Countdown to RYA Youth Nationals 2026

Britain’s young racing sailors are gearing up to give it their all at the 2026 RYA Youth National Championships over the Easter holidays.

Hosted by Hayling Island Sailing Club on the south coast, competitors will be chasing podium spots and putting their winter training to the test ahead of the main summer season of championships at home and abroad.

The event is also one of two indicators – along with an international event for each class - for those seeking selection for the Youth Sailing World Championships at Vilamoura, site of the 2025 event, in December 2026.

More than 280 competitors, a total of 187 entries, will be battling it out across six classes:

• Friday 3-Monday 6 April: 29er, iQFOiL and Nacra 15
• Tuesday 7-Friday 10 April: 420, ILCA 6 and ILCA 7 

The event programme has been split for the first time to ensure racing is optimised to towards each class completing a full schedule, with the faster classes - 29er skiffs, foiling Nacra 15 catamaran and iQFOilers - taking to the stage first.

Jonny McGovern,  British Sailing Pathway Head Coach, said: “It’s going to be an action packed eight days with two separate blocks to reflect the variety and speed of classes, and maximise the racing at what will be an awesome venue, with Hayling Island offering additional tidal challenges and options to stay in Chichester Harbour or get out in the bay.

“We’re looking forward to bringing together our top youth sailors and aspiring talent to see how everyone has progressed over the winter ahead of this summer’s international championships. Whether sailors are looking to medal or have transitioned into a class, or have formed a new partnership for the season, it will be a fantastic opportunity to see friends, have fun and enjoy some great racing as we celebrate the very best of British youth sailing.”

Racing formats

The event will see up to four races a day for ILCA and 420 sailors, with up to six races per day for the 29er skiff and foiling Nacra classes, and up to eight races per day for the iQFOiLers.

Returning for 2026, Olympic-style medal racing will take place on the final day for fleets with over 20 entries, with extra fleet racing for those outside the top 10, and for the iQFOiLs there will be a mix of course, sprint and marathon formats, and reaching starts.

Ashore there will be a sailor hub providing a space for socialising, enjoying games and taking part in briefs and debriefs with class coaches.

The RYA Female Futures Group will also be available to provide support around female athlete health and careers in sailing, while sailors will have the opportunity to learn about sustainability initiatives from the RYA Green Blue, Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust, Harbour Oysters and The Final Straw Foundation.

Find all the information including an Event Handbook on the official noticeboard at RYA Youth Nationals 2026.

Runners and riders

As we look ahead to the 2026 event at Hayling Island, here are some the key contenders to follow across the fleets this year.

29er

A force to be reckoned with will be 2025 Youth Sailing World Championship contenders Jac Bailey-Ben Sinfield (Clwb Hwylio Y Felinheli/Port Dinorwic SC) - currently ranked number one in the UK – who will be gunning for the top spot and a second shot at the youth worlds in 2026.

Spurring them on will be some sibling rivalry with younger brother Tom Sinfield crewing for Ben Greenhalgh (Port Dinorwic SC). Former RS Feva national and world champions, this pair are currently ranked No.2 in the UK and are among the rising stars of the class.

Hot competition from a raft of leading teams will also include No.3 ranked Dirk Rogers-Will McEwen (Royal Lymington YC), who are always towards the sharp end of the fleet and will be looking to turn their silver finish at the 2025 RYA Youth Nationals into gold.

Among the top 29er female teams will be Lila Edwards, who with Amelie Hiscocks claimed gold at 2025 Youth Sailing Worlds. With Amelie now continuing her British Sailing Pathway journey in the Olympic 49erFX class, Lila (Parkstone YC) has teamed up with Lily O’Halloran (Restronguet SC). Already putting in top 10 finishes, this is a promising new pairing.

Look out as well for Lila’s younger sister Eliana Edwards with Izzy Johnson (Parkstone YC), who will be chasing hard, and current No.1 ranked female team Freya Hutchinson and Joanna Macalister (Royal Lymington YC).

420

Expect tight racing in the equally competitive 420 fleet, led by a cohort of strong and experienced mixed teams including Joseph Jones-Henny Burlton (Burghfield SC/Royal Southern YC). Consistently impressive at major championships, this on-form pairing were the top youth team earlier this year at both the winter and inland championships.

Harry George (Lymington Town SC) went to the 2025 Youth Sailing Worlds with Ralph Cawthorne and will be hoping to return this year with new crew Olivia Creasy (West Kirby SC) – having teamed up at the end of last year, this team is definitely one to watch.

Hugo Fletcher and Alex Flint (Royal Southern YC) meanwhile are among the boys teams achieving great results, while the top female teams vying for honours will include India Eastwood and Isla Fletcher (Itchenor SC/Royal Southern YC), and Pippa Shepherd-Lauren Mecklenburgh (Itchenor SC/Royal Lymington YC).

ILCA

In the largest fleet with 50 entries, Toby Waggett (Derwent Reservoir SC) will be looking to lead the ILCA 6 men’s category, having won the last two national series events outright to sit comfortably at the top of the men’s UK youth and U-21 international qualifier rankings.

Among the competitors keeping Toby on his toes will be Lewis Bacon (Leigh & Lowton SC) and some of those who are transitioning to the ILCA 7 but jumping back into the ILCA 6 rig for the youth nationals, including Tom Hakes (Parkstone) and Freddie Maclaverty (Red Wharf Bay SWC).

Maclaverty along with Jess Powell (Draycote Water) represented GBR at last year’s Youth Sailing Worlds and will be hoping to have another chance at selection for 2026. Top female helms also shooting for success in the ILCA 6 will include Kat Gunn (Notts County SC), Flo Tovey (Mumbles YC), and Poppy Luxton (Restronguet SC), who leads the female U-21 & Youth rankings.

In the ILCA 7 fleet, expect to see Hamish Collingridge (Southampton University) and Archie Munro Price (Castle Cove SC) competing for supremacy and keep an eye open for newly transitioned Oli Mayo (Yarmouth SC).

iQFOiL

2025 Youth Sailing Worlds boarder Sophie Clark will be hoping for a great result and another chance of selection to represent GBR in 2026, with a strong performance also on the cards from upcoming sister Evie Clark, who is likewise proving competitive in the iQFOiL class, both having come through Andrew Simpson Watersports Centre - Portsmouth.

Also looking to blaze a trail at Hayling Island will be emerging talent Milo Shaw (Parkstone YC), who claimed silver at last year’s youth nationals and went on to achieve a fifth place in the U17 Men’s category at the iQFOiL Youth & Junior Europeans in 2025. 

Nacra 15

Top contenders Marcus King (Weston SC) and Maddie Jinks (Plym YC) will be aiming to lead the British standings again at this year’s RYA Youth Nationals - and having competed at the Youth Sailing Worlds in 2025 will be keen to see if they can make it two in a row.

Tough competition will come from second ranked Will Boalch-Eliza Pritchard (Plym YC /Exe SC) with up and coming combo Patrick Hill/Jessica Patterson (Swarkestone SC/Rock Sailing & Water Ski Club) also looking to set the pace.

The British teams will be working hard to match a visiting continental contingent of six teams from Belgium and the Netherlands ahead of the Nacra 15 Worlds heading to Plymouth in July 2026.

Follow the action

Keep up with all the action from the RYA Youth Nationals 2026 and follow your favourite teams and sailors with live tracking on the TracTrac portal. Be sure to check out updates throughout the week via the Official Noticeboard and British Sailing Pathway on Instagram.