Ceilidh Cup 2023 Preview

Teams get set for annual Scottish fixture in RYA Summer Match Racing Series

05 Oct 23

Two keelboats at Royal Northern & Clyde YC match racing downwind with the helm on one boat waving a protest flag.

The Royal Northern and Clyde Yacht Club is looking forward to welcoming teams this weekend (7-8th October) for the annual Ceilidh Cup / Scottish Student Sailing (SSS) Match Racing Championship 2023.

The event is Qualifier 3 and the final round of the RYA Summer Match Racing Series and is Scotland’s only annual match racing event.

This year’s entry will see seven teams competing at Royal Northern & Clyde YC in Rhu, Helensburgh, six of which are from Scottish universities.

Many of the teams entered are new to the match racing scene, with the championship providing an ideal opportunity to gain experience and potentially go on to further RYA or British university events.

Among those competing this year is local Helensburgh lad Calum Bell, who has just returned from the RS21 World Championships in Sardinia after finishing 3rd in the U23s. Calum also came 2nd at SSS keelboat event back in March so is coming into the event as one to watch.

There are also a couple of entrants returning from 2022 with Jill Reid bringing an all-female team this time and looking to claim SSS Gold after her Silver last time out. Tristan Tucker meanwhile has moved from the foredeck to helm Glasgow’s entry to the event.

Nathan Dickson, SSS Yachting Rep, said: “It’s always nice to see a good turnout for our first event of the year with so many universities competing. Due to being the only match racing event in Scotland, it's important to keep a high engagement year on year, so it's great to see teams returning from 2022. Hopefully they enjoy the weekend and it encourages them to enter more SSS and British university events later on in the academic year.”

Event Director Craig Macdonald, of Royal Northern & Clyde YC, added: "The start of the SSS annual calendar marks the end of the RNCYC sailing calendar - it's great to be ending our season with so many university teams competing for the Ceilidh Cup. The forecast for the weekend looks a bit unsettled, so we'll need to push on to complete our 21-match round-robin and get into the closing stages of the event."

Follow all the action with Match Racing Results or find out more at RYA Match Racing.