the Grafham Water Catamaran Open

 

Five Tornado Catamarans took part in the Tornado Nationals in very windy conditions on 17th and 18th October at Grafham Water Sailing Club.

This year's National Championships were held as part of the Grafham Cat Open, with sailors enjoying a large start line and close racing with the Nacra 20s and F18s as well as the five Tornados. And with a gusty force 5 wind and flat water, the Tornados were in their element!

Robert Govier (UK Class Chairman) & David Figgis missed the first start of the Saturday after taking longer than expected to get their boat ready after some significant repairs to their carbon mast and spinnaker pole following a dismasting a few weeks ago. The repaired kit was delivered just in time to the event thanks to fast work by Pete from Zest Boatworks, but as is often the case, knitting the boat together after a breakage took longer than they'd budgeted for! Their delay gave the other boats an extra race to get themselves warmed up, or perhaps to wear them out a little early, with Jason Clarke & Andrew Dowley taking their first of two wins in the class results of the weekend, but the weather also proved too much for Adrian Howe & David Foster who were forced to return to shore for rapid repairs after an early breakage.

All five boats made the start of the second race, which turned out to be one of the closest between the top three boats, each boat holding the lead at some point over the race and rounding each mark within a few boat lengths of each other, which took even more skill than usual at the top mark where a nasty wind funnel threatened capsize and pitchpole at most roundings. In a close-run downwind leg to the line, Paul & Robert Palmer took the lead and the race win. This race however proved too much once again for Adrian & David, and Barry Arnison & Toby Simmerling who both retired from the day's racing, Barry & Toby with a broken spinnaker pole after a nasty pitchpole (one of quite a few around the boat park across the fleets at the end of the day's racing!).

The final race of the day was another tight competition, but Robert G & David held onto the lead after a good start, finishing the day with their first race win. A happy but exhausted fleet met in the bar after a few minor repairs and tweaks to their boats for a well-earned and delicious meal. This was followed by the UK class AGM, where it was decided to hold next year's Tornado UK National Championships at Whitstable Yacht Club as part of their 125th Anniversary Celebrations on 18th to 22nd August.

Sunday brought very similar weather, but without the forecast rain, meaning the start got away on time for another day of fast and windy racing, (reportedly the Committee Boat recorded 24+ knots of wind at some points). Barry stayed on shore following his breakage, but leant his crew, Toby, to Adrian, who's Saturday crew was feeling rather too battered to race, so four Tornado's hit the start line, along with another fifteen or so other catamarans across the handicap classes.

First race went to Robert G & David, who also took the first place overall in the handicap results for that race, beating off the F18 and Nacra 20 competition in what felt like the windiest race of the weekend, showing that the Tornado platform is second to none when the conditions get challenging!

The second race was a very close battle between Paul & Robert P and Jason & Andrew, with a high speed downwind drag race to the finishing line. The slight point up required to cross the finishing line made for a spectacular photo finish between the boats, particularly as Jason & Andrew crossed the line just ahead of the other boat in mid-pitchpole! Luckily, they avoided a capsize, but did put a hole in their spinnaker, which may or may not have held them back in the last race!

The final race of the Sunday was thankfully short as sailors and support crew were all feeling the effects of a hard weekend of racing, but Paul & Robert P had obviously saved a bit for last to lead the race and get a decisive first place, with Jason & Andrew in second, Robert G & David in third, and Adrian and Toby in forth, echoing their overall rankings.

Thankfully the predicted rain held off until the boats were on their trailers and being pulled out of the Grafham Water Sailing Club car park, putting a perfect end to a great weekend. Thanks to the team at Grafham for putting on an excellent event, on and off the water!

Overall Results:

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

1st 410 Paul Palmer Robert Palmer TBYC 2 1 2 2 2 1 8

2nd 450 Jason Clarke Andrew Dowley Marconi Sailing Club 1 2 3 3 1 2 9

3rd 402 Robert Govier David Figgis Whitstable Club 6 3 1 1 3 3 11

4th 422 Adrian Howe David and Toby  Hayling Ferry SC 6 5 6 6 4 6 27

5th 403 Barry Arnison and Toby  Grafham  Sailing Club 3 4 6 6 6 6 25

Miracle End of Season Championship at Shustoke Sailing Club

 

Shustoke Sailing Club hosted the Miracle Class End of Season Championship on 17th-18th October, treating competitors to a fine autumn weekend with a crisp northerly breeze, fresh at times in the gusts.

Shustoke's 100-acre reservoir runs west to east, so a northerly wind blowing straight across the lake was never going to make life easy. However, the challenging conditions produced five races of close, competitive sailing, with the fleet enjoying two races on Saturday and three on Sunday, alongside the club racing.

A small but select fleet assembled, with every boat boasting at least one national or area champion on board. Visitors travelled from Delph, Staunton Harold and Thornbury, making good use of Shustoke's convenient Midlands location. The fleet was unusually shy of the start lines, but once racing got under way there was no shortage of action. Gusts and shifting wind made the whole race-course a snakes-and-ladders affair, with frequent place changes. Reaching the windward mark in front was one thing; escaping the shoreline wind shadows and the fleet's blanket was quite another!

Local pairing Dave and Zara mastered the conditions best to claim the championship, with Wayne and Angela from Delph runners-up. Graham and Helen from Staunton Harold finished just two points further back in third. Hannah and Nick from Thornbury were fourth with Cole and Rachel/Harry rounding out the top five.

Off the water, the welcome was equally warm. Friday and Saturday night camping, a pleasant evening meal at the local pub and a busy galley all helped make the weekend. Dav kept everyone fuelled on Saturday, while Carol and Mylene took over on Sunday, serving bacon butties, sandwiches, soup and a tempting selection of homemade cakes.

Thanks go to Pete and Tim for excellent race management, giving up their own sailing all weekend to provide challenging courses and keep everything running to schedule. The safety crew and galley team also deserve a big thank-you, as these events simply wouldn't happen without them.

The championships concluded with prize-giving and, naturally, more cake to sustain visitors on their journeys home. A successful weekend of enjoyable racing and a fitting end to the Miracle open season!

Overall Results:

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

1st 3794 Dave Turtle Zara Frankton Shustoke SC ‑1 ‑1 1 1 1 3

2nd 4121 Wayne Atherton Angela Sweeney Delph SC ‑2 2 2 2 ‑3 6

3rd 4114 Graham Watts Helen Jacks Staunton Harold SC ‑4 ‑3 3 3 2 8

4th 4115 Hannah Smith Nick Smith Thornbury SC 3 ‑4 4 4 (DNC) 11

5th 4026 Cole Briscoe/Harry Marlow Shustoke SC ‑5 ‑5 5 5 4 14

Frensham Pond October Cadet Training: Big Fleets, Big Learning and Plenty of Fun

 

Frensham Pond Sailing Club (FPSC) was delighted to welcome 64 Cadet boats from eight different clubs for its annual October Training programme, held over the first three weekends of October.

With sailors spread across Gold, Silver and Regatta fleets, the focus was firmly on developing skills, building confidence and, most importantly, having fun on the water.

This year, we were fortunate to have an exceptional line-up of external coaches, Ricky Tagg, Mike MacNamara, Alex Corby, Will Shepherd and Vince Horey, who brought a wealth of knowledge, experience and enthusiasm to the programme. From refining racing techniques in the Gold fleet to building fundamental boat-handling skills and confidence in the Regatta fleet, there was something for everyone.

And the weather certainly kept us on our toes! Across the three weekends, sailors experienced a real mix of conditions, providing plenty of opportunities to put their newly acquired skills to the test. Whether adapting to changing wind conditions, sharpening tactical decisions or simply learning to keep the boat moving, every session offered something new.

Training wasn't the only opportunity to get competitive. Saturday afternoons saw sailors take to the water for a pursuit race series, giving them the chance to put their learning into practice in a racing environment. A Sunday series, held across two of the weekends, added even more racing to the programme.

It was fantastic to see the sailors taking what they had learned in the morning sessions and applying it on the racecourse, with some excellent racing across all three fleets.

Congratulations to our series podium finishers!

Sunday Race Series:

Main Fleet - Gold & Silver Combined

Sophia Stamp & Neve Hallett - Animal (FPSC)

Isobel Stamp & Scarlett Bose Mallik - La Nina (FPSC)

Isabelle Davies & Charlotte Allen - She Who Dares (FPSC)

Regatta Fleet

Eliza Gregory & Reuben Swan - Blue Magic (FPSC)

Joe Flood & Tom Noren Topham - Major Flood (FPSC)

Abigail O'Dwyer & Bea Barrie - Vortex (FPSC)

Saturday Pursuit Race Series:

Main Fleet - Gold & Silver Combined

Sophia Stamp & Neve Hallett - Animal (FPSC)

Holly Jones & Edward Gregory - Aquillo (FPSC)

Oscar Ward & Alex Starr - Di Maggio (SCSC)

Regatta Fleet

Joe Flood & Tom Noren Topham - Major Flood (FPSC)

Abigail O'Dwyer & Bea Barrie - Vortex (FPSC)

Megan O'Kelly & Amelia O'Kelly / Edward T - Heat Seeker (CCSC)

While congratulations go to our podium finishers, the real success of October Training was seeing sailors of all abilities learning, improving and growing in confidence throughout the event.

It was wonderful to see sailors learning from each other, making new friends and enjoying the camaraderie that makes the Cadet class so special. Whether it was a first experience of racing in the Regatta fleet or an experienced Gold fleet sailor working on those marginal gains, everyone had something to take away.

As organisers, we couldn't be happier with the turnout and the enthusiasm shown by everyone involved. A huge thank you to our visiting coaches for sharing their expertise, to the parents and volunteers who helped make everything run smoothly, and, of course, to all the sailors and families who travelled to Frensham and embraced the training with such energy.

The real reward will be seeing how these skills translate into racing over the coming months. We can't wait to follow everyone's progress, see the confidence gained on the water and watch our young sailors continue to develop.

Thank you to all eight clubs for supporting Frensham October Training and helping make it such a fantastic event.

We look forward to welcoming you all back to Frensham Pond next October for more learning, racing and fun.

Hunts Sailing Club Winter Series

 

It's that time of year again, the nights are drawing in, temperatures are starting to drop and there's only a few open meetings still to go.

But things are heating up at Hunts Sailing Club, Cambridgeshire's blue lagoon, and their winter series is now fast approaching. Our lake is located about 10 miles north west of Cambridge and is easily accessible.

Alan Bishop who is a regular winter member has been hard at work keeping his form up at his home club and travelling in his Streaker, now all ready to lock horns with his Son Steve Bishop (Solo fleet captain). Simon Maskell, Hunts Solo boat whisperer, will be having his brother join too, Mark Maskell from Brightlingsea, another winter regular, the Maskell brothers having a competitive rivalry that has been burning for many years. Family rivalry can never get dull, most of all it's very entertaining for spectators.

The Hunts SC winter series is always highly anticipated and with good numbers taking part, often attracting 20-30 racers each week, making it close and enjoyable for all. The race format is two races each Sunday and these are all in handicap starts, first race no earlier than 11 am followed by a break for lunch then the second race around 1pm.

Our winter series runs from the first Sunday of November and ends on the last Sunday of March. Details of how to sign up to the winter membership and prices are on the website and you will be able to store your boat in the dinghy park.

Hot and cold food and drinks are provided by our dedicated galley teams. We have spacious changing rooms and nice hot showers.

After racing everyone is able to relax with a drink and enjoy some banter.

A few words from our members and winter members:

Alan Bishop (Streaker): "Enjoyed participating in the Hunts Winter Series over the past few years. Friendly competitive racing, good turnouts and with everyone doing a little bit to help things run smoothly on and off the water it's good fun."

Simon Maskell (Solo): "I always look forward to the winter series at Hunts, the racing is competitive and we also have a couple of recent additions to the Solo fleet namely, Martin Brooking, always one to watch particularly in the light to medium airs, along with David Cronk, International man of mystery, who surprised many in the Solos at their recent 70th Anniversary Inlands at Grafham. Along with many talented sailors in other fleets the racing will be tight."

Find out more at www.huntssc.org.uk

Emirates GBR SailGP first team to use new off-calendar American Magic Pensacola training centre

 

Emirates GBR have begun off-calendar training in Pensacola after SailGP’s first long-term training base opened its doors for the first time.

It comes after the league’s dedicated training F50 arrived at the facility last week. Located at the state-of-the-art American Magic High Performance Center in Pensacola, Florida, the base will be used as a year-round training hub for the full F50 fleet and its athletes.

The multi-season agreement for the training base, running through 2031, represents a strategic partnership between American Magic and SailGP – two leaders in elite sail racing. All teams will have equal access to reserve training blocks outside of race weekends as the championship continues to scale globally.

The pressure is on Emirates GBR to deliver a top result to stay in contention for Abu Dhabi’s Championship-deciding Grand Final.

Tom Slingsby’s Bonds Flying Roos will also train in Pensacola ahead of Dubai as they prepare to compete at Abu Dhabi’s winner-takes-all shootout- a formidable warning sign to Los Gallos and the third team yet to book their spot in the Grand Final.

Helm Dylan Fletcher said having access to the facility outside of race weekends will be ‘a game-changer for SailGP athletes’.

“It gives us the opportunity to truly push the limits, dial in our communications and refine our playbooks,” he said. “The conditions in Pensacola’s bay will be fantastic, and having this centralized base will undoubtedly raise the standard of racing and depth across the entire fleet.”

American Magic and SailGP have agreed a five-year commitment for the training base, which operates with an innovative pay-to-train model, allowing teams to only pay for the specific days they use the facility.

This model currently builds on the shared services currently accessed by the fleet at SailGP events. All teams have equal access to reserve training blocks outside of race weekends and the first 10 training days sit outside the USD $10 million annual operating cap within teams’ participation agreements.

The next SailGP sailing events scheduled are the SailGP Dubai and Abu Dhabi season ending events, over the 21-22 and 28-29 November 2026.

Palnackie Race 2026 at Solway Yacht Club

 

After another successful sailing season at the Solway Yacht Club, it was the final event of the year, the rescheduled Palnackie Race. Coming hot on the heels of a great two-day ILCA 4, 6 & 7 training session attended by 28 young sailors, it was run by Molly Sacker, the UK Sailing Team's ILCA 6 National Champion and Olympic hopeful for the women's singlehanded class in 2028,

In glorious bright Autumn sunshine but only very light wind, Race Officer Dewi Williams briefed the competitors, and all agreed to start the race fifteen minutes early to make the best of what wind there was. As tradition, it was a 90-minute pursuit race. First away was scratch boat, Alec Gendinning, making a change from his familiar Laser Vortex and junk-rigged yacht, now in his newly acquired Wanderer. Ian and Margaret Purkis followed in their Firefly with John Broadbent and Louise Allan (GP14) third away, the rest progressively further back, the fast rated Osprey of Steve Gaughan and Anna Milne last to start.

Up through the twists and turns of the River Urr and avoiding the shallows and mudbanks, it is tricky, but John and Louise caught up the Purkis' Firefly as they rounded the elbow before catching and passing Alec in the Wanderer. Round a few more bends and with the turning buoy set short of Palnackie Harbour now in sight, John and Louise were building a clear lead. Richard Colbeck (ILCA7) and Stewart Mitchell (Finn) were closing. It was now a close contest between the next four boats Alec and Richard round the mark, followed the Purkis crew and Stewart, the last two stuck briefly in a windless spot.

Back down stream it seemed John and Louise had the race won but approaching the Devil's Reach, they misjudged their clearance from the mud, ran hard aground and had the frustration of watching the leading group all sailing past. It was now very close between Stewart's Finn and Richard's ILCA7. Recovering into fifth John and Louise could only look on. Meanwhile after swapping places several times, Ian and Margaret finally got ahead of Alec and as the 90-minute finish approached, it looked like a win for Stewart but at the crucial moment Richard gained a precious lift, luffed him, to win by no more than twelve inches! As always, the best pursuit races end with the closest possible finish.

Nevertheless, thanks to competing in every pursuit race over the 2026 season, Steve Gaughan's 6th place was enough to reward him with the overall pursuit race series win.

Results:

1st Richard Colbeck (ILCA 7)

2nd Stewart Mitchell (Finn)

3rd Ian and Margaret Purkis (Firefly)

4th Alec Glendinning (Wanderer)

5th John Broadbent and Louise Allan (GP14)

6th Steve Gaughan and Anna Milne (Osprey)

7th Keith Veasey (Finn)

Horning Sailing Club Autumn Passage Race

 

Now in its fourth year, Horning Sailing Club's Autumn Passage Race has established itself as a popular fixture on the Broads calendar, drawing 36 entries for this year's race.

With conditions a complete contrast to the race in 2025, which saw extremely light winds, this year the weather threw everything at competitors, from sunshine and showers to gusty winds and challenging sailing.

With seven starts ranging from traditional Broads and production cruisers (making up just under half of all the starts) to dinghies, a strong fleet of Yare & Bures and Yeomans to Reedlings, sailors made their way from Woods Dyke in Horning (close to the Ferry Inn) to a turning buoy near Oby, and another at Womack, before returning to Horning Sailing Club's base for the finish. Known as 'the Three Rivers Race without the bridges', it was a good day for the Yare & Bures, with two in the top three finishers.

First home, after around three hours of exceptionally fast sailing, was traditional River Cruiser Ladybird helmed by Paul Dennis, finishing just ahead of India, sailed by Martin Thompson. Finishers then followed quickly, although a lull in the breeze left some making slow progress through the trees on Horning Street. On corrected times, results were extremely close, with just over 11 minutes separating the top 10 finishers.

First overall was Kate Davies sailing Yare & Bure "Purple Emperor", with Wayfarer "Selkie" helmed by Jeremy Evans (last year's winner in the same boat) 21 seconds behind on corrected time, and Yare & Bure Nevada Blue skippered by Kim West third. Ladybird was fourth, with one of the smaller River Cruisers "Pickle", helmed by Phil Montague, 5th. River cruisers then dominated until 9th place, with Alice Rose (Steve Burton) 6th, Vacuna (Simon Bryan) 7th, India 8th and Sabrina 2 (John Holmes) 9th. Completing the top ten was Jane Pye in a Norfolk Punt.

Overall Results:

Pos Class Sail No Boat Name Skipper Corrected Time

1 YBOD 3 Purple Emperor Kate Davies 02:52:32

2 Wayfarer W11323 Selkie Jeremy Evans 02:52:53

3 YBOD 100 Nevada Blue Kim West 02:58:12

4 River Cruiser 13 Ladybird Paul Dennis 02:59:30

5 River Cruiser 429 Pickle Phil Montague 03:00:10

6 River Cruiser 416 Alice Rose Steve Burton 03:01:28

7 River Cruiser 50 Vacuna Simon Bryan 03:01:43

8 River Cruiser 410 India Martin Thompson 03:02:35

9 River Cruiser 152 Sabrina 2 John Holmes 03:03:04

10 Norfolk Punt 103 PYE 03:03:48

11 River Cruiser 244 Catspaw Brian Wilkins 03:04:46

12 Norfolk Punt 96 Snowgoose Charlie Stewart 03:05:52

13 River Cruiser 379 Amantani George Brewis 03:09:55

14 RS400 638 0 Simon Spaul 03:12:20

15 Yeoman Y164 Nimrod Allan Dornan 03:13:40

16 Norfolk OD B67 Rattie Hugh Braidwood 03:14:27

17 Yeoman Y70 Two C Sons Paul Clarke 03:17:06

18 Waveney OD W5 Ragged Robin Alex New 03:17:50

19 Yeoman Y210 Hornet Caroline Gilbert 03:20:42

20 Yeoman Y11 Amethyst Amanda Brooks 03:23:39

21 Yeoman Y161 Damselfly Adrian Tooke 03:27:46

22 YBOD 40 White Wave Dominic Horner 03:30:19

23 River Cruiser 61 Gypsy Cath Lindon 03:37:45

24 YBOD 60 Willow Beauty Marianne Phoenix 03:39:29

25 Reedling RK9 Bulrush Chris Mayo 03:46:17

26 Production Cruiser 51 Hianna Mark Preston 04:29:08

27 River Cruiser 212 Catriona Chester Oliver 04:33:55

Feva and ILCA Chichester Harbour Series returns for a sixth season

 

Everything you love about the harbour series is back: exciting racing, spirited competition and unbeatable convenience.

The format is the same as always, and we are hoping to see both lots of familiar faces and new entrants who have moved up to Fevas and ILCAs.

What?

Three host clubs, three two-day events, three races each day.

Where?

A central rendez-vous point in the middle of the harbour.

Why?

To get as many sailors as possible out racing!

Who?

Anyone who belongs to any of the Chichester Harbour clubs or anyone who can launch from a Harbour club. All levels are very welcome. Bring your mates - everything is better with friends.

How?

Sign up here.

How much?

It's only a fiver a day, just to cover admin. You won't find better value or more fun racing.

What else?

The event builds Harbour community spirit and offers sailors big fleet racing with the ease of launching from your home club.

Why not?

Exactly!

In past years, we've had boats from clubs including Bosham, Hayling, Itchenor, Dell Quay, Emsworth, West Wittering, Chichester and we'd love to have more involved. Please join us.

For more information, join our WhatsApp.

Upcoming dates:

Thurs. 29 and Fri. 30 October, 2026 - Bosham Sailing Club hosts

Sat. 21 and Sun. 22 November, 2026 - Itchenor Sailing Club hosts

Sat. 17 and Sun. 18 April, 2027 - Hayling Island Sailing Club hosts

Building skills at the Sailia BIG Weekend in Wales

 

More than 80 delegates signed up to take part in the Salia BIG Weekend 2026 in Wales to stretch or refresh their skills, try something new or begin their journey towards becoming an instructor.

The annual RYA Cymru Wales event was hosted by Plas Menai National Outdoor Centre (10-11 October), sponsored by online booking platform Salia, and supported by Swansea Watersports.

With a wealth of opportunities both ashore and afloat, there was something for everyone from watersports enthusiasts and club volunteers to marine industry professionals keen to update and develop their knowledge.

Mixed conditions brought wind and rain on the Saturday - with the Northern Lights making for a memorable evening - then Sunday saw the sunshine breaking through and the wind filling in to enable another packed schedule of activities.

Organiser Hester Walker, Club Development Officer for RYA Cymru Wales, said: "It was rewarding to see so many people getting involved in so many different ways over one or both days. This year's Salia BIG Weekend attracted people from across Wales and beyond, including returnees and new faces, with beginner through to advanced sessions and RYA courses.

Many participants tried a new watersport, developed their knowledge and skills, gained a qualification or achieved important next steps towards becoming an instructor, including:

6 newly qualified RYA Safety Boat drivers

11 gained an RYA First Aid certificate

6 aspiring RYA Dinghy Instructors ticked off their Pre-Assessment

2 power boaters passed their instructor Pre-Assessment

3 sailors gained dinghy coastal skills and 3 acquired spinnaker skills

6 powerboaters learned how to plot and navigate a route from table to tide, 6 gained search and rescue expertise and 4 took part in a rescue and recovery session

14 participants gave wingsurfing or wingfoiling a go or progressed their skills

A dozen sailors took off with dinghy foiling

24 commercial skippers, instructors and principals attended a talk to learn from incidents and prosecutions in the marine industry

6 race instructors/coaches benefitted from CPD

8 enjoyed cruising on the Menai Strait including with Merched Y Mor

3 enjoyed a keelboat day sail and 4 ticked off their Keelboat Instructor endorsement

4 tackled AquaPaddle and 2 experienced Celtic Longboat Rowing with the Royal Welsh Yacht Club

Participants ranged in age from 13 to 75 and feedback included a heartfelt thanks from many who were inspired to have fun developing their personal experience and confidence on the water or gain qualifications to take back to their home clubs and venues.

"A massive 'thank you' to everyone involved in the organisation of the Big Weekend - I can appreciate the amount of hard work that has gone into making it such as success. My thanks also to Swansea Watersports and all the other instructors who generously gave their time in support of the Big Weekend. I will certainly be spreading the word amongst my water sport friends and recommending they come along to the Big Weekend 2027."

Look out for the return of the Sailia BIG Weekend in North Wales next autumn and in the meantime for our BIG Days Out in South Wales in Spring 2027, when RYA Cymru Wales will again be offering a breadth of opportunities for getting afloat to develop skills and gain qualifications on the water.

Remember to keep up to date with all the latest updates by following @RYACymruWales on Instagram and Facebook.

Notts County Sailing Club Winter Series 2026

 

We know of one or two local clubs in the East Midlands have very little water, so we bought they may like to know Notts County has lots.

Winter series starting this weekend at lunchtime (after the RS Open) Sunday 18th Oct (after that start at 1100) to 20th December. We have a daily or whole series fee, the whole series fee includes keeping your boat at club. Poster has PY numbers we can accommodate.

Full details can be found at members.ncsc.org.uk/event/1240943

A Sailing Holiday for Beginners — With Plenty to Do Ashore

For new sailors, I’d recommend a week sailing around the Greek Ionian Islands. It’s a wonderful introduction to sailing: beautiful turquoise bays, short hops between islands, pretty harbours, traditional Greek tavernas and plenty of opportunities to swim, explore villages and enjoy life ashore.

You don't need to be an experienced sailor. You can charter a yacht with a professional skipper, learn a few sailing skills along the way, and enjoy the holiday without the pressure of being responsible for the boat.

Day 1 — Arrive in Lefkada

Easy start · Marina and town

Arrive, meet your skipper, settle into your yacht and learn the basics of safety and life aboard.

Onshore activities: Explore Lefkada Town's colourful streets, browse local shops and enjoy your first Greek dinner at a waterfront taverna.

Day 2 — Meganisi

Short sail · Swimming and village life

Sail towards Meganisi, with a stop in a sheltered bay for a swim. Your skipper can show you how to steer, handle ropes and understand the sails.

Onshore activities: Wander around Vathy harbour, visit a traditional café or take a walk up to Spartochori for lovely views over the bay.

Day 3 — Ithaca

Island scenery · Walking and culture

Head towards Ithaca, the island associated with Homer's Odyssey. Enjoy the coastline and practise sailing under supervision.

Onshore activities: Explore the pretty harbour village of Kioni, walk its narrow lanes, find a beach or enjoy a long lunch overlooking the boats.

Day 4 — Discover more of Ithaca

A flexible day · Walking and local food

Keep this day relaxed, with a short sail to another bay or harbour depending on the weather.

Onshore activities: Walk inland through olive groves, visit Vathy's waterfront, browse local shops or take a taxi to a scenic viewpoint. This is also a good day for a longer lunch ashore.

Day 5 — Fiskardo, Kefalonia

Pretty harbour · Coastal exploring

Sail to Fiskardo, one of the Ionian's most attractive harbour villages, known for its colourful buildings and waterfront.

Onshore activities: Browse boutiques and galleries, take a coastal walk, find a beach or settle down for a seafood dinner. If conditions permit, explore a nearby cove by dinghy.

Day 6 — Kastos

Quiet island · Snorkelling and relaxation

Enjoy a quieter stretch of the Ionian, with time for a swim and perhaps a little more hands-on sailing.

Onshore activities: Explore the small village on foot, have a leisurely coffee, snorkel in clear water and enjoy a relaxed meal at a local taverna.

Day 7 — A final swim and return

Gentle sailing · Farewell to Greece

Sail back towards Lefkada, stopping for one last swim if time and weather allow. Your skipper will manage the return passage and yacht handover.

Onshore activities: Enjoy a final coffee or lunch ashore before departure, depending on your travel arrangements.

The itinerary is flexible rather than a fixed passage plan. The skipper will adjust destinations and sailing distances for the weather, daylight and the crew's comfort. The route above is a proposed outline, not a guarantee that every stop will be possible.

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GP14 Hot Toddy Regatta at Mullingar Cancelled This Weekend

 

The GP14 Class Association of Ireland has confirmed the cancellation of this weekend's Hot Toddy regatta at Mullingar Sailing Club, with plans to rearrange the event early next season.

The GP14 Hot Toddy regatta, scheduled for Saturday and Sunday, 17–18 October, at Mullingar Sailing Club on Lough Owel, has been cancelled due to unforeseen circumstances affecting the host club.

The GP14 Class Association of Ireland confirmed the decision on Wednesday, apologising to the 25 competitors who had planned to travel to Mullingar for the two-day event.

The cancellation follows a bereavement within the club, leaving organisers unable to proceed with the planned weekend programme.

The GP14 Class Association committee intends to explore the possibility of rearranging the regatta for early next season.

The class's Annual General Meeting, which was due to take place during the weekend, will instead be organised via Zoom over the coming weeks.

No revised dates have yet been confirmed.