Rutland SC, host of the 2015 Team Racing World Championships, is looking forward to welcoming teams from across the UK for one of the biggest team racing events of the year.

The rescheduled RYA and BUSA Women’s Team Racing Championship will see teams of six sailors who identify as female racing in flights of Fireflies.

Teams are invited to represent their club, locale or sailing organisation in the RYA Women’s Team Racing National Championship. University or higher education teams may also compete for the BUSA Women’s Team Racing Championship.

Competitors will be battling it out to see if anyone can take either or both titles after Oxford University were crowned double champions in 2019.

Online entry is now open and the deadline for teams to enter is Tuesday 1st June 23:59. Entry is limited to 18 teams and competitors are urged to enter as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.

Local organiser Fiona Tylecote said: “Rutland Sailing Club are delighted to be hosting the RYA/BUSA Women’s Team Racing Championship. There are normally lots of university teams who enter, long may that continue, and we are also keen to see club, class and school teams.

“Lots of girls’ teams raced at university back in the day and it is always brilliant to see them back out on the water at this event, and there must be some top teams within classes such as 420, 29er, RS200 and Laser, and of course the Firefly.

“Rutland SC attended the rather windy event that had to be abandoned last year at West Kirby and it was fantastic to see the groups of girls just having a great time on and off the water.”

Fiona said Rutland SC hoped to enter two teams this year – its youth Hydra team alongside the Menopausal Mums – adding: “It is a fantastic event and the chance to be part of an all-girl team, an unusual opportunity in the sailing world. Yes we like to take on the boys but sometimes it’s fun doing our own thing.”

Rutland SC hopes the camp site opposite the club will be open in time for the event and there will be catering providing a take-away service.

Team racing is back on course for a successful 2021 on the water following a year of Covid-19 restrictions and cancelled championships.

BUSA Team Racing Officer, Jamie Webb, said: “We are looking forward to seeing our female sailors back out on the water at the women’s championship!”

For further details see the Notice of Race or enter here.

Courtesy of the RYA

The event, the country’s most prestigious youth sailing competition, is traditionally held around Easter but earlier this month the decision was made to postpone it due to the Covid-19 situation.

The delay aims to grant young sailors more time to train in the run-up to the event when restrictions allow, and to enable the British Youth Sailing team to plan the best event possible.

It is hoped the timing will also allow the nationwide vaccination programme to take effect.

Original host Plymouth Youth Sailing Club has agreed to hold the rescheduled Youth Nationals from its base at the Mount Batten Watersports and Activities Centre on the shores of Plymouth Sound.

The event will feature the 420, Nacra 15, 29er and ILCA classes. It is the intention to hold a sprint series for the 29er fleet on Monday August 9 which will not count towards the overall series. The ILCA fleet will not race on Friday August 13 as they will need time to prepare for the ILCA National Championship which starts in Weymouth on August 14.

A Notice of Race will be published in due course, with entries opening in April.

The RYA Events team is still investigating possibilities for the foiling windsurfer and kiteboard classes, details of which will be released when available.

Mark Nicholls, RYA Youth Racing Manager, said: “We were all devastated when, earlier this month, we had to make the difficult decision to have to postpone the Youth Nationals from its original dates.

“However, this decision now appears to have been vindicated and the delay should mean we can deliver a safe, fun Youth Nationals that celebrates all that we love about racing.

“We’re delighted that today we can announce the new August dates, and at the prospect of a mid-summer event. Our thanks go to Plymouth Youth Sailing Club and the Mount Batten Watersports and Activities Centre for working with us to ensure this great event can go ahead.”

For the latest news from British Youth Sailing, head to www.britishyouthsailing.co.uk or check out the BYS social media channels.

Courtesy of RYA / British Youth Sailing /

PHOTO: Sportography.tv

Sixteen skippers were invited to attend having either won their place through a curtailed qualification series or through wildcard invites, which included two past champions to see one of the strongest fields in recent years fighting it out to claim the 2020 title.

With consideration to the current pandemic, the teams were divided in to two groups to avoid mixing and so racing for the first group got underway at 0930 and with every race critical to getting through to the gold group the teams came out swinging. Joe Burns, who had earned his placed through the last qualifier won the first race against seasoned match racer Christian Hamilton, Ali Morrish beat past champion Mark Lees, Alaric Bates beat Harken Youth Champion Robbie King and multiple former champion Nick Cherry beat the highest ranked skipper, Matt Whitfield, fresh from returning from the Match Racing World Championships in Bermuda (he’d only stepped off the plane a few hours earlier).

With the breeze gusting over 20 knots, the racing was tight as spinnakers were kept firmly in their bags but this kept things close as a short lead at the windward mark could be quickly eroded. Slowly the breeze started to drop and just before lunch PRO Tom Rusbridge signalled that the spinnakers could come out and the teams started to test their boat handling. With time needed to get the second group in, Group one was stopped one race short of the full round robin. Robbie King was a clear leader but results were too close behind him with multiple ties to decide who else would qualify through.

In the second group it was Murray Hampshire who took the first win over Sophie Otter, Ellie Cumpsty beat rival Sophie Taylor, Miles Jones beat Matt Lloyd and defending champion, Ted Blowers, beat Andy Cornah. Blowers continued his winning ways throughout the round robin, finishing the day undefeated. Murray Hampshire was just behind him having lost only his match to Blowers, Andy Cornah bounced back from his initial defeat to Blowers to finish the group third with Miles Jones taking the fourth spot in the Gold group.

With the forecast for Saturday making not much racing likely through the middle of the day, the racing was brought forward to make the most of the forecast lull and so group one took to the water to complete their round robin and settle the ties in person. Nick Cherry beat Mark Lees in a thrilling match that went all the way to the finish line before going on to beat Alaric Bates to secure his spot in the next stage. Joe Burns also beat Lees in their last match to take his place. Christian Hamilton beat Ali Morrish and Robbie King beat Matt Whitfield to confirm his place at the top of Group 1.

Moving straight into the Gold group racing Christian Hamilton beat Murray Hampshire, Andy Cornah beat Joe Burns, Nick Cherry handed Ted blowers his first loss of the event and Robbie King continued his strong form to beat Miles Jones. As the forecast breeze arrived at Queen Mary Sailing Club the sailors quickly packed up and headed ashore for the day with no more racing.

Sunday was another early start, this time for the Silver Group competitors fighting it out for the final placings which would mean all important World Sailing Ranking Points. Mark Lees showed his metal as a former UK champion and previously ranked 19 in the world as he dominated the Silver group with straight wins. Sophie Otter, clearly disappointed with her first day performance was determined to make the silver group count and finished second, beating Alaric Bates on a tie break.

The gold group took to the water again for the afternoon session and with no chance to move to a knockout stage the pressure was on to win each and every race in the round robin. Andy Cornah, Christian Hamilton and Robbie King continued their winning ways from Saturday while defending champion Ted Blowers suffered his second defeat. As racing continued Andy Cornah was the only team not to suffer a loss but the fight for second was incredibly close.

With six of the seven flights completed, Andy Cornah from the Royal Thames Yacht Club had secured victory but the other teams would need to fight hard to secure second place. After the final flight there was a four-way tie for second place with Joe Burns topping the pile in second ahead of Robbie King in third with Nick Cherry fourth and Christian Hamilton fifth.

The teams quickly packed up before heading ashore for a very quick, socially-distanced prize giving. On receiving the Eacott Trophy for the National Match Racing Championship, Andy Cornah thanked his crew as the real heroes of the weekend, helping him to secure the overall victory.

2020 has been an odd year for all, including match racing, but we would like to thank our sponsors Harken, Marlow Ropes, Hyde Sails and Moody Decking and Services for their continued support and look forward to working with them for the 2021 season which gets underway in January.

For more information on match racing please visit www.ryamatchracing.co.uk.

Courtesy of the RYA/British Keelboat Sailing

The announcement follows the decision by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to postpone the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games by 12 months due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

In light of the postponement, the BOA asked the RYA to consider and confirm its position regarding the selection of athletes for Team GB.

A meeting held by the RYA Olympic Selection Committee (OSC) unanimously agreed that the selections previously agreed should stand for the rearranged Tokyo Olympic Games, which will take place from July 23 to August 8 next year.

It was the OSC’s view that the sailors selected in all ten Olympic classes remain the best choices to maximise Team GB’s medal-winning potential in Enoshima, the sailing competition venue.

Team GB’s sailors were the first to be announced back in October 2019, with an initial 12 sailors selected including Olympic champions Hannah Mills (470 Women) and Giles Scott (Finn).

Partnering Mills will be her world championship-winning crew Eilidh McIntyre, while in the men’s 470 Luke Patience and Chris Grube were selected. In the men’s 49er class Stuart Bithell teams up with Dylan Fletcher, while Charlotte Dobson returns in the 49erFX alongside Saskia Tidey. Alison Young will make her third Olympic appearance in the Laser Radial discipline. Both representatives in the RS:X windsurfer class are newcomers to the Olympic Games: Tom Squires and Emma Wilson.

The 12 selections were followed by a further three in February of this year. John Gimson and Anna Burnet were selected for the Nacra 17 class, while Elliot Hanson (Laser) completed the 15-strong line-up in late February in the Laser. All three will be making their Olympic debuts at the re-arranged Games.

Mark Robinson, RYA Olympic Performance Manager and Team GB Sailing Team Leader, said: “I am delighted to re-confirm the 15 athletes already selected for Team GB will stay the same for the rescheduled Games.

“Over the past eight months we have nominated an incredibly talented group of sailors to the British Olympic Association and we strongly believe they remain the right athletes to represent the nation in 2021.

“The global pandemic has caused much uncertainty but, combined with release of the new dates for the Olympic Games, this decision will give our sailors the confidence, clarity and motivation to charge towards Tokyo 2020 and the goal of bringing home medals for Team GB.”

Mark England, Team GB Chef de Mission for Tokyo 2020, said: “We are delighted with the sailing team selected for the Games and think they bring a great mix of proven Olympic success along with exciting new talent.

“We feel with the re-confirmation of these names, the athletes can firmly set their sights on next July and ensure that when training resumes they can thoroughly prepare and be in the best possible position to show Team GB supporters and the world, what they’re capable of in Tokyo.”

Team GB’s Tokyo 2020 sailors:

Giles Scott: Finn (Men’s One Person Dinghy Heavy)

Hannah Mills and Eilidh McIntyre: 470 Women (Women’s Two Person Dinghy)

Luke Patience and Chris Grube: 470 Men (Men’s Two Person Dinghy)

Charlotte Dobson and Saskia Tidey: 49erFX (Women’s Skiff)

Dylan Fletcher and Stuart Bithell: 49er (Men’s Skiff)

Alison Young: Laser Radial (Women’s One Person Dinghy)

Emma Wilson: RS:X Women (Women’s Windsurfer)

Tom Squires: RS:X Men (Men’s Windsurfer)

John Gimson and Anna Burnet: Nacra 17 (Mixed Multihull)

Elliot Hanson: Laser (Men’s One Person Dinghy)

Courtesy of Team GB and British Sailing