Champions crowned at RYA Youth Nationals 2026

Britain’s best young racing sailors battled it out at the RYA Youth National Championships on the south coast with a full range of conditions putting their skills to the test.

With everything from full-on wind and waves to light airs, the fight for podium spots saw more than 280 sailors competing in six classes at Hayling Island Sailing Club, 3-10 April 2026.

For the first time in the event’s history, the championship racing was split into two four-day blocks, enabling every fleet and all 187 entries to complete a full schedule of racing.

First up were the 29er skiff, foiling Nacra 15 catamaran and iQFOiL classes, with the action then turning to the 420, ILCA 6 and ILCA 7 fleets. With racing both inside Chichester Harbour and out in Hayling Bay, RYA Youth Racing Manager Oli Woodcock said both the location and the conditions had challenged the competitors, but in a good way: “A venue like this provides more sea states and complexities with the tide, which helps develop an all-round sailor.

“Each race has been slightly different with the tide or whether we’ve been inside or outside the harbour, and the sea state is a key part as well that they’ve had to really raise their game to tackle.” On the water every day to watch the racing, Oli added he had been impressed by the resilience shown by the sailors on long days and in the more difficult conditions: “How they’ve just stuck at it and ground it out. We’ve got really strong sailors in all the classes and some impressive, exciting talent coming through.”

Following the crowning of this year’s 10 champions, attention now moves on to the summer internationals, which will be indicator events alongside the RYA Youth Nationals for those seeking selection to represent GBR at the Youth Sailing Worlds in December 2026.

Find all the results at RYA Youth Nationals 2026 

29er

It was a second RYA Youth Nationals title in a row for Jac Bailey-Ben Sinfield (Clwb Hwylio Y Felinheli/Port Dinorwic SC) following a tricky four days of racing both in the harbour and in the bay. As Ben summed up: “There was lots of variety, lots to contend with, it was a good week with lots of tight racing.” Jac said the pair had good boat speed in the breeze and a winter training focus on starting also paid off in the hugely competitive fleet, with Ben adding: “There were a few races where you don’t really know how it’s going to go until you get to the bottom mark so it was very nice to have some tight racing.”

The pair hope to do well at the 29er worlds in Germany this summer and having represented GBR at the 2025 Youth Sailing Worlds in Vilamoura, Portugal, are keen to gain selection for a return in 2026, explaining: “Last year we didn’t quite come away with the result we wanted but it was a completely different event to any other that we’ve done before so it was just kind of learning that style of racing. It will be in the same venue again if we go so we’ll see whether we can do that.” 

For Freya Hutchinson-Joanna Macalister (Royal  Lymington YC) it was likewise a great start to the season as they claimed the female 29er title. Freya said: “It feels pretty amazing. Last year we came second so to come back this year and win it is truly quite incredible. We’re very happy.” Having started the event with a black flag and then picking up a DSQ on the penultimate day, the girls made an impressive recovery to seal the deal. Citing a winter focus on starting as one of the factors enabling them to bounce back from the challenges, the girls are now hoping to continue their success at an upcoming 29er Grand Prix event at their home club and internationally in the hope of GBR selection for the youth worlds.

Back on shore chatting about their RYA Youth Nationals performance, Joanna said Saturday had been their favourite day: “In the bay, big waves, big wind – amazing! Friday, in the harbour, black flag, kind of a rough way to start the event. Yesterday we got disqualified but came back, managed to discard both black flag and disqualified, and claw our way back up to the top.” As Freya summed up: “It’s been slightly messy but it’s come good in the end!” 

iQFOiL

Female champion in the iQFOil fleet for two years running is Sophie Clark (Andrew Simpson Watersports Centre – Portsmouth), who said: “I feel like I’ve trained really hard for it so it’s nice to bring it home for a second time. Just being really fast and consistent, that’s the main thing I’ve been working on over winter with my coaches. And I feel like I’ve applied that to the racing here.”

Sophie will be taking the boost from winning the title into the iQFOiL Worlds at Weymouth and Portland in 2026, and towards her goal of gaining selection again for the Youth Sailing Worlds, having represented GBR in 2025. Her biggest rival at the RYA Youth Nationals was sister Evelyn, who finished second female. With fast turnaround racing and a finals series reflecting the Olympic format, the battle for the podium places went down to the final race. 

As Sophie explains: “A lot of pressure but you’ve just got to win it, do what you can as hard as you can. We’re both very competitive people but it’s got the point where we’ve been racing for so many years together and there always has to be a winner or a loser, so now we just congratulate each other. It’s a win for both of us to be on the podium in first and second so it’s not like ‘you won’, it’s more like we did it together. Because I wouldn’t be winning without her.” 

For first-time RYA Youth Nationals champion Beau Handley (WPNSA - main image) in the men’s iQFOiL, taking the title reflected his relentless hard work to keep plugging away for the win following a challenging winter. “It feels amazing,” said Beau. “I can’t believe it at all, I’m so happy. I think I just stayed really consistent in all of my results. I might not have won every race but I was always up there and giving it my best so I think that paid in the end. 

“I’ve been working on a bit of board speed, which definitely paid in the reaching conditions, and I’ve been pretty ill over winter so it’s been great to come back like this.” Beau now wants to continue his good form to qualify for the Youth Sailing Worlds at the end of the year, adding: “That’s always been my goal so it’s a good start towards that.”

Nacra 15

Marcus King-Maddie Jinks (Weston SC/Plym YC) were top Brits for the second year and this time claimed first overall as well, with teams from Europe again adding to the mix. Marcus said: “We managed to beat the Belgians this year which is good because they’re a top nation and they’ve been good competition all week. It’s been fun and we’ve enjoyed the sailing.”

Maddie added: “We had really good first three days where it was quite a lot of wind, which is our conditions. We were really liking it. And then today [on the final day] it got a bit lighter so it was really challenging for us but we managed to keep our scores up so that we could still come first.”  

Prioritising starting in training served the team well, particularly in the windy conditions, and commenting on what worked for their communication in the boat, Maddie said: “We just like shout at each other but not in a mean way! I like how fast we go. It’s like a bit scary but also you know you’re safe. It’s fun getting thrown around.”  

The pair hope to make gold fleet at the Nacra 15 Worlds in Plymouth this July and will then be at the Europeans in Barcelona, Spain, in October. Hoping to represent GBR at the Youth Sailing Worlds for a second year and aim for a podium spot, Maddie said that while last time had been a good learning experience: “Next time we really want to excel.”

ILCA 6

RYA Youth National Champion in the ILCA 6 Women’s fleet for the first time was Jess Powell (Draycote Water SC), who said: “It’s been such a close week of racing, day one was pretty breeze on and then we had a few lighter days, which kept things mixed up a bit… it was very close in the end.” The medal race saw Kat Gunn (Notts County SC) take the bullet, with the title going down to the wire, and just two points between the pair in the final reckoning.

Putting her winter training into action and reaping the rewards, Jess explained: “I’ve been mainly focussing on starts and also just general technique and boat speed, that’s definitely helped a lot across all the conditions.” Jess now has a busy season ahead and hopes to do well internationally. Following her GBR selection for last year’s Youth Sailing Worlds, she added: “It would be nice to go again but we’ll have to see what happens. It was a super cool event and it was so good to be racing against the best in the world. It was a really good experience.”

Toby Waggett (Derwent Reservoir SC) again dominated the ILCA 6 men’s fleet, finishing clear ahead with a big points margin and in style with a medal race win to claim the title. He said: “It feels really good to get it done a second year in a row against a competitive fleet. The start of the week was very breezy and I’m probably one of the lightest sailors in the fleet, so fitness came in there. But then towards the later few races we had lighter breeze which suits me a bit more, so I was quite happy with that. Then in the medal race there was a lot going on so I tried to stick to my own plan… just go out and enjoy myself and try and get the medal race win.”

With his training over winter including a focus on tactics, he added: “My speed has been there for quite a while but tactically I’ve never been able to put it on a racecourse much, especially in a bigger fleet or in a more competitive fleet, so it’s quite nice to be able to do that. I’ve progressed a lot with my sailing.

"A big thank you to everyone who’s supported me.”

ILCA 7

Champion in the ILCA 7 fleet was Sam Grayton (Notts County SC), who said: “It’s quite cool after a tough week. We had a big breeze first day, the second day was lighter, and we’ve had two days of pretty medium breeze. So a bit of everything and it’s nice to come out on top through all of that.”

The final day came down to a match race to hold back nearest rival Leo Yates (Island Barn SC) who might have otherwise won on countback, and commenting on his performance overall, Sam added: “Other than that one race I was in the top five in every race, so  that’s a big thing for me because I’m usually not that consistent, and the starting was good as well.”

Sam is now heading into A levels followed by a Sailing Grand Slam event for Olympic classes at Kiel in Germany, then the ILCA Under-21 Europeans in Bodrum, Turkey, where he hopes to finish top half of gold fleet. Describing the step up from ILCA 6 to 7, he said: “It’s only starting to click now. It’s very different in how you set it up. You’ve got to get more comfortable with the bigger power and just holding on to it rather than pulling controls on. In general the racing is just tough. The fleet is super competitive, everyone knows what they’re doing, everyone is close together, which makes for interesting battles around the course.”

420

Hugo Fletcher-Alex Flint (Royal Southern YC) took the men’s title and overall win in the 420 fleet with Hugo commenting: “It feels really good, it was a long week and right at the end we pushed through and we got it.”  Their victory followed a close medal race which saw them claim the bullet to overtake the boat that had been ahead of them in the standings, sailed by Hugo’s sister Isla Fletcher with helm India Eastwood.

Alex added: “Going into the medal race we were just focused on the basics, having good speed, getting a good start, trying not to get too stressed. We had quite a good start so we were trying to focus on who were our threats. We made some good tactical decisions, had some good speed and then once we were at the windward mark we just focused on extending and then trying not to think about other people and the results, just trying to get ahead and stay ahead.”

India Eastwood-Isla Fletcher (Itchenor SC/Royal Southern YC) claimed the female 420 title and were second overall following a tricky medal race in which they finished fifth. India said: “We’re happy, a little disappointed but we definitely fought it back in the race so we’re just glad we didn’t lose any more places.”

“We got it back thankfully,” said Isla, who commenting on the rivalry with her brother said: “I’m happy he’s won, it’s a bit annoying but that’s fine!”  With the team now having completed their third youth nationals together, they are hoping for youth worlds selection – along with Hugo and Alex - if their good form continues into this summer’s internationals, including the 420 worlds at Biscarosse, France, in July.

Making it happen

Hayling Island Sailing Club members were among the army of volunteers who gave up their time to make the championship a resounding success both on the water and ashore.

Commenting on the venue and the new split format for the event, Niall McLeod, RYA Head of Competition & Technical Services, said: “We had the flexibility to run racing in the harbour, and that allowed us to run some racing that we wouldn’t otherwise have been able to do. And by running it in two blocks, it’s allowed us to be more focused on those classes we’ve had in any one block, so we’ve been able to deliver the racing that they want.”

Thanking all those who gave up their time to help make the Championship happen, Niall added: “There’s been a really good feel about the event with volunteers, parents, competitors, and it’s been good to work with the team here at Hayling Island, so lots of positives.”

A review of the RYA Youth Nationals and the event’s role in the British Sailing Pathway is now taking place, with parent and sailor forums during the championship, an invitation to submit feedback, and the involvement of stakeholders such as class associations.

Next up for British Sailing Pathway events is the RYA Eric Twiname Junior Championship, 2-4 May 2026 at Rutland SC. There are also qualifying events over summer towards the RYA Junior Club Championships Grand Final at Northampton SC, 19-20 September 2026.

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All images credit RYA/Martin Allen Photography