Dartmouth Sailing Week launches first ever Youth Sailors Class in partnership with OneSails GBR

 

The 'OneSails Next Generation Class' aims to celebrate and grow youth participation at one of the UK's most prestigious regattas.

Dartmouth Sailing Week (22-30 August 2026) is proud to announce the inaugural OneSails Next Generation Class — a brand-new dedicated competition class designed to recognise, reward and inspire sailors aged 18 to 29*. Created in partnership with OneSails GBR, this initiative marks a landmark moment for one of the UK's most storied sailing regattas and reflects a wider commitment across the marine industry to tackle the decline in youth participation in sailing.

How It Works

Any boat entered into Dartmouth Sailing Week 2026 that has at least one crew member aged between 18 and 29 years old will be automatically entered into the OneSails Next Generation Class, in addition to their existing racing division (such as IRC2 or IRC3).

Throughout the regatta, OneSails will award a daily prize to the class winner, culminating in an overall prize presented at the end of the regatta to the outstanding youth entry across the full week of racing.

Additional Benefits for Youth Participants

As part of the partnership, OneSails GBR will offer an exclusive sail repair masterclass for all youth participants, providing hands-on, practical knowledge from experienced sailmakers that competitors can carry throughout their sailing careers. Further details on this and other benefits will be announced in due course.

Why This Matters

The Royal Yachting Association (RYA) has formally acknowledged a concerning decline in youth participation in sailing. Without a new generation of sailors actively engaged in the sport, the long-term future of competitive sailing, and the regattas that define it, is at risk.

The OneSails Next Generation Class has been established in direct response to this challenge. The regatta's ambition is to build on this class year on year, growing its reach, its prizes, and its impact, establishing Dartmouth Sailing Week as a flagship event for young competitive sailors across the UK.

"2026 is the 181st Dartmouth Royal Regatta. Our aim as a committee is to ensure it lasts for at least another hundred years, and part of that is to support and help young sailors thrive in this competitive, family-orientated, popular regatta."

— Peter Boote, Joint Regatta Sailing Committee Chair, Dartmouth Sailing Week

"It should be every marine industry company's responsibility to support the next generation of sailors coming through. We need to collectively find ways to break down the barriers that discourage youth participation. Partnership with this new class is one way we hope to add to this movement."

— Nathan Steffenoni, Director & Loft Manager, OneSails GBR South

*Participants must not be older than 29 years old throughout the duration of the regatta.

Dartmouth Sailing Week is one of the UK's longest-running sailing regattas, held annually in the waters around the historic port of Dartmouth, Devon. The 2026 edition runs from 22 to 30 August and includes the GBR IRC Nationals and J109 Nationals. For more information, visit www.dartmouthsailingweek.com