Junior Sailors Shine at the 2026 MKBYSA Season Opener at Stewartby Water Sports Club
by Adam Fox 17 Feb 09:39 PST
Junior Sailors Shine at the MKBYSA Season Opener © Adam Fox
Saturday's regatta at the club turned out to be one of those rare winter days that felt more like spring. The forecast promised cold and light 5mph breezes, but the sun came out, people warmed up, and a few competitors even said they'd "caught the sun!" Some competitors couldn't make it because it was Valentine's Day. All we'll say is... you missed out.
A huge thanks goes to our Race Officer, Colin Clasper, who had a tougher job than the forecast suggested. The wind was incredibly shifty, fading away completely before filling back in again keeping everyone on their toes.
Race 1 brought a lovely surprise: 13-year-old Archie Clanfield took the win. He finished a lap earlier than some of the other Toppers, and as the breeze faded during their final lap, their average times increased. On corrected time, Archie came out on top.
Archie sailed smart, kept it tidy, and put himself in exactly the right place at exactly the right time. A brilliant result for the youngest sailor on the water.
Race 2 was sailed back-to-back before lunch. It was the first time Grace Muldoon raced her new RS Vareo, and she really got to grips with the boat - taking the win. New boat. First event. Straight to the top. Seriously impressive.
After pizza refuelling, Race 3 started in decent breeze before fading again towards the end. Home sailors Hayden Clark and Jamie Ratcliffe were also fairly new to their RS400. Even in the lighter wind they were flat-hiking at times and clearly growing in confidence each race. They improved steadily through the day, and in the final race it all came together - securing a win for Stewartby.
Next Event March 7th at Great Moor Sailing Club
The MKBYSA series continues on Saturday, March 7th, at Great Moor Siling Club, where young sailors will once again test their skills and compete for top positions in the standings.
Next Event at Stewartby Water Sports Club
The next MKBYSA event at Stewartby takes place on Saturday, 13th June.
About the MKBYSA
The Milton Keynes & Bucks Youth Sailing Association supports young sailors by providing structured racing opportunities, coaching, and a pathway for development. Partnering with local clubs, MKBYSA offers a safe and fun environment where sailors can grow in confidence, improve their racing skills, and enjoy being on the water.
Overall Results:
| Pos | Class | Helm | Club | R1 | R2 | R3 | Pts |
|---|
| 1 | RS VAREO | Grace Muldoon | Haversham Sailing Club | 2 | 1 | 3 | 6 |
| 2 | TOPPER | Morgan Gwilliam | Emberton Park Sailing Club | 3 | 3 | 2 | 8 |
| 3 | RS 400 | Hayden Clarke Jamie | SWSC | 6 | 2 | 1 | 9 |
| 4 | LASER | Aidan Harris | Milton Keynes Sailing Club | 5 | 4 | 4 | 13 |
| 5 | TOPPER | Hollie Jamieson | Emberton Park Sailing Club | 4 | 5 | 6 | 15 |
| 6 | TOPPER | Archie Clanfield | Haversham Sailing Club | 1 | 8 | 7 | 16 |
| 7 | LASER 4.7 | Nathan Cleminson | Haversham Sailing Club | 7 | 6 | 5 | 18 |
| 8 | RS ZEST | George Perkins | SWSC (Shuttleworth College) | 9 | 9 | 9 | 27 |
| 9 | TOPPER | Emily Binstead | SWSC | 8 | 7 | 13 | 28 |
| 10 | RS ZEST | Ewan Philips | SWSC (Shuttleworth College) | 10 | 10 | 8 | 28 |
| 11 | RS ZEST | Millie Speller | SWSC (Shuttleworth College) | 11 | 11 | 10 | 32 |
| 12 | RS ZEST | Jack Lister | SWSC (Shuttleworth College) | 12 | 12 | 11 | 35 |