Streaker P&B End of Season Championship at Northampton Sailing Club

 

Sandwiched between storms Austen and Boelo, chronologically and geographically, it was looking touch-and-go whether there would be any racing at the Streaker P&B End of Season Championship at Northampton Sailing Club. But, in the end, the sailors who made the trip were rewarded with three top quality races in some challenging but very sailable conditions.

Attendance may have been down, but the quality of the fleet certainly wasn't! National and Inland Champion Martin Penty (Beaver SC) was there, as were Pete Gray (Staunton Harold SC) and Giles Therkelson-Smith (Beaver SC) who, in September, both took race wins against Martin at the breezy Inland Championships at Grafham Water SC.

All bar one of the helms are Gold Fleet, so the stage was set for some highly competitive racing to decide who would take home the Freddy Bear Trophy. The event would also determine the overall winners of the Rooster Super Series, the North Sails Northern Paddle Series, the HD Sails Southern Paddle Series and the Midland Series.

At the briefing, the forecast breeze was yet to fully materialise but, as Race Officer Ian Pinnell said, "we know it's coming"! He made it clear that his priority was to get all the races in for both fleets, the Streakers and the OKs. He would be using the U-flag from the off and the races may well be a bit shorter than scheduled to beat the storm's arrival. Ian and his team delivered on his promise, with three races completed in quick succession around the trapezoid course. There were no delays whatsoever between races... thank you Ian!

Race 1 got away promptly in 15-20 knots. The bulk of the fleet were tightly bunched towards the slightly favoured pin end, with no-one wanting to give any advantage to their rivals. Giles nailed the pin and was the furthest left up the first beat when a handy 'lefty' gave him the chance to lead at the windward mark. Giles had a bit of a cushion to Dave Borrett (Beaver SC) in second as the whole fleet blasted down the short reach, line astern behind Dave. As the fleet spread out onto the more tactical run, Pete and Martin gybed left towards the centre of the reservoir and by the end of the run they had pulled through into second and third in pursuit of Giles. These three jostled for position over the subsequent laps, with Pete managing to grab the win ahead of Giles, then Martin. Dave held his place ahead of the chasing pack to take a well-earned fourth.

Race 2 followed a similar pattern as the breeze continued to build. This time it was Giles who showed his mastery of the conditions, with great boat speed and faultless handling giving him the race win ahead of Pete then Martin. Behind these three, the ability to stay upright and in control was starting to have a bearing on the results, but James Dawes (Redditch SC) managed to stay out of trouble to take fourth.

With the super-fast turnaround between races, the top three may not have had time to do the maths, but going into the final race, Giles and Pete were equal on points, with a first and a second each. The final race would decide which of them would win the Freddy Bear Trophy. Martin was unable to make up the deficit, with two third-place results already on the scoreboard.

In race 3, Martin, Pete and James were joined by Abby Yorkston (WOBYC) at the front, further emphasising the fine margins between everyone at the event. Giles had some ground to make up after a minor watch malfunction had put him last off the start line; he thought he'd blown his chances!

On the second beat, Pete and Martin were side by side, battling for the lead. Pete took Martin slightly past the port lay line but as he tacked Pete got caught under the boom and capsized. This gave Martin the lead and allowed James, Abby and, significantly, Giles to pass. The race finished with Martin first, James second and Giles third. Abby secured her best result of the day in fourth.

So, at the end of a very competitive and exciting day's racing, Giles Therkelson-Smith becomes End of Season Champion and takes the Freddy Bear Trophy, ahead of Pete Gray in second and Martin Penty in third. Credit to local Northampton SC sailor, Rory Odell, who borrowed his mum's Streaker. On any other day with a typical turnout, he would have been well up the fleet and so fully deserved to win the Silver Fleet at his first, and hopefully not last, Streaker event.

At the prize-giving, there were prizes for everyone from sponsors P&B, to recognise that just attending required some commitment! Well done to all who took part and thank you from the Streaker Class to the race management, the organisers and volunteers at Northampton SC for a very well run event. Also, thanks to the OK fleet for sharing the event.

Overall Results:

Pos Fleet Helm Sail No Club R1 R2 R3 Pts

1 Gold Giles Therkelson‑Smith 1982 Beaver SC 2 1 ‑3 3

2 Gold Peter Gray 2202 Staunton Harold SC 1 2 ‑5 3

3 Gold Martin Penty 2192 Beaver SC ‑3 3 1 4

4 Gold James Dawes 1975 Redditch SC ‑7 4 2 6

5 Gold Abigail Yorkston 2127 WOBYC 5 ‑6 4 9

6 Gold Neil Firth 1977 Banbury SC 6 5 (DNC) 11

7 Gold Dave Borrett 1864 Beaver SC 4 8 (DNF) 12

8 Silver Rory Odell 1809 Northampton SC ‑8 7 6 13

2026 World Sailing Awards finalists revealed

 

World Sailing is proud to announce the finalists for this year's male and female Rolex World Sailor of the Year, male and female Young World Sailor of the Year, 11th Hour Racing Impact Award and Team of the Year.

The finalists feature an exceptional selection of world champions, round-the-world record holders, rising stars, pioneers and organisations committed to making a difference to the global sailing community. Each finalist impressed the judging panel with their achievements over the past year.

This year's awards will be announced at a live ceremony on Wednesday 18 November 2026 in Qingdao, China, where the President's Development Award and Beppe Croce Trophy will also be presented.

Voting opens today and everyone who loves sailing is invited to help decide the winners. The public vote will make up 50% of the final decisions with 50% contributed by World Sailing's expert panel of judges.

Sign up or login with your email here to vote.

Voting closes at 12:00 UTC on Monday 2 November.

Award Shortlists

Rolex World Sailor of the Year finalists - Female

Paula Barcelo and Maria Cantero (ESP)

Maria Giubilei (ITA)

Lauriane Nolot (FRA)

Charlotte Rose (USA)

Rolex World Sailor of the Year finalists - Male

Thomas Coville (FRA)

Max Maeder (SGP)

Luuc van Opzeeland (NED)

Matt Wearn (AUS)

Young World Sailor of the Year - Female

Medea Falcioni (ITA)

Vaina Picot (FRA)

Catalina Turienzo (ARG)

Tamar Steinberg (ISR)

Young World Sailor of the Year - Male

Manuel Bragança (BRA)

Paul Loiseau (FRA)

Gian Andrea Stragiotti (SUI)

Federico Pilloni (ITA)

World Sailing 11th Hour Racing Impact Award

The Little Optimist Trust (RSA)

Shake-A-Leg Miami (USA)

Turning Point Foundation (GER)

The Yacht Club of Hyderabad (IND)

Team of the Year

Diego Botin and Florian Trittel (ESP)

Luna Rossa Team (ITA)

Martin Wrigley and Bettine Harris (GBR)

Seb Menzies and George Lee Rush (NZL)

The Famous Project CIC (FRA)

Sandy Point Watersports sponsor Hayling Island Sailing Club Open Winter Series

 

Hayling Island Sailing Club is pleased to announce that Sandy Point Watersports have come on board as title sponsor of the upcoming SPW Winter Series.

This year's SPW Winter Series is a weekend dinghy racing series starting on Sunday 1st November, and finishing on Sunday 13th December.

The event is open to both HISC Members and Visitors and will feature a Saturday and Sunday Series.

The Saturday Series will be a single-start Handicap Series, formed of 6 races, running from 7th November until Saturday 12th December, whilst the Sunday Series will be a 5-start series (Medium/Slow/Fast/RS Elite/Solo), formed of 7 races.

Sandy Point Watersports will be providing prizes for top finishers in all fleets as part of their title sponsorship of the series.

Entries are now open - visitors can race in all 13 races across the two series for just £70, whilst HISC Members can sign up for free.

HISC is looking forward to welcoming racers for some great Winter Racing!

Yacht Racing Forum: One month to go

 

In a month, the Yacht Racing Forum will bring together leading figures from across the international sailing and yacht racing industry for two days of conferences, debate, networking and business.

Now in its 16th edition, the Forum is the annual business conference for the yacht racing industry, providing a unique meeting point for event organisers, professional teams and sailors, designers, engineers, marine industry executives, sponsors, venues, media and governing bodies.

This year's programme will address some of the most important opportunities and challenges shaping the sport and its industry, from the future of sailing events and race formats to artificial intelligence, sponsorship, technology, participation, sustainability and commercial development.

A high-level line-up of speakers

The conference will open on Thursday, November 19, with a keynote address by Sam Watson, CEO of North Technology Group, followed by a session entitled State of the Industry, chaired by Olympic gold medallist and broadcaster Shirley Robertson. The panel will bring together senior representatives from across the sport and industry to discuss the economic, commercial and geopolitical forces currently shaping yacht racing.

On Friday, November 20, Marzio Perrelli, CEO of The America's Cup, will deliver the opening keynote, providing delegates with insights into the future of sailing's most prestigious competition.

Other confirmed speakers include leading figures from The Ocean Race, IMOCA, World Sailing, SailGP, European Boating Industry, ICOMIA, 11th Hour Racing, Ferrari Hypersail, VPLP Design, Antigua Sailing Week and many other organisations at the forefront of the sport.

From AI to the world's most innovative race boats

Artificial intelligence will feature prominently in this year's programme. A dedicated session will examine how AI is transforming yacht design, performance analysis, race strategy, broadcasting, communications and commercial development - and where human judgement will remain essential.

Innovation will also take centre stage in "The World's Coolest New Race Boats!", hosted by Matthew Sheahan. The session will provide a behind-the-scenes look at three highly innovative projects: Ferrari Hypersail, the Mach 50 Palanad 4 and Baltic Yachts' foiling superyacht Raven, presented by some of the people directly involved in their development.

Another session will look beyond yacht racing to explore how engineers and technologies from the racing world are contributing to the decarbonisation of commercial shipping, particularly through wind-assisted propulsion, composites, wind sensing and data analysis.

Growing the sport - and the business behind it

The Yacht Racing Forum will also address one of sailing's fundamental challenges: how to attract more people to the sport.

A dedicated "Growing the Sport" session will examine the barriers to participation, the perception of sailing as expensive or difficult to access, and the initiatives that can make the sport more welcoming and accessible.

Other sessions will explore sponsorship and commercial partnerships, host venues, event management, race formats and the future of major international sailing events and classes.

Business and networking at the heart of the Forum

Coffee breaks, lunches and informal discussions are designed to give delegates time to develop new contacts, strengthen existing relationships and explore partnerships and business opportunities.

On Thursday evening, the Sailors' Night will bring the international yacht racing community together in a relaxed and informal setting.

Celebrating yacht racing photography

The Forum will also host the awards ceremony of the 17th Pantaenius Yacht Racing Image Award. The winners will be announced and celebrated on Friday, November 20.

Where the yacht racing community and industry meet

The Yacht Racing Forum will once again provide delegates with a unique opportunity to combine the industry's major trade show, Metstrade, with two days dedicated specifically to the business and future of yacht racing.

With one month to go, the countdown to Amsterdam has begun.

The Yacht Racing Forum takes place on November 19-20, 2026, at RAI Amsterdam.

For more information and registration: www.yachtracingforum.com

Solo Open at Papercourt Sailing Club

 

Papercourt Sailing Club's Solo open took place on Sunday 18th October, with a Northerly forecast of up to 20mph. The fleet consisted of 19 Solos and included 10 visitors. Under the guidance of the race officer, Jon Paton, the day's sailing proved to be competitive and challenging.

Papercourt is known for its occasionally (!) shifty wind, and this day was no exception, with many of the front runners pausing to wash their sails in the gusts and holes.

Race 1 saw Julian Rickards (Littleton) light his afterburners and sail off into clear wind for the rest of the race. Behind him, there were multiple place changes, with Ian Matthews (Spinnaker), Simon Derham (Littleton), Simon Bird, Andrew Boyce (Papercourt) and Alan Fuller (Papercourt) all fighting for the next small point spots. Ian was able to break through, followed by Simon and Nigel.

Race 2 saw a similar speed differential with Julian out in front, but this time with Fraser Hayden (Papercourt) closer on his transom, away from the pack of Simon, Ian and Jack Turnball (Martello Lakes).

After a free energy giving lunch, Race 3 saw Fraser take an early lead and never to be caught. The remaining pack were again thrown around by the hard-to-read shifts, with Ian, Jack and John Reed (Bough Beech) following, but with Julian testing the water, he would be under pressure after his 2 wins.

Race 4 tried to start in a major squall (over 27kn recorded), which meant it was hard to see the flags or hear the hooter. A few were over keen to get to the Papercourt Tea, so a recall was issued, followed by the 1st black flag of the day.

The line was noticeably clearer as some boats held back in the squall.

Ian Matthews was leading to the windward mark but in a less than perfect tack he was knocked out of his boat leaving Fraser in the lead, but he then had a last-minute head-to-wind moment and had to bear off round the buoy, dropping 3 places to Simon, John and Julian, who finished in that order.

Our thanks to Jon Paton and his race team, Jill and her foodie team.

Thanks also go to Ian Matthews for organising the P&B Southern Solo series so enthusiastically. Well done to him for winning that, with Fraser 2nd and Simon 3rd.

Ian also won the Thames Valley Solo series, with Simon 2nd and Julian 3rd.

Overall Results:

Pos Sail No Helm Club R1 R2 R3 R4 Pts

1st 5187 Julian Rickards Littleton SC 1 1 ‑11 2 4

2nd 5693 Fraser Hayden Papercourt SC ‑6 2 1 4 7

3rd 5393 Simon Derham Littleton SC 3 3 ‑5 1 7

4th 6150 Ian Matthews Spinnaker SC 2 4 2 (RET) 8

5th 4381 Jack Turnball Martello Lakes ‑14 5 3 6 14

6th 5045 John Reed Bough Beech SC ‑10 9 4 3 16

7th 5666 Andrew Boyce Papercourt SC 5 6 6 ‑7 17

8th 5178 Authur Mason ‑7 7 7 5 19

9th 4669 Alan Fuller Papercourt SC 8 8 ‑15 8 24

10th 5947 Frank Brown Papercourt SC 11 ‑13 9 11 31

11th 566         Andrew Hill‑Smith  Papercourt SC ‑17 11 12 9 32

12th 5581 John Driscoll Spinnaker SC 15 ‑16 13 10 38

13th 5831 Martin Kemp Papercourt SC 12 10 (RET) DNS 42

14th 5085 John Baple Papercourt SC 16 12 14 (DNS) 42

15th 5977 Les Radford Spinnaker SC 9 14 (RET) DNS 43

16th 6087 Peter Matthews Papercourt SC 18 15 10 (DNS) 43

17th 5903 Nigel Bird RYA 4 (RET) DNS RET 44

18th 3847 Mike Barnes RYA 13 17 16 (RET) 46

19th 5815 Tom Key Papercourt (DNC) DNC 8 RET 48

Registration open for the 2027 Antigua Classic Yacht Regatta

 

If you love classic yachts, great sailing and good times with a group of passionate sailors, it's time to start making plans for the 37th Antigua Classic Yacht Regatta!

Register now! It's the perfect time to commit to another unforgettable week of classic yachting in Antigua. Want to take advantage of reduced entry fees? Pay before March 1st, 2027 to get the early bird discount.

Join us in English Harbour for beautiful boats, competitive racing, and the kind of camaraderie that keeps sailors coming back year after year. From the excitement on the racecourse to the fun ashore, the Classic Regatta is about much more than sailing. It's about sharing a passion for these extraordinary yachts and making memories with old friends and new.

Whether you're a returning competitor or planning your first visit, we'd love to have you with us.

Ready to join the fleet? Go to yachtscoring.com/emenu/50993

Get your entry in early, save on registration fees, and start looking forward to a week of great sailing, good friends and classic yacht magic.

We'll see you April 14-19, 2027 in Nelson's Dockyard, Antigua.

For more information please visit www.antiguaclassics.com

Email Regatta Coordinator at admin@antiguaclassics.com

Streaker North Sails Northern Paddle Open at Winsford Flash Sailing Club

 

The penultimate event of the North Sails Northern Paddle Series was sailed at Winsford Flash Sailing Club (WFSC) in very trying conditions, with a wind of around 17 knots and gusting to 30 knots coming straight down the Flash from north to south.

There were nine Streaker helms that took to the water on Saturday 10 October, five visitors and four from the home club.

Following a briefing by Race Officer Jon Close, prompt at 10.30, the class started on 'zero' at 11.00 with a few capsizes even before the start!

Race one saw eight helms complete the race with one retiree, Rick Hough (WFSC). Pete Coop (Nantwich & Border Counties SC) led from start to finish using his local knowledge, having been a member at WFSC for some five years prior to moving to his current club. Second place was taken by Matthew Whitfield (Tamworth SC), third place was held by Phil Watson (Shotwick Lake SC) who again had local knowledge, having previously been a member at WFSC.

Finishing 4th was Ian Whitfield (Tamworth SC), 5th Catherine Whittaker (WFSC), 6th Sandy Mill (Shotwick Lake SC), 7th Steve Bellamy (WFSC) and 8th Rosemarie Benson (WFSC).

Race 2 saw only five helms complete the course! Rick Hough decided not to brave the deteriorating wind conditions and did not start. Ian Whitfield, Cath Whittaker and Sandy Mill retired following at least one capsize each during the course of the race. Once again, Pete Coop finished in first, followed by Matthew Whitfield second and Phil Watson third. In fourth was Steve Bellamy and fifth was Rosemarie Benson.

With wind conditions worsening and gusts increasing up to 34 knots the Race Officer decided that it was unsafe to continue, so towards the end of the second race he hoisted 'AP over A' and race 3 was abandoned.

Several abandoned boats were recovered from around The Flash. All helms retired to the clubhouse for some much-needed refreshments and for the presentation of prizes. Thanks were expressed to the event co-ordinators James Murie (Comet Fleet Captain), James Blackford (Menagerie Fleet Captain) who acted as assistant race officer on the day, to Jon Close the Race officer, to the four WFSC members who manned the safety boats and had an extremely busy day - at one point four boats had capsized - and to the team that manned the galley.

The next combined Comet/Streaker open at Winsford Flash SC is provisionally scheduled for 9 October 2027. We hope to see you there.

Overall Results:

Pos Helm Sail No Club R1 R2 Pts

1 Pete Coop 2177 Nantwich & Border Counties SC 1 1 2

2 Matthew Whitfield 1901 Tamworth SC 2 2 4

3 Philip Watson 2150 Shotwick Lake SC 3 3 6

4 Steve Bellamy 1868 Winsford Flash SC 7 4 11

5 Rosemarie Benson 2195 Winsford Flash SC 8 5 13

6 Ian Whitfield 1900 Tamworth SC 4 DNF 14

7 Catherine Whittaker 1700 Winsford Flash SC 5 DNF 15

8 Sandy Mill 2165 Shotwick Lake SC 6 DNF 16

9 Rick Hough 1934 Winsford Flash SC DNF DNC 20

Merlin Rockets Return to Cookham Reach Sailing Club

 

Saturday 17th October and 11 Merlin Rockets headed to Cookham Reach Sailing Club for the first time since 2018 for the combined Rowsell Sails Thames Series, Craftinsure Vintage Series and Classic Series event. The penultimate event of the year and all was to play for.

Bacon butties, tea and coffee welcomed sailors who mainly arrived by road. However, the family Jacobs arrived by river towing their two Merlin Rockets down river from Upper Thames Sailing Club, a tradition Pat Blake says that used to be the norm back in the day.

PRO Clive Church welcomed visiting sailors and explained the format for the day. With the wind coming from the north, the start line would be further upstream from the club, and each race would consist of multiple laps (nine to be precise of a windward - leeward course).

Of the 11 boats taking to the start line ten were vintage and one was modern. Would the late entry of the modern merlin of Mark Stockbridge and Christian Hill at 8pm on the Saturday night be the right call? The breeze was up at times, maybe it would. Only time would tell.

Race 1 and 2 before lunch followed a similar pattern, clear starts and plenty of short tacking. Fortunately for Mark and Christian, they managed to break free after the first buoy leaving plenty of short tacking and port/starboard calls throughout the chasing packs. Their day went pretty smoothly from what your report writer could see with two race wins and the overall event wrapped by lunchtime.

In both races it was Mark Barwell and Louise Johnson, in their recently restored 1962 MK 12, that managed to wriggle there way through to second place, despite Oliver and Emily Houseman in 3560 and Peter Slack and Lyla Jacobs in 578 ready to capitalise on any misfortune of an unlucky shift. There was plenty of place changing. Mark and Louise manage to keep their bow in front to claim two seconds, with Oliver and Emily claiming a second and a third. With Peter and Lyla claiming a third and then a second. It would be all to play for after lunch.

Sailors were greeted ashore, a jacket potato topped with meat or vegetable chilly followed by a fruit pie and custard, the perfect warming lunch after what was feeling like the first sailing day of autumn.

Clive Church was not letting anyone get too comfortable in the club house and promptly sent everyone afloat once the plates were empty.

Race 3 and things were hotting up. Mark and Christian, although they had already won came out to play, excited to see who would take first vintage boat and second, third and fourth on the Thames series. There could be no mistakes.

After a general recall, the fleet were off, on the same course as race one and two. This time Mark and Christian didn't get away and for lap one, three boats of Mark and Christian, Mark and Louise, and Oliver and Emily were cross tacking with plenty of place changes. Unfortunately for Mark and Louise their rudder fitting decided to get a bit bent out of shape, seeing them retire from the race. All they could do was now sail home and wait to see what happened. If Mark and Christian took the win, they would be first Vintage and second in the Thames. If Oliver and Emily, or Peter and Lyla won, Mark and Louise would drop a place maybe two.

The battle was on, and clearly Oliver and Emily were keen to try and take the win with Emily flying the spinnaker for the first time on the day and what an excellent job she did. Mark and Louise could see the leeward mark from the club house, it was close, one lap with Oliver and Emily in front, the next lap with Mark and Christian in front and all the time Peter and Lyla were chasing too. Eventually Mark and Christian took their third bullet of the day followed closely by Oliver and Emily and then Peter and Lyla who said an excellent three series race day.

The fleet sailed back to the club to be welcomed by tea, coffee and cake - just perfect. Mark Stockbridge, thanked Clive and his team for an excellent day's racing and those ashore in the galley for keeping everyone well fed. We hope we can come again soon!

Results:

First Rowsell Sails Thames Series: Mark Stockbridge and Christian Hill

Second Rowsell Sails Thames Series and First Craftinsure Vintage: Mark Barwell and Louise Johnson

Third Rowsell Sails Thames Series and Second Craftinsure Vintage: Oliver and Emily Houseman

Fourth Rowsell Sails Thames Series and Third Craftinsure Vintage: Peter Slack and Lyla Jacobs

If all goes to plan the Rowsell Sails Thames Series and Craftinsure Vintage and Classic Series conclude on Sunday 25th October at Ranelagh Sailing Club.

Overall Results:

Pos Sail No Helm Crew R1 R2 R3 Pts

1 3727 Mark Stockbridge Christian Hill 1 1 1 2

2 1346 Mark Barwell Lou Johnson 2 2 dnf 4

3 3560 Oliver Houseman Emily Houseman 3 4 2 6

4 578         Peter Slack Lyla Jacobs 5 3 3 6

5 723         Stuart Jenkins Nicola Scadden 4 5 dns 9

6 1028 Tim Medcalf Ed Medcalf 6 8 4 10

7 901   Pat Blake  Jilly Blake 7 6 dns 13

8 2040 Richard Pausey Alex Pausey dns 9 5 14

9 2037 Richard Burton John Donoghue 9 7 dns 16

10 1951 Guy Jacobs Holly Jacobs 8 10 dns 18

11 666        Tre Jacobs Jacs Jacobs 10 dnf dns 22

RS Tera open meeting at Royal Lymington Yacht Club

Almost 50 RS Tera sailors had a fantastic weekend of racing on 17-18 October, proudly sponsored by Carrington Boats.

With windy conditions across both days, competitors were certainly put to the test, making for some exciting and challenging racing! A huge well done to everyone who took part and embraced the conditions.

Congratulations to our top three in each fleet!

RS Tera Pro:

1. Charlie Hunt - Netley SC / Frensham Pond SC

2. Jack Harrison - Gurnard SC

3. Amy Heyburn - Whitefriars SC

RS Tera Sport:

1. Freddie Harrison - Gurnard SC

2. Louis Rumboll - RLymYC

3. Bora Carrington - RLymYC

Regatta Fleet:

1. Eleanora Hutchinson - RLymYC

2. Rory Kolaczkowski - RLymYC

3. Lucas Burrows - Christchurch SC

A special thank you to B Carrington, who organised the event in conjunction with the Club, and to our fantastic volunteers and race officials who worked tirelessly to make the weekend possible.

We are also extremely grateful to our supporters:

Carrington Boats - for their generous sponsorship and for providing all the fantastic prizes and trophies.

RS Sailing - for providing an event shop.

Force 4 Chandlery - for supporting the event with a generous shop discount.

Tristan Jones (Nautipics) - for capturing the action on the water!

Congratulations to all competitors, particularly those sailing in the challenging conditions, and thank you to everyone who travelled to Lymington to join us.

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.