Chris Bateman and Lucy Loughton Crowned B14 World Championships in Sydney

 

In a dominant performance all week, Cork Harbour's Chris Bateman and Lucy Loughton sailing Squirrel have won the 2025 B14 World Championships in Sydney, Australia, on Friday (January 10th).

The Monkstown Bay Sailing Club (MBSC) pair counted six wins from nine races sailed in a 30-boat fleet at Woollahra Sailing Club to claim the skiff title.

The on-form pair narrowly missed the pre-worlds title last week after retiring from the last race due to gear failure. The duo suffered damage to a rack, but an onsite repair involving a section of waving pipe and several jubilee clips appears to have held together this week in heavy conditions to see them take gold.

The championship featured two lost days on Tuesday and Wednesday due to strong winds and a four-race day on Thursday, which saw the only Irish contestants dominate.

Great Britain's Nick Craig and Toby Lewis sailing Harken from Burghfield took second with Australia's Craig Garmston and Paul Fleming sailing Snatch from Safety Beach Sailing Club third overall.

Vendée Globe Saturday 11th January Update - Dalin on the Home Straight

Malta Sailing Odyssey

 

A sailing adventure around Malta offers a fantastic way to explore the island's stunning coastline, crystal-clear waters, and its fascinating history. Here’s an itinerary that covers the main highlights, allowing you to experience Malta from the sea while enjoying beautiful anchorages and unique spots.

Day 1: Arrival in Valletta

Arrival: Arrive in Valletta, Malta’s capital, and board your boat at the Grand Harbour or nearby marina.

Explore Valletta: Spend the day exploring Valletta’s historic sites, including St. John’s Co-Cathedral and the Upper Barracca Gardens. Enjoy the local cuisine at the waterfront.

Overnight: Moor in the Grand Harbour or nearby marina for the night.

Day 2: Valletta to Comino

Sail to Comino (1.5 to 2 hours): Depart Valletta in the morning and sail to Comino, a small island between Malta and Gozo, famous for its Blue Lagoon.

Blue Lagoon: Anchor in the Blue Lagoon, known for its turquoise waters, ideal for swimming and snorkeling.

Explore Comino: Take a walk around the island, explore the Comino Tower, and enjoy the quiet nature of the island.

Overnight: Anchor in the Blue Lagoon or at Santa Marija Bay.

Day 3: Comino to Gozo (Mgarr Harbour)

Sail to Gozo (1 to 1.5 hours): Head towards Gozo, Malta’s sister island, known for its rural charm and stunning coastline.

Mgarr Harbour: Arrive at Mgarr Harbour, Gozo’s main port. Explore the town and enjoy the local restaurants.

Explore Gozo: Visit the Ggantija Temples, an ancient UNESCO World Heritage site, or take a hike through the countryside.

Overnight: Stay at Mgarr Harbour or anchor at nearby coves like Xlendi Bay.

Day 4: Gozo (Xlendi Bay and Dwejra Bay)

Xlendi Bay: Spend the day sailing around Gozo and anchor in Xlendi Bay, a picturesque spot with cliffs, clear water, and caves.

Dwejra Bay: Head to Dwejra Bay, home to the famous Azure Window (now collapsed), and enjoy a swim in the stunning waters.

Overnight: Anchor in Dwejra Bay or return to Mgarr Harbour.

Day 5: Gozo to Blue Grotto (Malta)

Sail back to Malta (1 to 1.5 hours): Leave Gozo behind and sail back to Malta. Anchor near the famous Blue Grotto.

Blue Grotto: Explore the Blue Grotto caves by boat and enjoy the unique blue light in the water.

Marsaxlokk: Head to Marsaxlokk for lunch, a traditional fishing village known for its colorful boats.

Overnight: Moor at the nearby marina or anchor in the bay.

Day 6: Blue Grotto to Marsaskala

Sail to Marsaskala (30 minutes): A short sail will bring you to Marsaskala, a charming seaside village with a beautiful harbor.

Explore the village: Walk around the quaint streets, visit local shops, or relax at a café by the sea.

Overnight: Stay at the marina or anchor in the bay.

Day 7: Marsaskala to St. Paul’s Bay

Sail to St. Paul’s Bay (1 hour): Head north to St. Paul’s Bay, a busy tourist area with beautiful coastline and beaches.

Explore: Visit the nearby village of Bugibba and explore the famous St. Paul’s Island, where St. Paul is believed to have been shipwrecked.

Overnight: Moor at the St. Paul’s Bay marina or anchor nearby.

Day 8: St. Paul’s Bay to Mellieha Bay

Sail to Mellieha Bay (30 minutes): Sail to Mellieha Bay, one of Malta’s most famous sandy beaches.

Relax and Explore: Spend the day swimming, lounging on the beach, or hiking up to the Mellieha Sanctuary for panoramic views.

Overnight: Moor in the bay or at the nearby marina.

Day 9: Mellieha Bay to Cirkewwa

Sail to Cirkewwa (1 hour): Head to the northernmost point of Malta, Cirkewwa, where ferries depart for Gozo.

Explore the area: Visit the nearby dive sites, including the Cirkewwa Reef, or hike along the scenic coastline.

Overnight: Anchor in Cirkewwa or stay at the nearby marina.

Day 10: Cirkewwa to Valletta

Sail back to Valletta (1.5 hours): Begin your return journey to Valletta.

Explore more of Valletta: Use the afternoon to see anything you may have missed on your first day, such as the National Museum of Archaeology or the Fort St. Elmo.

Farewell dinner: Enjoy a final dinner overlooking the Grand Harbour.

Overnight: Return your boat and stay in Valletta.

This itinerary provides a balanced mix of relaxation, exploration, and adventure. You can adjust sailing times and activities based on your interests and the weather, but this will give you a comprehensive view of Malta and its surrounding islands from the comfort of your boat. 

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Bartley Beast on 11th January 2025 has had to be cancelled

 

Terrible luck has struck, again, at the Bartley Beast. Given the lack of wind, variable direction, cold temperatures and fog the club have taken the difficult decision to cancel today's event (11 Jan 2025).

We will put on club racing if feasible... but it's looking unlikely.

The club has every intention of committing to the remaining dates of 15th Feb and 8th March 2025. The show will go on!

Event website :- www.bartleysailingclub.com/event/BartleyBeast1-4

Applications Open for Performance Academy's Sailing Scholarship 2025

 

Applications have opened for the Performance Academy Sailing Scholarship (PASS), which provides opportunities for pathway sailors to access subsidised additional training and support through the Performance Academy programmes.

2025 PASS applications opened on the 10th of January at 09:00 and will close on the 24th of January at 12:00 GMT. This will be the fourth year in a row that the PASS scheme has run.

Sailors are selected annually, based on their need for additional support and their alignment to the Andrew Simpson Foundation's key values: inclusivity, enjoyment, community, development, inspiration and partnerships.

Applicants will be selected in February for the upcoming season, shortlisted by a panel of experts in the field. The full value of the scholarship is up to £1,500 per person, depending on the training and opportunities chosen. Once again, at least 4 sailors will be selected as PASS recipients.

Performance Academy Head Coach Charlie Linsell has said: "Through the PASS programme, we provide unparalleled opportunities for young athletes to hone their skills and reach their full performance potential. We're thrilled to be announcing its return for 2025 and can't wait to see all the applicants."

To apply for this year's scholarship, visit  :-

https://asperformanceacademy.org/scholarships/ 

and fill out the application form.

A Class Catamarans - Commotion in motion ⎮ Foiling day Quick Sailing

Get set for the British Keelboat League 2025

 

Entries are open for the latest edition of the British Keelboat League with the first event of the year taking place 25-26 January 2025 at London's Queen Mary Reservoir.

Hosted by the Royal Thames YC, teams of sailors representing their club, class, university or group of friends are invited to #rockupandrace in the club's Sonar fleet for an exciting weekend of fast-turnaround short course competition.

The top three teams from each event will be invited to the British Keelboat League (BKL) grand final in Cowes at the end of the season and from there could win a place to compete in the European SAILING Champions League.

This year's BKL has started earlier than usual to include more events in the winter months as well as the main season to allow those with busy summer schedules to participate and also to encourage more university teams to take part.

Entries are also now open for the Schools and Women's events and the full 2025 BKL calendar is as follows:

25-26 January: Royal Thames YC at Queen Mary Reservoir in Sonars - enter now

15-16 February: Rutland SC inc. University Sailing League, RS21s

8-9 March: Schools event hosted by Royal Thames YC, London, in Sonars - enter now

22-23 March: Scottish Universities BKL, Port Edgar YC in 707s

22-23 March: The Boysterous Cup inc. University Sailing League, Royal Southern YC in J70s

26-27 April: Royal Corinthian YC, Burnham-on-Crouch, in 707s

31 May-1 June: Royal Southern YC, Women's BKL - enter now

12-13 July: Rutland SC in RS21s

30-31 August: Royal Southern YC, David Haw Trophy, J70s

19-21 September: Grand final hosted by Royal Thames YC at Cowes, J70s

For all the information you need about the BKL 2025 series including the Notice of Race and entry links visit British Keelboat League.

Apply now for the Carmela Cup 2025 - RYA Two-Boat Keelboat Team Racing Championship

 

Requests for Invite for the RYA Two-Boat Keelboat Team Racing Championship for the Carmela Cup are now being accepted. The Royal Thames Yacht Club will be hosting the Championship at Queen Mary Reservoir, West London, over the weekend of 5-6 April 2025.

Once again the event will take place in the club's popular Sonars but with a plan to have three races happening at once so teams should expect more racing than ever.

Mixed teams of eight sailors are encouraged to request an invite ASAP. Even with places available for up to 12 teams, the event is expected to be oversubscribed.

Full details can be found on the Official Noticeboard. Requests must be submitted by midnight on Sunday 16 February and invites will be issued by Friday 21 February 2025.

Those looking to get some practice in the Sonars may want to check out the club's Hot Rum Random Pairs Team Racing on Sunday 2 March 2025, also at Queen Mary Reservoir.

RYA Keelboat Development Manager Richard Moxey said: "The RYA is pleased to be working with the Royal Thames Yacht Club to deliver this top level event. Last year's Carmela Cup was fantastic and I know we are in for some great team racing again this year."

Jack Fenwick, Sailing Development Manager for the Royal Thames Yacht Club, commented: "The Carmela Cup has evolved a lot in recent years and we see more and more dinghy team racers cutting their teeth in keelboat racing at this event.

"Adding spinnakers to the mix really challenges the sailors and means there is always a route back into a winning combination. I'm lucky enough to have competed in this event on multiple occasions and I have never failed to have a great time."

Scott Wallis, winning Co-Skipper from the Elmside Neighbours in 2023 and 2024, said: "The Carmela Cup is one of the highlights of our team racing year and the competition just gets tougher every time we go. I am really excited to see who we'll be lining up against and hopefully, things will go our way again this year."

Winners of the championship will be invited to the Royal Thames YC Prize Winners' Dinner, one of the social highlights of the year, where they will be presented with the elegant Carmela Cup.

For any questions about this or the Hot Rum Random Pairs please contact Jack Fenwick or find further information at Royal Thames Yacht Club.

Northern Ireland Yachts Gear Up for Busy Racing Season on Irish Sea

 

Northern Ireland yachts travelling up and down the Irish Sea this season to Howth, Dun Laoghaire, Tarbert and Oban in a crowded racing calendar

As arrangements for the 2025 Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta from 10th till 13 July hot up, the first Northern entry is Squawk in the One Design Sigma 33 class. Squawk is the very competitive racer of Paul and Emma Prentice from Ballyholme and Royal Ulster on Belfast Lough. As well as finishing in the top four in both the 2023 VDLR and last year's Scottish event, Paul says the best result was second in the UK Nationals last year at the Royal Cornwall Yacht Club in Falmouth.

This year 15 boats have already entered for the Howth Yacht Club hosted four-day Irish Sigma 33 Championship, which has reportedly been moved back a week to start on 26th June so that yachts interested in staying on for the Dun Laoghaire Regatta have a shorter window between Howth and Dun Laoghaire. Joining Squawk at Howth will be Victoria and Martin Dews' Elandra from Royal Ulster and Mark Mackey's Mithril (Royal Ulster, Ballyholme and Quoile YC).

The packed the schedule is :-

Scottish Series at Tarbert 23rd – 26th May

Sigma Nationals at Howth 26th – 29th June

Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta 10th – 13th July

NI IRC Nationals at Royal Ulster YC 19th – 20th July

West Highland Week 2nd – 8th August

Racing Club Sailing Weekend Always Plenty Of Fun !!

Northern Ireland Sailing Team travel to Valencia for warm weather training camp

 

The Northern Ireland Sailing Team have returned from Valencia following a warm weather training camp between the 27th of December to the 4th of January.

A group of ILCA sailors including Daniel Palmer, Cormac Byrne, Autumn Halliday, Tom Coulter, Dan McGaughey and Bobby Driscoll, travelled to the Spanish city to take part in sessions with sailors from Wales, Scotland, Spain and The Irish Academy.

This is the second successive year Northern Irish sailors have taken part in this camp, and the climate in Valencia allows them to spend longer on the water, maximising improvements.

Sailors from the Northern Irish Sailing Team also had access to excellent gym facilities, allowing them to carry out strength and conditioning sessions when they came off the water.

Following the camp, RYA Northern Ireland Performance Manager Andrew Baker said: “In addition to the benefits the sailors gained from spending hours on the water, the sailors were responsible for their own time management and logistics. We would set times for launching at the club but no set bedtime or alarm clocks. Sailors would cook for themselves and the larger group. I feel this atmosphere gives the sailors a chance to learn at their own speed but encourages ownership and maturity too.

“For many sailors, training at their home club or region means they can find themselves within their comfort zone. They know who to watch for when it's light air or who can hike the hardest in breeze. Training with new people of a higher standard can make the sailor question things and push them outside their comfort zone.”

The camp came just one month from the Celtic Cup which will be hosted at Killyleagh Yacht Club on the 1st and 2nd of February.

This event will see Topper and ILCA sailors from Wales and Scotland travel to Northern Ireland to compete against members of the Northern Ireland Sailing Team. This will be an ideal opportunity for Northern Irish sailors to see where they stand against other sailors in the United Kingdom ahead of a busy summer of racing.

Steve Nicholson Trophy at Northampton Sailing Club

Northampton Sailing Club is offering free camping and Sunday racing for Steve Nicholson Open Competitors.

The club is inviting sailors to stay for the weekend of the Steve Nicholson Memorial Trophy on Saturday 25th January with free camping on Friday 24th and Saturday 25th January. Following the event, the bar will be open and food will be available all day. Sailors are also invited to join in the racing at the club on Sunday morning.

Northampton Sailing Club is located in the centre of England at the beautiful Pitsford Reservoir. It’s easily accessible from the M1, A45 and A14 and there’s plenty of space for campers with a limited number of electrical hook-ups available.

There are just over two weeks to go until this popular winter regatta is raced in aid of the Asthma & Lung UK charity memory of Steve Nicholson, a well-loved and respected sailor and member at Northampton. It is sponsored by Pinnell & Bax.

Entry fees are £30 for double-handers and £25 for single-handers.

Briefing for all fleets takes place at 10:00am.

Single handlers: 2 races, with a 10:30 start

Double handlers: 2 races, with an 11:30 start (approx)

Register for the Steve Nicholson Trophy event now on the Northampton Sailing Club website: -

webcollect.org.uk/nsc/event/steve-nicholson-annual-open

Please book camping online – no payment required :-

 northamptonsailingclub.org/booking-camping

For more information contact: RCsailing@northamptonsailingclub.org

Flying start to 2025

 

 At the front, either Charlie Dalin on MACIF Santé Prévoyance or Yoann Richomme on PAPREC ARKÉA are going to set a new record for the race, likely shaving over a week off the previous record, set by Armel Le Cléac'h in the 2016-17 edition. They've both now crossed the equator and are back in the northern hemisphere, safely through the doldrums, leaving them with a light wind section to the west of the Canary Islands and one of the North Atlantic storms common at this time of year to navigate before reaching Les Sables d'Olonne.

For international sailing fans, as the Vendée Globe is traditionally dominated by the French, there is a fascinating battle going on between 4th and 10th place. Less than 200 miles separate the seven yachts after 19,000 nautical miles sailed. Great Britain's Sam Goodchild is 6th in the 10:00 UTC update on Monday with Germany's Boris Herrmann in 7th, just 8 nautical miles behind. It couldn't be tighter!