Zenith Open at Burton Sailing Club

 

The first Zenith Open Meeting of 2026 got the season off to an excellent start at Burton Sailing Club, with five races completed from a planned six in a weekend that delivered everything from champagne sailing to survival conditions.

Stephen Blake of Carsington Sailing Club dominated proceedings, winning all five races sailed to take a convincing overall victory.

Saturday provided near-perfect racing conditions. After a welcoming brunch from Burton SC's galley team, nine Zeniths and one Zen launched into sunshine and a steady 14mph breeze. Four races were sailed on a varied programme of courses, including a challenging seven-buoy configuration alongside a traditional windward-leeward course. The variety produced close racing and plenty of passing opportunities around the course.

Sunday was a very different test. Gusts exceeding 30mph kept some sailors ashore, but seven helms headed out to take on the conditions. The Zenith's weighted centreboard and 11m² sail plan showed their capability in the breeze, with helms ranging from around 75kg to 95kg managing the gusty conditions well. After a demanding fifth race, the sixth and final race was abandoned as the wind continued to build.

Behind Blake, the remaining podium places were closely contested. Michael Alexander secured second overall thanks to a strong Saturday performance despite being unable to race on Sunday, while Simon Johnson completed the podium places on his return to sailing after a 20-year break.

Mathew Pritchard also impressed on his first outing in the Zenith fleet, showing strong pace, particularly in the heavier breeze.

Adrian Tattersall made the long journey from Fishguard to compete and was awarded the Endeavour prize, while Christine Fowler sailed the Zen on Saturday before assisting with launching and recovery on the windy Sunday.

Carsington Sailing Club sailors enjoyed a particularly strong showing overall, placing two Zeniths in the top three - proof that their Wednesday afternoon racing programme is paying dividends.

Thanks go to Burton Sailing Club for excellent race management and hospitality, Chris Swallow for hosting the event, and Hartley Boats for their generous prizes.

Overall Results:

Pos Sail No Helm Club R1 R2 R3 R4 R5 Pts

1st 130 Stephen Blake Carsington Sailing Club 1 1 1 1 1 4

2nd 154 Michael Alexander Rutland SC 2 2 3 4 11

3rd 118 Simon Johnson Carsington Sailing Club 4 5 4 3 3 14

4th 134 Chris Swallow Burton SC 6 3 2 5 DNF 16

5th 119 Eric Green Ogston SC 7 6 6 2 4 18

6th 100 Matt Pritchard Burton SC 3 7 8 9 2 20

7th 101 Paddy Lewis Datchet Water SC 5 4 7 6 22

8th 149 Adrian Tattersall FBYC 8 8 5 7 5 25

9th 132 Ian Firth Notts County 9 9 9.5 8 35.5

10th 100 Chris Fowler Ogston SC 10 10 9.5 10 39.5

Craftinsure Supernova open meeting 2026 at Cotswold Sailing Club

 

The Craftinsure Supernova Open at Cotswold SC was held on the 14th March. A lower entry than normal with just 12 entries including 3 visitors were greeted with sunny skies and light and shifty winds, so the race officer Ray Workman did a great job of set a nice course with a decent beat and a verity of runs and reaches to get around the lake.

With the wind strength ranging from 3-8 knots within the space of a few boat length and 40 degree shifts it was an eyes out of the boat sort of day and with lots of opportunity to make big gains or even bigger losses.

In the first race Olli Crocker, Matt Williams, Chris Hawley and Paul Undrell made the best of the first beat to lead at the windward mark closely followed by Milliner, and Young. Milliner pulled through to the lead from Hawley until Crocker hooked into a big right shift on the middle lap to sneak into the lead. In the end Milliner took 1st from Crocker and Hawley in 3rd.

After the traditional fantastic lunch, they ventured out for races 2 and 3, with the wind was just as shifty and gusty, but lovely and sunny!

For race 2 Gifford and Undrell lead at the top mark and gybed on the run searching for breeze, but Crocker carried on to find the best of the wind, with Milliner in the middle of the course. These 2 had a close battle until Milliner hooked into a nice left shift up the final beat to pull away to the lead which he held to the finish from Crocker and Young in a solid 3rd.

For Race 3 the RO tried a windward leeward course and the wind filled in a tad but it was still shifty. Coming from the port end Milliner tacked and crossed the fleet to lead at the top mark, leaving Crocker buried deep. Hawley again held a nice 2nd from Young. With the wind shifting around sometimes the course was a bit one sided, so the RO shortened the course, with Milliner, Hawley and Young taking the top 3.

During prizegiving all the sailors feasted on tea and cakes. Overall, Milliner taking the trophy with 3 race wins, with Crocker showing his winter form in second and Hawley in 3rd.

Overall Results:

Pos Sail No Helm Club R1 R2 R3 Pts

1st 1357 C Milliner Cotswold SC ‑1 1 1 2

2nd 1162 Oliver Crocker Costwold Sc 2 2 (DNF) 4

3rd 1333 C Hawley Bartley SC 3 ‑4 2 5

4th 1358 G Young Cotswold SC ‑5 3 3 6

5th 1248 M Williams Costwold SC 4 ‑9 4 8

6th 1362 P Undrell Costwold ‑6 5 6 11

7th 1137 Jon Wood Avon SC ‑7 6 7 13

8th 1201 Chris Williams Costwold SC ‑10 10 5 15

9th 1203 S Johnson Cotswold SC ‑9 7 8 15

10th 1274 A Gould Cotswold SC 8 8 ‑9 16

11th 1234 Nick Whiles Girton ‑11 11 10 21

12th 1355 W Gifford Costwold SC (DNF) DNF DNS 26

Dun Laoghaire Cup 2026 Set For Royal Irish In May

 

The Royal Irish Yacht Club will host the Dun Laoghaire Cup on 23–24 May 2026 with racing planned for six one-design sportsboat and a new dinghy class.

The Dublin Bay regatta will bring together fleets of SB20, J/80, Dragon, Beneteau First 21, Flying Fifteen and Melges 15 boats.

The event will incorporate several class championships, including the SB20 East Coast Championship, the J/80 East Coast Championship and the Beneteau First 21 National Championship.

Racing will take place on Dublin Bay in waters off Dun Laoghaire Harbour, with windward–leeward and trapezoid courses expected.

The regatta programme allows for up to six races for most classes over the two days. A minimum of two races will be required to constitute a series.

The organising authority is the Royal Irish Yacht Club, which said it is “delighted to host the Dun Laoghaire Cup” as Ireland’s only dedicated sportsboat regatta.

Entry is open to all boats in the listed classes, with online registration available until 8 May 2026.

Entry fees are set at €135 for SB20, J/80, Dragon and Beneteau First 21 fleets, while Flying Fifteen and Melges 15 entries are €95.

Off the water, a social programme is planned at the Royal Irish Yacht Club across the weekend, including prizegivings, food and live music.

The overall Dun Laoghaire Cup will be awarded to the best-performing boat across the regatta based on a calculated series score formula.

Northampton Sailing Club wins RYA Active Club of the Year 2026

 

Northampton Sailing Club, based at Pitsford Reservoir has been awarded Active Club of the Year 2026 by the Royal Yachting Association (RYA). The club was also a finalist in the Young Person's Award 2026.

Northampton is a friendly and welcoming club encouraging sailors as well as windsurfers, wingfoilers and paddleboarders of all ages and levels of experience.

While membership is declining in many clubs, Northampton Sailing Club has doubled its membership in the last couple of years and is actively encouraging more sailors out on the water. It set up adult race sailing coaching to encourage more members to join in club racing, and around 30 people signed up for it. This morphed into a group whose abilities range from complete beginners through to experienced sailors who have raced before but would like to, as one member coined the phrase, "Be Less Last"!

It ran throughout the Summer and Autumn 2026 on a Tuesday evening and was very well attended. It's continuing in 2026. Some of Northampton's experienced sailors provide the coaching and has provided a stepping stone for people who want to complete their RYA Level 1 sailing course or join in the Sunday racing.

Sarah Carswell, Commodore at Northampton said: "It's great to see the sailors who have been doing this for many years and travel the country (and further afield) attending events for their class, giving back to the club by volunteering."

Over the Winter, the training moved to Saturdays and was offered to the Pirates (8-16 year- olds) the Northampton Race Group youth team and adults, to bring them all together.

Windsurf coaching

In addition, six members of the windsurf group trained to Intermediate Instructor level and have been running sessions for members interested in starting windsurfing or coming back to it after a break. They've had members aged from 10 through to 78 attend the sessions, and a strong and growing group of windsurfers can be seen out on the water every Sunday.

Young Person's Award

With regard to the Young Person's Award, Northampton continues to foster its thriving Pirates club with 65 8-16 year-olds learning to sail or windsurf. The club has been awarded RYA Pathway Club status and has setup a Northampton Race Group (NRG) team who are offered extra race coaching to attend events to include the Northamptonshire Youth Series (NYS) and Topper Traveller opens. The club has also bought two new Toppers and two new Fevas to support the NRG team in their events.

Following the award nominations, one of the RYA Regional Managers commented: "Northampton Sailing Club is an amazing example of taking a club on the brink of collapse to one of the biggest in the region in terms of membership and participation levels. Changes have been made that have been based on some tough decisions but have still been well received by the club and local sailing community, which has led to growth across the spectrum of membership at the club."

"The Pirates are a leading example within the region of how to develop and grow a thriving youth membership offer that brings together the club, rather than separating youngsters from the wider membership. The willingness of people to volunteer to support the group demonstrates how well thought of the group is within the club."

For further details go to www.northamptonsailingclub.org or email commodore@northamptonsailingclub.org

UK pair win 470 European Championships 2026

 

The British team of Martin Wrigley and Bettine Harris claimed the 2026 European Championship after outstanding medal races. The silver medalists are Giacomo Ferrari and Alessandra Dubbini, and the bronze medalists are Jordi Xammar and Marta Cardona.

"Well, I mean, it's just an incredible start to the year. I'm so happy that we put together the week. We sailed the best we could, and then to finish it off today - it's just incredible," said Bettine Harris.

"It was quite a long week. After yesterday, when we pulled it back and finally got into first, we were so happy. Today it was just nice to finish it off and start the year strong," added Martin Wrigley.

Saturday's racing started with an extraordinary win for the British duo. Wrigley and Harris crossed the finish line first in the opening medal race and extended their lead over the Italians and the Spanish. With a 7-point gap to the second boat and fourteen points to the third, the British had the win in the bag.

"It was very safe. We were glad to get a few more points after the first race. But we were really pumped, ready for the fight in the last race," said Harris.

"Well, we knew we just had to stay close to the Italians and make sure we didn't do anything stupid. And then in the end, we ended up doing something stupid and had a bad start. The conditions out there were really hard, so changeable. For a moment, it could have been bad," added Wrigley.

While the British crew was mostly safe for the win, with a 7-point advantage over the Italians, the battle for the silver medal was still on. Giacomo Ferrari and Alessandra Dubbini were defending second place, while Jordi Xammar and Marta Cardona were in a difficult situation, with the Portuguese crew of Beatriz Gago and Rodolfo Pires close behind and putting pressure on both teams.

Cowes Etchells Fleet Charter Programme

 

In the UK, the heart of the fleet sits in Cowes, where regular racing in the Solent provides some of the most competitive one-design keelboat sailing in the country. The combination of strong tidal conditions, short tactical racecourses and closely matched boats produces the type of racing that has helped the Etchells maintain its reputation worldwide.

While many sailors associate the class with long-established owners and international championships, the UK fleet has been quietly working to make participation easier for new teams. One of the ways it has done this is through a charter programme that allows sailors to step directly into racing without the commitment of owning a boat.

The concept is straightforward: race-prepared Etchells are made available in Cowes for events and regattas, allowing visiting teams or sailors interested in the class to experience the racing first-hand. For many crews travelling to the Solent, it provides a practical way to compete in a highly competitive fleet without the logistics of transporting and maintaining a keelboat.

The Etchells itself remains a deceptively simple boat to sail well. Crewed by three or four sailors, success depends on coordinated teamwork, accurate sail trim and sharp tactical awareness. With minimal differences between boats, the racing is typically close and hard-fought, often coming down to small gains in boat speed or positioning on the racecourse.

Cowes provides an ideal proving ground for this type of sailing. The Solent's shifting breeze patterns and complex tidal flows demand constant attention from the crew, rewarding those who can anticipate changes and react quickly.

With a busy UK race calendar and regular international events on the horizon, the fleet continues to attract sailors from across the country and further afield. For those interested in experiencing Etchells racing in Cowes, charter opportunities are available through the UK fleet.

More information can be found at etchellsukfleet.co.uk/sail-with-us/charters

Greece at the top of global yachting last year

 

According to an annual analysis, the Greek market leads the global ranking with 3,030 vessels available for charter, while demand for catamaran-type vessels shows a steadily upward trend.

Greek yachting recorded a global first place in 2025, with our country having the largest number of vessels available for charter and surpassing traditional competitors, according to data from Riginos Yachts.

With a total of 3,030 available vessels, of which 904 are catamarans, our country leads the international ranking, with Croatia following with 2,531 vessels, Italy with 1,282 vessels, France with 970 vessels and Turkey with 578 vessels.

This superiority becomes even more evident in the premium catamaran category, where the Greek fleet significantly outperforms international competition. According to the same data, Greece has almost twice as many catamarans as Croatia, which reaches the number of 501 catamarans, while Italy follows with 438.

France and Turkey rank even lower, with 72 and 146 catamarans respectively, confirming our country’s dominance in the category. The category is steadily gaining ground in the preferences of charterers, offering the comfort, stability and luxury that the modern traveler seeks.

The impressive rise of Greek yachting is also reflected in the dominance of specific catamaran models, which monopolize the interest of the international market. The Lagoon 42, Lagoon 46 and Lagoon 40 confirm their long-standing superiority as the most popular vessels in Greek seas, while the strong presence of the Bali 4.2, Bali 4.6 and Bali Catspace highlights the clear trend toward vessels that offer the ideal environment for multi-day holidays.

At the destination level, the main areas in Greece that have vessels available for charter are located in Athens, with the marinas of Alimos and Lavrio being dominant. The Ionian follows with consistently high demand, with vessels mainly in Lefkada, Corfu and Preveza, attracting in particular charterers from markets such as Germany, France, the Netherlands, Poland and Slovakia.

Despite the perception that yacht holidays are a high-cost option, the data confirm that they remain a particularly competitive alternative compared with staying in luxury accommodations or villas. Indicatively, the rental of a sailing yacht starts from €3,000 per week, offering a group of 6–8 people not only accommodation but also the possibility of daily movement and exploration of new destinations within just one week, an advantage that no conventional accommodation can offer. The final cost depends on the type of vessel and the services provided, while it is significantly influenced by the time period, with demand and prices peaking during the high season of July and August.

WE HAVE MORE THAN 12,000 PRIVATE YACHT CHARTER BOATS IN 60 COUNTRIES

WAITING READY FOR YOU - JUST SELECT - COMPARE - BOOK IN MINUTES ONLINE

UP  TO  50% OFF ON  EARLY  BOOKING  DEALS 👍

UNBEATABLE  PRICES  FOR  YOUR  COMPLETE  PEACE  OF  MIND  ON THE  WATER

#yachts2rentnow

Join the Haven Knox-Johnston 'Cruising Adventures in your Wayfarer' webinar

 

Free webinar - Cruising adventures in your Wayfarer: A practical guide to overnight cruising

What do overnight cruising adventures really look like in a small open dinghy?

If you'd like to discover how it's not only achievable, but also a rewarding way to explore coastal waters, join our upcoming webinar, where we'll be joined by our latest webinar guest, experienced Wayfarer sailor Jonathan Ferguson.

Jonathan will share what he has learned from extensive dinghy cruising in UK waters. From coastal passages to ambitious voyages including sailing to Shetland and single-handed to Barra from the Scottish mainland, Jonathan will explain what is possible in a 16 foot open dinghy, and how to approach it safely and enjoyably.

When: Thursday 19th March at 1930 GMT

Click here to register

This Webinar Covers:

Planning and navigation

Storage on a dinghy

Boat setup for cruising

Clothing

Victualling

Sleeping on a dinghy

Live Q&A

If you are unable to join us live, the webinar will be recorded and uploaded to the Haven KJ YouTube channel. Follow our social media channels or subscribe on YouTube to be notified when it becomes available.

Follow our social media channels or subscribe on YouTube to be notified when the recording becomes available.

1720 Sportsboat Class - A busy 2026 year ahead

 The 2026 season for the 1720 Sportsboat class is filling up nicely with 3 scheduled events.

The Royal Cork Yacht Club will be hosting an April league on each of the Saturdays in April to kick start the season for the 27ft class. With short and sharp races scheduled, crew hope to dust off any winter cobwebs and fine tune their boat handling skills in advance of the busy season ahead.

The club will also be hosting the Doyle Sails Ireland sponsored Southern Championships on the weekend of the 16th & 17th May. With a 7 race series scheduled off the waters of Cork Harbour, racing is expected to be hotly contested as a season opener. With early entries to date, the Class is expecting a strong 20 boat fleet with entries from Baltimore, Lough Derg, Galway Bay, Howth, Dunmore East and Kinsale.

With a quick turnaround, Baltimore Sailing Club will be hosting the National Championships from 12th to 14th June. 2026 marks the 30th anniversary from the first Nationals which was hosted by the class and the current class captain Robert Dix was quick to remind all current owners of the competition in the class in 1996 following his victory in the inaugural Championships. Baltimore offers 3 fantastic race courses within the waters of West Cork which were duly tested during the 2022 Nationals when all were utilised in varying weather conditions.

Baltimore Sailing Club will also be running club league racing in July & August with their well supported Baltimore Cup taking place on 1st & 2nd August. Held over 2 days, the series of racing offers an action packed events inside Baltimore harbour with a strong spectator crowd viewing from the square outside Bushe's Bar!

The European Championship will be held in the 4th to 6th Sept in Lough Derg Yacht Club. Following the success of the Southerns in 2024, the Dromineer club is hoping to target a competitive 25 fleet with close racing expected off the shores of the clubhouse. Testing lake conditions could be both a blessing and a cruse in a very short space of time.

The class has seen a recent injection of new owners over the last season which include Karl & Peter Fagan, Jonny Sargent, Emma Geary & James Kitt, Graeme Noonan and Marty O'Leary showing a healthy balance of single and co-ownerships making great value for racing. The class offers plenty for sailors regardless of age, fitness, shape & size with crews ranging from 5-6 sailors that often include multiple generations of families.

The class benefit from a strong mixture of gender in crews with the 2025 National Champions RopeDock Atara holding an impressive 50/50 crew with an average of 25-30% of crews being female across the fleet. To add to this, with helms including Mia Murphy, Aisling Keller and Emma Geary, female sailors in leadership roles on the boats continues to growth.

Since it's design inception in 1992, the class has always attracted the best sailors which have included Ben Ainslie, Dean Barker and Jimmy Spithill along with all of the top Irish sailors. Whilst it has seen a number of ups and down over the 34 year lifespan, with the recent influx of sailors and strongly supported events, two keys values of the class have always remained - Competitive and Fun racing.

International Dragon legends to assemble off Cowes in August 2026

 

August 2026 will see the crème de la crème of the International Dragon fleet assemble off Cowes, UK for the 2026 Edinburgh Cup and International Dragon Association UK Grand Prix. The Edinburgh Cup is presented annually to the winner of the Dragon British Open Championship, whilst the Dragon UK Grand Prix is one of the four European Grand Prix Series Regattas being held in 2026. The two events will run concurrently from Tuesday 18 to Friday 21 August.

Under the leadership of British Dragon Association (BDA) Chairman Chris Grosscurth and Event Director Gavia Wilkinson-Cox, the event will be hosted by the Royal Yacht Squadron (RYS), with racing taking place on windward-leeward courses in the central Solent.

2026 sees the BDA celebrate its 70th Anniversary, and alongside a world class racing programme, competitors will also enjoy a special celebratory social programme, which will include a welcome reception on the RYS’s famous lawn, and a Prize Giving Gala Dinner in the RYS Pavillion.

The fleet will be based at Cowes Yacht Haven, where launching and recovery will also take place. Registration will commence on Sunday 16 August and continue until Monday 17 August when there will also be a special BDA 70th Anniversary Celebration Race and Practice Race. The championship series will run from Tuesday 18 to Friday 21 August.

For overseas competitors travelling to Cowes there is a bumper summer of sailing on offer. From 1 to 7 August Cowes Week will celebrate its 200th Anniversary with a strong Dragon fleet participating. The Edinburgh Cup and UK Grand Prix will be immediately followed by the Marblehead Trophy, the International Dragon’s premier inter-club competition. Organised by the Royal Yacht Squadron and hosted by The Royal Yacht Britannia Trust, with the Bluebottle crew, Dragon teams are welcomed to Cowes to challenge for the Marblehead Trophy, one of the sport’s most historic prizes. Any recognised club can challenge the holder in a series of races designated by the current holder in his or her country.

BDA Chairman, and Dragon Solent Fleet Captain, Chris Grosscurth highlights the prestige of the combined event; “The Edinburgh Cup returning to Cowes as an International Dragon Association Grade 1 regatta is something we are extremely proud of. It is a privilege for the UK Dragon community to host one of the class’s premier events once again.

“We are seeing a genuine swell of enthusiasm for Dragon sailing, not only across our regional fleets in the UK, but internationally as well. There has already been strong interest from British sailors, and we are very much looking forward to welcoming teams travelling from further afield to race on the Solent. The Edinburgh Cup has always held a special place in the Dragon calendar, and 2026 promises to be a particularly memorable edition.”

Further information about the regatta, including the Notice of Race and online entry can be found at britishdragons.org. A discounted early entry fee is available to those who enter by 31 March, after which standard entry remains open until 31 July, with entries then being accepted until 7 August with a late entry fee.

Further information about the Edinburgh Cup can be found at britishdragons.org

Record-breaking sailor completes solo global trip

 

A world record holding adventurer has added another first to her name after circumnavigating the globe in a 19ft (5.8m) plywood yacht.

Jasmine Harrison took 381 days to travel 26,000 nautical miles to and from Falmouth Harbour in Antigua.

The 26-year-old, from Thirsk, sailed across four oceans as part of the Mini Globe Race and stopped in 15 different countries, including Panama, Tahiti, South Africa and Brazil.

After completing her epic adventure - the first time a British woman has sailed solo around the world in a vessel of that size - she said: "I'm relieved to have finished, but also sad that's it's over. It's been an incredible journey."

The swimming teacher, lifeguard and adventurer was one of 15 sailors taking part in the world solo sailing race, with only 11 sailors completing the feat.

"I took one stage at a time, never really absorbing the totality of the journey until now. To think that I've sailed solo around the world, across four oceans is surreal" she said.

As part of the trip, Jasmine came into contact with many different marine animals including dolphins, whales and sharks.

"The wildlife has been an absolute highlight and the sunsets are always incredible," she added.

During a seven-day break in St Helena she also became the first woman to swim around the island in the South Atlantic - completing the grueling 30-mile swim in 18.5 hours.

Announcing the Torbay Dinghy Regatta and Torbay Royal Regatta 2026

 

The Torbay Dinghy Regatta will take place over the weekend July 11th - 12th Open to PY Dinghies both Asymmetric and Non-Asymmetric, and Junior Classes.

The club is especially excited that the Melges 15 class have chosen Torbay to host their first ever UK National Championships. The event is being supported by the Melges 15 class, with charter boats available and a coaching day on Friday 10th. Enquiries from dinghy classes seeking a venue for their Regional or Seasonal are always welcome. Competitors, their friends, and families are encouraged to meet up at the club on the evening of Friday 10th for pre regatta drinks, the social programme continues after racing on Saturday 11th with a BBQ and music at the club.

The Torbay Royal Regatta will be taking place at the same venue August 21st -24th The event is open to IRC yachts with the IRC South West Championship an integral part of the event, Cruisers, Sportsboats and SB20's, and three National Championships. Interest is already high and with two courses the bay will be alive with colour, action, and activity.

The J/24 class have been regular supporters of the regatta in recent years we delighted to welcome them back for their 2026 Nationals. The Impala class will also be heading to Torbay for their Nationals, and with the location midway between the Solent/Poole and Plymouth/Falmouth fleets, a strong entry is expected.

The RS 21 class are excited about bringing their National Championships to the English Riviera for the first time, and the club are looking forward to hosting this high profile event over 4 days. Charter boats are available now here.

The growing local fleet of SB20's can be assured of fast and competitive racing, and with the SB20 Worlds coming to Torbay in next year, high entries are expected as the UK fleet prepare for 2027.

The club will be hosting post racing social events in the club with the traditional and ever popular Commodores Welcome party on the Friday evening, music on Saturday night, entertainment Sunday, with the bar and restaurant open throughout.

Regatta time has been the highlight of the summer season for over two hundred years, and the Torbay Royal Regatta was one of the first to be granted royal patronage. Torquay on the English Riviera is just a great place to be in the summer. The town offers a wide choice of accommodation, an unrivalled range of harbourside cafes, bars, and restaurants, all within easy walking distance of the club, car park, and harbour.

Over many years, the Royal Torbay Yacht Club has established an enviable reputation in hosting top class regattas and championships. Torbay is a spectacular location with racing on some of the finest sailing waters in the world. The club and its members are looking forward to welcoming sailors from around the country to come and join us at these events.

For further information on both events contact Bob Penfold events@rtyc.org

DIY sailor completes round-the-world trip

 

A 61-year-old man has completed a round-the-world voyage in a boat he hand-built in his garden shed.

Adam Waugh, from Angerton in Northumberland, had limited sailing experience before signing up for the inaugural Mini Globe Race.

He arrived in Antigua on Monday after travelling 28,000 nautical miles solo around the world in his 19ft (5.8m) yacht Little Wren, raising £60,000 for UK cancer charity The Ella Dawson Foundation.

Waugh said he was feeling "on top of the world" after a total of 250 days at sea.

"I thought it would take a while for it to sink in, but within minutes of crossing the finish line there was a weight lifted off my shoulders and a... feeling of real elation," he told BBC Radio Newcastle.

"The biggest challenge [of the trip] was mental rather than physical. It's a very small boat and the seas were quite big, so quite often you couldn't be outside, you had to be sitting inside the cabin for safety reasons.

"A lot of time in a very small area in intense heat was testing. But it's amazing what you can do and what you get used to."

Waugh began building Little Wren in early 2022, spending two years constructing the yacht in his shed at home, before she was launched at Amble Marina in March 2024 for sea trials.

After being transported to Portugal in December 2024, Waugh completed his first offshore passage to Lanzarote, then took his first solo 3,000-nautical-mile qualifying voyage to Antigua.

In February last year he lined up with 14 other competitors in identical Class Globe 5.80 yachts for the start of the inaugural Mini Globe Race.

During the qualifying trip, he broke several ribs falling over in rough seas and a key piece of equipment, his spinnaker pole, was lost overboard.

But Waugh, who is the first known Northumbrian to sail solo around the world in a self-built yacht under 20ft (6m), said there were also lots of highlights.

"This journey has pushed me to my limits in ways I never imagined," he said.

"There have been incredible highs and some very tough moments, but I feel truly privileged to have experienced it."

He said he loved seeing sunrises and sunsets on the ocean, as well as whales, some great white sharks, turtles and sea crocodiles.

"And of course you spend a lot of time on your own and having time to reflect on life, so has been quite a journey."

The Ella Dawson Foundation was set up in memory of Newcastle University student Ella Dawson, who died from cancer in 2021, aged just 24.

The foundation offers tailored well-being services designed to help young people live well at every stage of their cancer journey, supporting more than 1,000 young adults and their families in the UK each year.