Please select your home edition
Edition
Doyle_SailWorld_728X90px_GP TOP

British clubs battle it out at SAILING Champions League 2025 final

by British Keelboat League 15 Jul 02:15 PDT 11-13 July 2025

Three British clubs battled it out over three days of close racing against Europe's top keelboat teams at the 2025 SAILING Champions League final in Germany.

Burnham SC, Marconi SC and the Royal Thames YC Academy were among a record entry of 33 clubs from 14 nations competing in Kiel, 11-13 July, across conditions combining sun, grey skies, drizzle and shifting winds.

Each National Sailing League sent its most successful teams to compete in the SAILING Champions League (SCL) 2025 final. All three British clubs earned a place after achieving top results in last year's British Keelboat League.

Hosted by Hotel Kieler Yacht Club and the SCL, teams completed 14 to 16 races each, with all the action taking place just metres from the waterfront.

In the mix

The SCL final kicked off with the British teams honing their tactical decision making, manoeuvres and boat speed in the up and down, shifty winds of 8-14 knots.

With 11 teams per flight, by the end of day one the Marconi SC team of David Nickalls, Dan Nickalls (helm), Tiegan Crick and Mia Morgan had scored a 2, 11, 9, 9, 4, which put them 21st as the top British boat.

Summing up their day, Dan commented: "It's been a pleasure to be surrounded by firstly the fantastic sailors on the boat with me but also the brilliant competition that we're racing against."

The Burnham SC team - Flynn Davies (helm), Chay Taylor, Niamh Davies and Ellen Morley - ended the day scoring 8, 9, 5, 10, 5 to see them in 26th, pleased with the progress they were making in their first SCL competition.

Flynn said: "A great, albeit long, day of really nip and tuck racing. We really had to fight for every place the whole way round the course and the depth of the fleet is seriously impressive. Nailing the start and having first pick of the shifts proved key and it was great to be in the mix."

Royal Thames YC's Academy team of Tommy Darling (helm), Dom Lewis, Gemma Keers and Lainey Terkelsen (captain) recorded an 11, 6, 10, 7 and 10, enjoying some great starts, taking places downwind, and the great atmosphere at Kiel.

Game on

A breezier and wetter day 2 saw Royal Thames YC's main trimmer Dom Lewis reflecting on a "mixed bag" of results, with plenty of positives alongside plenty to work on, adding that the team was thoroughly enjoying "the sailing and racing against some of the best teams in Europe".

Burnham SC meanwhile eased ahead of Marconi, who had suffered a port / starboard incident. The friendly, east coast rivalry continued through the day and into the gala dinner, and it was all still to play for to see which British team would come out on top.

Both the Royal Thames and Marconi teams won a grant from the RYA to support their participation in the SCL as a result of their position in the BKL Final 2024, with the Burnham team supported by east coast yacht brokers Clarke & Carter.

Historic win

The regatta favourites had emerged early in the proceedings and the top 10 clubs were only a few points apart at the start of day three, which included a thrilling 'final four' decider. Overall victory went to Copenhagen's Kongelig Dansk Yachtklub, who made history as the first team to win the prestigious title for a second time.

"This moment means an incredible amount to us," said skipper Jeppe Borch. "The league has developed enormously since our first title in 2014 - and the fact that we were the first team to win for the second time today makes us proud."

The battle among the British boats meanwhile saw Burnham maintaining their overnight lead. Helm Flynn Davies said: "The final day's racing delivered shifty, patchy, gusty conditions which made the racing super snakes and ladders with loads to be gained, loads to be lost, depending on whether you were in phase with the shifts or not."

He added that the Burnham team's final day results had included a third, their best of the regatta, adding to a scoreline which saw them finish 24th overall and top British boat: "Overall we're really pleased with that, we've had a great time. The racing has been so intense and such a high standard, and we're really looking forward to future keelboat league events as well. A big shout out to Clarke & Carter and to Burnham Sailing Club for supporting us."

Learning

Marconi SC's David Nickalls congratulated the Royal Danish Yacht Club on their win, and reflecting on his own team's final day in Kiel, said: "We performed well, we enjoyed it, there was some really tight racing again. I really feel like we're getting stuck in with the mix, which is nice, today was a good day for us."

Marconi's Tiegan Crick added: "It was lovely to watch the final back at the yacht club, with all the other teams that were taking part... to be surrounded by such a high calibre of competitors, we've learnt so much, especially watching the live broadcasting as well and the footage on the boats, seeing the positioning of everyone, and what we can do differently in the future. It's been amazing, we've loved every minute of it. We've had a great time and we've improved so much over the weekend."

Take part

Could a team from your club be competing in the SAILING Champions League 2026? There's still time to take part in the British Keelboat League!

With its quick turnaround fleet format, there is always heaps of on-water action alongside a sociable atmosphere on the support boats and ashore - with the top teams from each event going forward to the BKL's grand final.

Next up for the BKL 2025 series is an opportunity for teams to #rockupandrace in J70s at Royal Southern YC for the David Haw Memorial Trophy, 30-31 August.

Find all the info you need at www.britishkeelboatleague.co.uk

Related Articles

29er World Championship at Porto Day 2
The breeze never quite showed up but the action didn't stop Day two of the Porto World Championships began with hope—and strategy. With light winds in the forecast, the race committee scheduled an early start in anticipation of a short sea breeze window. Posted today at 7:56 pm
RS Aero World & Youth Worlds overall
The fine Brittany weather and afternoon sea breezes have provided excellent racing The stage was set for a dramatic final day showdown in Quiberon Bay, France, to decide the titles for the 7th RS Aero Worlds and 4th Youth Worlds. Posted today at 4:32 pm
RS Feva Worlds at Aix-les-Bains, France Overall
Crowning of our 2025 World Champions As our World Championships drew to a thrilling close on Friday afternoon, the atmosphere was electric with anticipation! Sailors and families were buzzing with excitement as they prepared for their journey home. Posted today at 4:00 pm
ClubSwan 28 American Series launched
US-based regatta series unites high-performance design with competitive racing. Nautor Swan today announces the launch of the ClubSwan 28 American Series in collaboration with Terry Hutchinson and American Magic, a new high-performance racing circuit designed to ignite competitive sailing in the U.S. Posted today at 3:53 pm
Just another event?
Is Cowes Week still a pinnacle regatta? We've been blessed with incredible sailing so far this summer in the UK (for once) with great breeze much of the time, and some of the best events in the world gracing our shores. But, like with Storm Floris, there are clouds on the horizon... Posted today at 3:00 pm
Safe Harbor Race Weekend starts Friday
Exciting racing, unforgettable shoreside festivities on tap Ever growing in popularity and caliber, the three-day Safe Harbor Race Weekend will host an impressive fleet of 73 boats on August 8 when it begins its fifth annual edition in Newport, R.I. Posted today at 1:44 pm
Tenerife Windsurf Grand Slam Day 3
Pierre Mortefon draws first blood after the wind fills in late After a couple of days of waiting for the wind, Day 3 eventually provided the goods to end the wait for some official competition as the Slalom X got under way during the early evening in 15-18 knots of wind. Posted today at 11:27 am
58th Governor's Cup Match Racing overall
Cole Tapper (AUS) two-peats, defeating Justin Callahahn (USA) 3-1 in the final When asked how the Round-Robin phase of the 58th Governor's Cup had gone for them, in which they lost six matches, Cole Tapper's veteran crew, Hamish Vass (AUS) and Jack Frewin (NZL), said, "a bit ropey. Posted today at 6:41 am
29er World Championship at Porto Day 1
A late start on the first day in Portugal, waiting for the wind to fill in What a start to the 2025 29er Worlds in Porto! The day kicked off with a coaches meeting and a skippers briefing, setting the tone for an exciting first day on the water. Posted today at 5:36 am
Corinthian Yacht Club wins Morgan Cup
The club showed why it has become a dominant force in team racing over the past few years Corinthian Yacht Club won 22nd edition of the Morgan Cup Team Race by two points, but it wasn't nearly that close. Over the course of three days, the Marblehead-based club showed why it has become a dominant force in team racing over the past few years. Posted today at 12:15 am
Zhik 2024 DecemberAllen Dynamic 40 FooterBarton Marine Pipe Glands