A good start for Year One of the Sailjuice Challenge
by Andy Rice 30 Oct 20:48 HKT
Euan Hurter (RSA642) wins at the Dalgety Bay event, and wins overall in the Magic Marine Sailjuice Challenge © DBSC
The first edition of the Magic Marine Sailjuice Challenge attracted almost 400 entries across four events during the summer of 2025. A handicap series modelled along the lines of the Selden Sailjuice Winter Series, the inaugural circuit focused on some already well established multi-class events in the north of England and Scotland.
Winner of the final event at his home club of Dalgety Bay Sailing Club was Euan Hurter who trapezed his Musto Skiff to victory ahead of an 86-boat fleet of dinghies at the Magic Marine Sailjuice Dalgety Challenge. Finishing behind Hurter was Keith & Catriona Cuthbert's 2000 in second and Ian Baillie's Devoti D-Zero in third.
Along with his second place from the Loch Lomond Challenge the previous weekend, Hurter's results in Scotland were sufficient for overall series victory ahead of fellow Musto Skiff sailor Rob Richardson, whose fifth at the Lord Birkett Trophy and victory at Loch Lomond made him the runner-up.
A GOOD YEAR FOR THE SKIFFS
The Musto Skiffs proved dominant in the 2025 season, claiming four of the five top spots, with only Tony Lewis and Andrew Cutting's VX One breaking up the Skiff party. Co-promoter of the Magic Marine Sailjuice Challenge Andy Rice commented: "Being a Musto Skiff sailor myself, these results probably look like an inside job! But it's more about who actually committed to competing in two or more events in the first season. While I'm delighted to see Euan win the circuit in 2025, the more important result from this first edition of the Magic Marine Sailjuice Challenge is how many boats took part across the four events, and just over 370 entries in the season is a healthy start."
BUILDING ON WINTER SERIES SUCCESS
The reason for creating the Magic Marine Sailjuice Challenge was to build on the success of the Selden Sailjuice Winter Series which is about to enter its 17th edition, says Rice's colleague and co-promoter Simon Lovesey. "At the RYA Dinghy Show earlier in the year we saw a few more brand new dinghy classes launched into an already busy market," he said. "We typically see more than 80 different types of boat competing at our events - mostly dinghies along with some sportsboat and catamaran classes - and the Winter Series has been a good focal point for all those boats to come together during the cold months.
YOUR COUNTRY NEEDS YOUR EVENT
"While a number of well established fleets have their successful one-design open meetings during the summer months, there are many classes that can't sustain the numbers to make a single-class open meeting viable. So through the Sailjuice Challenge we're looking to build a solid circuit of pre-existing events which are open to a wide range of classes to take part in.
"We'd like to thank Ullswater Yacht Club for two excellent events with the Daffodil Regatta back in April and the Lord Birkett in July, and then our two Scottish clubs Loch Lomond and Dalgety Bay for rounding out the series at the end of the summer. Now we want to add more events for 2026 and welcome any thoughts or ideas for how to expand the Sailjuice Challenge for the coming years."
Overall Results from the 2025 Magic Marine Sailjuice Challenge (two best events to count from four)
THE FUTURE
More events are planned for the Sailjuice Challenge in 2026. For further information about how to get involved, either as a participating Class or a host Sailing Club, please contact
Meanwhile entries are open for the 17th edition of the Selden Sailjuice Winter Series, which starts with the Fernhurst Books Draycote Dash on the weekend of 22 & 23 November 2025. Get your entry in now!