WinderMark Fireball Inland Championship at Yorkshire Dales Sailing Club

 

Yorkshire Dales Sailing Club are very pleased to host the Fireball Inland Championships at Grimwith Reservoir on 12th and 13th of September.

Entries and Suggested Entry Donations

To help with planning and organisation please enter online below. Online entries will close at 14:00 on Thursday 10th September. The suggested entry donation (as we are a charity) for the event is £40 per boat. Entry on the day is possible for £50, but we encourage online entry to assist with organisation.

Event Schedule:

Registration at the clubhouse from Saturday 12th from 10:30 hrs

Competitor Briefing Approx.12:15 hrs

Intended format:

Saturday - Race 1 13:00 hrs, followed by a further 2 races back to back

Sunday - Race 4 10:00 hrs, followed by a further 2 races back to back

The race committee reserves the right to bring races from the Sunday forward to the Saturday or move races scheduled for the Saturday to the Sunday as necessary to provide the best racing for competitors.

If cancellation is required due to weather or any other unforeseen event, then this will be notified on the club website.

Notice of Race

Sailing Instructions

Camping and Camper-vans at the Club

Free camping.

Entries now open for Soak Insure Tide Ride 2026

 

For the third year in a row, the Soak Insure Tide Ride is back at Hayling Island Sailing Club on the 26th and 27th of September 2026 for two days of exciting racing.

Like last year, we'll be welcoming 29ers, RS800s and wingfoilers, whilst adding both Moth and Switch fleets to this year's event.

Following on from last year, Soak Insure is once again our title sponsor for the event that will offer a spectacle for both sailors and spectators. The event dates back to the early 2000s earning its prestigious legacy for which this year's racing will build upon.

Speed, skill and sophistication are required for these races along with a hearty competitive spirit. The race format & fleets racing is fast and close, being held at high water. The short-format races include an upwind leg leading into a downwind slalom that brings boats together for dramatic, crowd-pleasing finishes.

Alongside our fantastic title sponsor, Soak Insure, this year's Tide Ride event is proudly supported by Ovington Boats, Salcombe Gin, AFS and Rooster, continuing the valued support we received last year.

This year, we'll once again be hosting live music on the Saturday Night, with DJ Freddie Covell providing the tunes for our competitors.

The event will also feature some fantastic prizes courtesy of our sponsors, with cash prizes for overall winners and random spot prizes throughout the weekend.

Entries are now open at pci.jotform.com/form/262264651115351

Supporting the Next Generation through the Eric Twiname Trust

 

There's nothing quite like seeing a fleet of young sailors lining up on the start line, ready to race, learn and have a whole lot of fun on the water. That's why we're proud to continue our long-standing partnership with the Eric Twiname Trust, helping more young sailors get into sailing.

The Eric Twiname Trust has been championing youth sailing for decades, with a mission to encourage participation in competitive racing. RS Sailing is delighted to continue supporting that mission through the Subsidised ET Scheme, helping sailing clubs across the UK build and grow their junior racing programmes with affordable access to RS Fevas and RS Teras.

How It Works

For eligible UK clubs, the scheme offers subsidised fleets at up to 40% off, with boats intended primarily for junior training and competitive racing for sailors under 18. By making it easier for clubs to invest in boats, the scheme helps open the door for more young sailors to discover sailing and begin a lifelong love of the sport.

Applications are assessed by the Eric Twiname Trust, with boats allocated to successful projects. Funding can be oversubscribed, so that this mid-summer reminder to encouraged early applications!

Supporting Youth Sailing for 15+ Years

And this isn't a new chapter in the story: "Since the Eric Twiname Scheme began in 2011, RS Sailing has delivered more than 350 boats to sailing clubs across the UK, helping create more opportunities for young people to develop their skills, gain confidence and enjoy lifelong participation in the sport," explains RS Sailing's Training & Fleet Sales Executive, Jakes Elsbury.

The RS Tera is a learn-to-sail single-hander that teaches the fundamentals of racing at the start of their journey. And, the RS Feva has become a firm favourite along the way, giving young sailors the perfect platform to learn the ropes of double-handed racing, develop teamwork and build confidence. For some, it's part of their training programmes at their local club; for others, it can be a stepping stone towards competing at events such as the RYA Eric Twiname Youth & Junior Team Racing Championships.

And it's not just about the boats - it's about what happens because of them.

"We are so pleased with our RS Teras and the benefit we've had from the ET Trust. Also the extraordinary support/service from RS Sailing." Phil Brown, President, Salterns Sailing Club.

Apply Now

Whether your club is looking to introduce a new generation to racing or give an established junior programme a boost, the ET Scheme is a fantastic opportunity to get more boats on the water and more young sailors on the start line.

Now is the time to take a look at the RS Feva ET Scheme (up to 30% off) and RS Tera ET Scheme (up to 40% off).

More boats. More racing. More young sailors finding their place on the water. That's something worth supporting.

Mersea Week 2026

 

Running from 9th until 14th August, the 52nd annual Mersea Week saw an increased entry of 140 boats this year, making it one of, if not the largest regatta on the East Coast. With the sea breeze absent or arriving late on most days, racing and course setting was tricky at times in the very hot weather and caused the abandonment of keelboat racing on the final day.

The small organising committee, in the final year of the inspired leadership of Fran French began planning in January and again worked hard to deliver a successful event, with classes ranging from Smacks, YTC Cruisers, YTC White Sail Cruisers, Sonata ODs, YTC Classic Yachts and Gaffers and (reflecting the establishment of a local fleet) YTC Folkboats, along with Mersea Fisherman's Open Boats (MFOBs) and four PY Dinghy Classes.

Overall sponsorship from Marinestore Chandlery and Adnams Brewery, day sponsorship from Mersea Homes, Dolphin Sails, Oakheart, City & Country and Fenn Wright, and additional sponsorship from West Property Management, Fiducia Wealth Management, Loftzone Storefloor, Native Promotions, One Sails and the White Hart Inn again boosted the superb range of prizes for the leading boats and enabled entry fees to be kept very low. With free moorings provided for visiting yachts and racing on the superb waters of the Blackwater estuary, what's not to like about Mersea Week?!

An increased entry of fifteen Smacks made their usual spectacular sight, with Kent visitor CK469 Yet taking top slot in both the nine-strong Fast class and the full fleet, a single point ahead of MN69 Martha II. Next up were CK52 Kate and CK395 Puritan. Winning the Slow Fleet was CK159 Dorothy, ahead of CK46 Gracie and CK213 Boudicea.

The final demise of IRC racing at West Mersea resulted in a very strong YTC entry of 21 boats. The eleven-strong 'A' class was dominated by the Archambault 30 Aztec, winning all four races, ahead of the Corby 29 Entropy from Royal Harwich YC, the Cork 1720 Mexican Train and the Ramsay 6.7 Mojito. The ten-strong 'B' entry was won by the Tofinou 8 Three Little Birds, with the Parker 27 Sandhopper from Burnham-on-Crouch in second, ahead of the MGC27 Tearaway and last year's winner, the Hustler 32 Tramp.

With nine local boats, the Sonata class enjoyed some good close one-design racing, and after a slow start it was Ghostbuster winning the final two races to take the overall win ahead of Obsession, Frank and Kehaar. More good close racing took place in the Folkboat class, which consisted of seven GRP Nordic FBs and one International FB - Tifano from Blackwater SC, which placed fourth. With three race wins, OC was a clear winner ahead of Strider and Gremlin.

With the Folkboats racing separately, the YTC Classics & Gaffers fleet was much smaller, with an entry of seven boats. Three race wins saw the 1898 gaff cutter Fanny of Cowes from Tollesbury a clear winner, ahead of the little Cornish Shrimper 19 Lapwing from Carsington and another gaff cutter, local boat Nesta.

An increased YTC White Sail class of eighteen boats again had a single start but were divided into two groups for prizes. The Beneteau Oceanis 323 Tamarisk took both the 'A' fleet and overall win, whilst the Sadler 32 Clockwise placed second overall and won the 'B' fleet, ahead of the little Beneteau 211 Bear - third overall and second 'B' group boat. Fourth overall and second 'A' group was the Sigma 33 Jazz with the Sigma 292 Dura (third in the 'B' fleet) next up. Third in the 'A' group was the scratch boat, the Hanse 348 Phoenix.

An entry of 51 dinghies represented the largest total for a number of years and was again divided into four classes - Slow, Medium, Fast and Performance. In the Slow class, a father and daughter Mirror team embodied the spirit of the week and, with five race wins, took the top prize, ahead of three ILCA 4s, which had some close competition all week. The Medium Dinghy class saw ILCA 6s in first and third, with a GP14 taking second on tie-break and an Enterprise in fourth. The fleet of thirteen Fast dinghies saw a close tussle between two Wayfarers, with just a single point splitting the two after counting seven results from the nine completed. They were followed by a Laser 3000 and two Albacores. Whilst eight of the eleven Performance dinghies were different RSs models, it was a 29er with six race wins which took the overall win, followed by an RS700, an RS300 and a B14.

Finally, to the MFOBs, which, after some issues with handicaps, had a reduced entry of seventeen boats of varying sizes and speeds. Whilst all started together, they were divided into two groups for prizes, and the clear overall and Fast group winner, counting all firsts, was WM25 Merlin. Second Fast and overall was WM3 Thrift, with CK98 Winnie in third overall and Slow group winner. Third Fast was WM22 Florrie May and second and third Slow were WM48 Joy and WM99 Froggie respectively.

The best performance trophies for Cruisers and Dinghies were awarded in Cruisers to the YTC 'A' winner Aztec, and in dinghies to the Performance Dinghy Class winning 29er, with both also receiving vouchers to use at the White Hart Inn.

The dates for next year's Mersea Week have already been set - 15th - 20th August 2027.

Irish Interest as Secher Wins British Dragon Association 70th Anniversary Race

 

Ireland’s Nicola Halloran secured 10th place aboard IRL233 Zinzan as a 49-boat international Dragon fleet opened a major week of racing in Cowes with a special 70th Anniversary Race for the British Dragon Association.

Crews from 12 nations have gathered for the 2026 Edinburgh Cup and UK Dragon Grand Prix, with four days of championship racing beginning on Tuesday, August 18.

Monday’s one-off anniversary race took competitors around a traditional Solent course before finishing off the Royal Yacht Squadron, where the famous cannons saluted the first three boats home.

Sweden’s Jan Secher, sailing SWE800 Miss Behaviour, mastered the Solent’s strong and complex tides to claim a convincing victory.

Switzerland’s Jan Eckert took second aboard SUI355 Ginkgo Racing, with Britain’s Martin Payne third on GBR818 True Story. Reigning Dragon World Champion Andy Beadsworth was fourth aboard TUR12 Provezza Dragon, while Graham Bailey brought the historic GBR192 Bluebottle, built in 1948, home in fifth.

British Dragon Association chairman Chris Grosscurth said the strength of the fleet reflected the Dragon class's enduring international appeal as the association celebrates its 70th anniversary. “It is a pleasure to see such a strong fleet gathered here as we celebrate the 70th Anniversary of the British Dragon Association,” Grosscurth said.

Racing for the Edinburgh Cup and UK Dragon Grand Prix begins on Tuesday, August 18 and continues through Friday, August 21, with windward-leeward racing scheduled in the central Solent.

For Ireland, attention will now turn to whether Halloran and Zinzan can carry their top-10 anniversary-race form into the championship proper.

Comet Open at Mudeford Sailing Club

 

The Comet class descended on Mudeford S.C on Saturday 15th August for their annual visit to round off Mudeford week. Yet again the conditions were fantastic... well for 2 out of the 3 races at least.

The first race started in a good breeze with the whole fleet very close with Eddie Pope leading the way for the first lap of 2, Andy Dale managed to get past Eddie on the second beat to sneak into the lead until the finish with Chris Robinson 3rd.

Race two, with three laps again, started in good wind but this time Andy took the lead followed by Chris and Ben Palmer, Andy managed to increase his lead until the final leg where he sat in a hole watching Chris and Ben close in with the wind filling in from behind but he just managed to hold on by one boat length at the finish.

Race 3 after lunch was a different story... the wind dropped away and the fleet crept around the one lap course,Chris lead from the start with Eddie and Henry in 2nd and 3rd. On the last leg the wind had almost retired for the afternoon,Andy 4th took a chance and tacked off and got lucky and sniggled into 2nd by the line with Eddie taking 3rd and Ben 4th.

A great day's sailing in the sunshine at a fantastic venue... perfect.

Overall Results:

1st Andy Dale

2nd Chris Robinson

3rd Eddie Pope

Thanks to Mudeford and see you next year.

Zenith Travellers Trophy Open at Bassenthwaite Sailing Club

 

The first weekend of Bass Week 26 was a Zenith open and six boats made the trip to this beautiful corner of Lakeland from five different clubs.

Saturday saw light to moderate winds forecast for the afternoon but the big mountains had different plans and delivered extremely tricky conditions with gusts in the high 20's from all over. With over 110 boats on a very short start line it was like banger racing without the engine fumes. All Zeniths survived unharmed whilst trying to predict huge shifts in randomly swinging gusts and even some very light areas at the windward mark so you could sit and watch all your hard work wiped out by the boats behind.

David Pickering (The Chase SC) was consistent from the start in his nearly new boat number 173 and took the win ahead of Chris Swallow (Burton SC). The places changed regularly behind but most came together at the finish to within a few boat lengths once they had found clearer air out of the pack of the medium handicap fleet. Race two was much the same with David and Chris taking first and second once again.

Sunday started dead calm so racing was delayed while a hoped for sea breeze kicked in. It did, but not so strong. David was again dominant whilst always looking cool as a cucumber and took a third win sealing the event. Chris took his third second in winds more suited to his light weight and Dee Hutchins (Berwick-upon-Tweed SC) moved to third glad to be more in the weight range after Saturday's blow. The last race saw David drop out as his work was done.

Paul Jones (Coniston SC) saw himself over the line so returned for a restart. The lighter crews of Chris and Dee took advantage in failing wind and pulled out from the rest. Side and side with two legs to go Chris got a flurry of wind that Dee missed which took him 100m ahead, a lead he would hang onto for his first win. Dee was second whilst the remainder were swamped by other boats in now seriously failing wind. In the end all were lucky to finish as the wind died completely.

Final results show fantastic consistency by David Pickering and Chris Swallow with everyone else sharing lower places but all had the big 'Z Factor' smiles on their faces.

1. David Pickering 173 (The Chase Sc)

2. Chris Swallow 134 (Burton SC)

3. Dee Hutchins 116 (Berwick-upon-Tweed SC)

4. Adrian Tattersall 149 (PYC)

5. Paul Jones 148 (Coniston SC)

6. Rob Slack 178 (Chase SC)

Wrigley and Harris crowned 470 sailing world champions in Japan

 

Martin Wrigley and Bettine Harris have been crowned 470 world champions in Enoshima, Japan, completing an incredible season of success for the British partnership.

Wrigley and Harris claimed their first world title, building on a remarkable run of form that has seen them win the European title in Vilamoura in February, followed by a victory on LA28 Olympic waters at the San Pedro OCR last month.

Heading into the final day's two medal races, Wrigley and Harris held a narrow eight-point lead over defending champions and long-time rivals Jordi Xammar and Marta Cardona. Their advantage was cut after a seventh-place finish in the first race, however, the British duo put on a clinic in light winds to win the race and claim the overall title.

Teammates and training partners Hannah Bristow and James Taylor also delivered a great week of sailing to finish sixth overall, narrowly missing out on a medal in a tightly contested fleet.

Speaking after being crowned world champions, Wrigley said: "Winning a world championship is something you dream about, and to do it together with Bettine makes it incredibly special. We've built a huge amount of trust over the last few years and learnt how to get the best out of each other, particularly when the pressure is on. To see that work come together and become world champions is an amazing feeling, and I'm incredibly proud of what we've achieved as a team."

Harris added: "Becoming world champions is an incredible feeling, and it's something Martin and I have worked so hard for. We've been through a lot together since we started this partnership, and the trust and belief we have in each other is a huge part of why we've been able to achieve this. We also couldn't have done it without Gidi and the support, and belief from everyone at British Sailing as well as everyone else back home who has cheered us on over the years!"

Martin and Bettine will defend their world title next June at the World Sailing Championships in Gdynia, Poland. This will also be the first chance to secure Great Britain a place in the 470 class at the LA 2028 Olympics.

Irish Pair Help Pace Claim Round Britain and Ireland Line Honours

 

Irish sailors Tom McWilliam and James “Jim” Carroll were part of the 14-strong crew aboard Johnny Vincent’s Volvo 70 Pace as she completed the 1,805-nautical-mile RORC Round Britain and Ireland Race, the first monohull to enter Cowes on Sunday morning. 

The Irish sailors McWilliam and Carroll claimed Monohull Line Honours in the 50th anniversary RORC Round Britain and Ireland Race after more than six and a half days at sea.

Pace crossed the Royal Yacht Squadron finish line in Cowes at 04:17:31 BST on Sunday, August 16, completing the 1,805-nautical-mile course in 6 days, 14 hours, 47 minutes and 31 seconds. McWilliam and Carroll were among a highly experienced 14-person crew that also included Volvo Ocean Race winner and navigator Jules Salter, Stu Bannatyne and Neal McDonald.

The YB tracker recorded Pace sailing 2,113 nautical miles during her lap of Britain and Ireland, with the Volvo 70 producing some of her most impressive speeds on the western side of the course. 

The decisive acceleration came off Ireland’s west coast and on the long push north towards Muckle Flugga, where the Juan Kouyoumdjian-designed Volvo 70 found conditions ideally suited to her offshore pedigree.

Vincent said Pace covered 486 nautical miles in one 24-hour period, reaching speeds of 26 and 27 knots.

“We had a good solid breeze and a fantastic wave pattern,” Vincent said. “Surfing at 27 knots is exciting for anybody. It was absolutely thrilling.” That high-speed northern leg allowed Pace to build a substantial advantage on her closest monohull rivals before turning at Muckle Flugga and beginning the long journey south.

While Pace has secured Monohull Line Honours, the biggest corrected-time prize remained unresolved following her finish. Pace’s IRC corrected time is now fixed, leaving Vincent, McWilliam, Carroll and the rest of the crew waiting for their principal rivals to complete the course.

Among those still capable of challenging is Antoine Magre’s Mach 50 Palanad 4, which had emerged as a major IRC Overall threat during the latter stages of the race.

The distinction is significant: Line Honours rewards the first monohull to complete the course, while the IRC Overall title is decided after each yacht’s elapsed time is corrected according to its rating. Whatever the eventual IRC outcome, Pace’s first-to-finish performance has already secured McWilliam and Carroll a place in the story of the 50th anniversary edition.

For Vincent, completing the lap was itself a substantial achievement.

“I am a normal bloke. I am not a professional sailor,” he said. “To set out on this adventure was really special. It is beginning to sink in now. It is a long way, and it has been a great journey.”

Pace crew: Johnny Vincent, Al Fraser, Anthony Haines, Antonio Cuervas-Mons, Ed Myers, James “Jim” Carroll, Jules Salter, Luke Molloy, Mark Bartlett, Neal McDonald, Pete Cumming, Stu Bannatyne, Tom McWilliam and Trystan Seal.

Irish Crews Crowned GP14 World Champions as Belfast Lough Delivers Dramatic Finale

 

Ireland celebrated a memorable home victory on Friday as Ger Owens of Wicklow Sailing Club and Mel Morris from East Antrim Sailing Club were crowned GP14 World Champions 2026, following a thrilling week of racing on Belfast Lough hosted by the Royal North of Ireland Yacht Club.

 The Irish duo secured the world title with a remarkably consistent series, finishing ahead of fellow Irish sailors Sam Street and Josh Lloyd of Blessington Sailing Club, who claimed the silver medal to complete an outstanding Irish one-two. Oli Hale and Harry Shaw of Great Britain rounded off the podium in third place after an equally impressive championship.

After a week that delivered sunshine, torrential rain, heavy breeze, drifting conditions and dramatic wind shifts, the 2026 GP14 World Championships showcased exactly why Belfast Lough is regarded as one of the world’s most demanding and rewarding sailing venues. With Irish crews lifting the world title on home waters, it was a fitting conclusion to a spectacular week of international competition.

Visit www.rniyc.org for full race results.

Hansa UK National Championships 2026 at the Weymouth & Portland National Sailing Academy

 

This year's Hansa National Championships were held as part of the Inclusive Games which were hosted by WPNSA with support from the RYA and Chesil Sailability. The event combined the Hansa class nationals, the Challenger class nationals, and sailing for both deaf and blind groups.

Eight Libertys lined up for the event. Paul Philips opened strongly, leading Race 1 until weed slowed him and David Durston snatched the win. David then controlled Race 2 from the start.

Light winds shaped day two. Mike Everitt won the morning race, with David second and Paul pushed to fourth by a late charge from Paul Pearson. After a course reset, Paul took 2nd behind Mike and ahead of newcomer James Woosnam, with David closing fast but finishing fourth.

Race 5 was another win for Mike, with James taking the inside at the final mark to beat David, while Paul's rare mistake sent him to start an extra lap and put him down to fifth. Mike's success on day 2 gave the overnight scores of Mike 6, David 7, Paul 10.

Paul fought back on the final morning with a decisive win, while Paul Pearson grabbed second and Mike third. That left Mike on 9, David and Paul on 11 going into the last race.

Mike delivered when it mattered, winning the final race and the national championship. David edged Paul by inches to secure second overall.

In the 11 strong 303 1-person fleet, Rory McKinna again demonstrated why he is a world champion contender, taking 1st in every race. The battle of for second third and fourth was more closely fought.

On day one, there was some confusion on the start sequence, unfortunately Margaret Foreman had not noticed that the race officer had decided to build in a gap between the liberty finish and the start of the countdown for the 303 singles. This meant starting the event with two scores of OCS, a big deficit to be made up. Her consistent, top 4 results across all of the remaining races enabled her to achieve a podium place, pipping Phil Monk to 3rd place on count back. Both finished on net 28, but Phil's results had been more erratic.

In second place, Sophie Brisley built on her 3rd place in 2025. Sophie achieved 5 second places, a 3rd, and a disappointing 6th which was her discard, finishing with a net 13, justifying her position over Margaret.

In the 303 2-person fleet the winning spot was again taken by Lynne and Stuart Swann with 7 1sts. The fight for the other 2 podium spots was much closer; all 5 of the other teams achieved at least one top 3 places across the 7 races. As with the Liberty fleet it came down to the last race, with Lara and Katy and Sue and Rick Jillings both on 16 points after discards. Lara having previously sailed in the 2.3 fleet held her nerve with Katy, taking 2nd, two ahead of their rivals.

Unfortunately there were only 2.3 entries so their races were run alongside the 303 2-person class. That was again won by Lindsay Burns over Andrew Lebec.

Overall Results:

Pos Helm Club R1 R2 R3 R4 R5 R6 R7 Pts

2026 Hansa UK Nationals Liberty

1 Mike Everitt Frensham Pond Sailability 3 5 1 1 1 3 1 10

2 David Durston Whitefriars Sailing Club 1 1 2 4 3 4 2 13

3 Paul Phillips Frensham Pond Sailability 2 2 4 2 5 1 3 14

4 Paul Pearson Rutland Sailing Club/Sailability 4 3 3 6 4 2 4 20

5 James Woosnam Frensham Pond Sailability 6 4 5 3 2 5 5 24

6 Mary Duffy Bray Sailing Club Ireland 5 6 8 5 7 8 7 38

7 Tessa Watkiss Frensham Pond Sailability 8 7 6 8 6 6 8 41

8 Terry Hewlett Whitefriars Sailing Club 7 8 7 7 8 7 6 42

2026 Hansa UK Nationals 303 1 Person

1 Rory McKinna Clyde Cruising Club 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 6

2 Sophie Brisley Whitefriars Sailing Club 2 2 3 2 6 2 2 13

3 Margaret Foreman Frensham Pond Sailability CS) CS) 2 4 3 3 4 28

4 Phil Monk Whitefriars Sailing Club 4 4 8 3 2 9 7 28

5 Leslie Philip Tideway Sailability (London) 5 5 4 7 4 5 6 29

6 Jayleigh Tilley Whitefriars Sailing Club 3 3 5 5 10 7 9 32

7 Katie Apse Frensham Pond Sailability CS) CS) 6 6 8 4 3 39

8 Rebecca Willcox Whitefriars Sailing Club CS) CS) 7 9 5 6 5 44

9 Richard Rochester Whitefriars Sailing Club CS) 6 9 8 7 10 10 50

10 Nia Faulder Leigh & Lowton SC 6 NS) 11 10 9 8 8 52

11 Ellie Scott Chesil Sailability CS) ET) 10 11 11 11 11 66

2026 Hansa UK Nationals 303 2 Person

1 Lynne Swan Frensham Pond Sailability 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 6

2 Lara Sturgis Frensham Pond Sailability 4 4 2 5 2 4 2 18

3 Rick Jillings Carsington Sailing Club 3 2 4 3 4 5 4 20

4 Kim Davies Frensham Pond Sailability 5 5 6 4 3 3 3 23

5 Philip Hall Chesil Sailability 2 3 3 6 6 6 5 25

6 Kiran Wade Uni of Lincs/NCSC 6 6 5 2 5 2 6 26

2026 Hansa UK Nationals 2.3

1 Lindsay Burns Frensham Pond Sailability 1 1 1 1 1 1 NS) 6

2 Andrew Lebec Frensham Pond Sailability 2 NS) 2 2 2 2 1 11

Lapwing Championship 2026 at Aldeburgh Yacht Club

 

The historic Aldeburgh Lapwing fleet took centre stage at Aldeburgh Yacht Club for its annual championships, on 1st/2nd August, with eleven boats contesting four races in near-perfect conditions. Warm sunshine and a light sea breeze made for an excellent weekend both on the water and for spectators ashore.

Designed by Francis Morgan-Giles in 1947, the clinker-built Aldeburgh Lapwing remains a thriving local class. Around 20 boats are still in active use, and a small number are renovated each year. Their survival owes much to skilled local boatyards and to committed owners who tackle the many running repairs demanded by boats approaching 80 years of age.

That heritage was strongly represented in this year's fleet: three of the ten competing boats remain with the families that originally commissioned them, having been passed down through two or three generations. The hot spell did present an early challenge, however, as several dried-out hulls began the weekend leaking—although most tightened up as the racing progressed.

Race officer Nick Barker set a compact course directly in front of the clubhouse, giving spectators a superb view of frequent position changes and tightly contested mark roundings. Each race ran for about an hour over eight or ten short legs, keeping crews busy and rewarding sharp boat-handling.

Ian Robson delivered the standout performance of the championships, winning all four races in Hummingbird (No. 71). Behind him, the contest remained wide open, with second and third places still undecided going into the final race.

Rob and Tanya Ritchie secured second place in the decider aboard Tufted, earning second overall. Sarah Davies and Charlotte De Milne in Tringa edged out Steve Liddell to claim third place. It was a memorable weekend of competitive sailing, friendly rivalry and celebration of a class that remains as relevant—and enjoyable—today.

Overall Results:

Pos Boat Sail No Helm Crew R1 R2 R3 R4 Pts

1st Humming bird 71 Ian Robson ‑1 1 1 1 3

2nd Tufted 37 Robert Ritchie Tanya/Toby Ritchie 3 2 ‑5 2 7

3rd Tringa 57 Sarah Davies Charlotte De Mille 2 ‑5 3 4 9

4th Whaup 51 Steve Liddell 4 3 4 ‑5 11

5th Cormorant 59 Chris Ritchie (RET) 4 6 3 13

6th Kookaboro 45 Robert Mulcahy 5 8 2 (RET) 15

7th Lapwing 1 Harriet Thame Siobhan Horner 6 6 7 (RET) 19

8th Quail 75 James Alexander Andrew Norrie 7 7 9 (DNC) 23

9th Knot 40 Bruce MacInnes Kitty Hughes 8 9 ‑10 7 24

10th Bittern 11 Anthony Hinton Allegra Hinton DNS (DNC) 8 6 25

11th Mallard 63 Emma Piper (DNC) DNC 11 8 31

Why would you sail around Crete ?

 

Sailing around Crete is fantastic , particularly if you want a holiday that combines sailing with plenty to do ashore.

This is why Crete works so well for a week of sailing.

1. Dramatic coastline and clear water

Crete has beautiful turquoise bays, caves, beaches and rugged cliffs. The northwest coast around Chania and the Gramvousa peninsula is particularly rewarding from a boat.

2. A good mix of sailing and exploring

You can alternate sailing days with time ashore for:

Ancient ruins and archaeological sites

Mountain villages and traditional tavernas

Hiking gorges and coastal paths

Snorkelling and swimming

Local food and wine

Historic Venetian harbours

3. Excellent food 🍋

Crete is arguably one of Greece's best food destinations. Sailing lets you reach small coastal tavernas that aren't necessarily convenient by road. Expect grilled fish, lamb, dakos, fresh vegetables, local cheeses and excellent olive oil.

4. Beautiful small harbours

Places such as Loutro, Chora Sfakion and Agia Galini give you a very different experience from staying in a resort. Arriving by boat makes these places particularly special.

5. You can combine famous sights with quieter anchorages

A seven-day route doesn't have to mean moving every day. You can spend a morning swimming in a remote bay, sail a few hours, then have dinner in a village harbour.

The important caveat !!!!

Crete is large, so I wouldn't try to sail around the entire island in seven days. You'd spend too much time covering distance.

For a first 7-day sailing holiday, I'd suggest either  :-

Option A – Western Crete ⭐

Chania → Gramvousa/Balos → Kissamos → Paleochora → Loutro → Chora Sfakion → Chania

This gives you spectacular scenery, beaches, swimming, villages and some of Crete's best-known attractions.

Option B – Eastern Crete

Heraklion → Dia → Agios Nikolaos → Spinalonga → Mochlos → Kouremenos → Sitia

This is better if you want more history, archaeology, traditional villages and quieter eastern coastline.

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