UK Open Challenger Championship 2026 at Weymouth & Portland National Sailing Academy

UK Open Challenger Championship at Weymouth © Marion Edwards

The UK Open Challenger Championship took place on 17-19 July. The event was part of the Inclusive Games held at Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy (WPNSA) in conjunction with RYA Sailability and Chesil Sailabllity. The Hansa classes were holding their UK Nationals at the same time.

Eleven Challengers travelled to WPNSA. Bronze fleet sailor Bill Poupart and his buddy Iain Smith (272) had the shortest journey coming from Winchester, but there was a heroic effort from Sailability Scotland with four sailors making the long, long journey south.

The forecast for the entire event was for sunshine and light winds. The forecast was correct with just enough wind for the Challengers to complete an eight race series.

On Friday and Saturday the Hansa classes and Challengers used the same trapezoid course with a reaching finish, but they didn't race at the same time. On Friday afternoon the Challengers went out first to do three two lap races. The wind was coming over Chesil Beach at 7kts gusting 13kts.

UK Open Challenger Championship at Weymouth - photo © Liz Newton

In Race 1 Val Millward (312) was all set for a port tack flier but unfortunately one of the RIBs impeded her and it was James Coxon (292) who took the lead. The windward mark proved to be problematic (and remained so for the entire event). On the first lap Steve Laycock (3) was forced to double tack and Duncan Greenhalgh (280) thought he could pinch to make it but was forced to tack off.

On the approach to the windward mark on lap 2, James tacked on the lay line and found a header, like Duncan he found pinching was not sufficient but he stalled the tack and slid on to the mark. This allowed Graham Hall (270) and Val through. James was heard asking Val if a 360 was sufficient or if a 720 was required. Val gave an honest answer but really James should read the SIs! These three boats maintained this order to the finish. David Craig (263) led the silver fleet home in fifth.

The race officer was chuffed that Race 1 was almost exactly 40 mins for the leaders which was precisely what had been requested.

Steve started Race 2 with a port tack flier but unfortunately went the wrong way up the beat. James hit the line at full pace and led to the finish. Graham was second for the first lap but lost out to Duncan on the second beat before overtaking him on the top reach. They maintained these positions to the finish. In the silver fleet Steve was fifth closely followed by Diana Faulks (288) who stormed along the final reach on a private gust.

In Race 3 James led from the start to the second windward mark. Graham saw that James had under tacked for the mark so he carried on. When James was forced to tack he had to dip Graham, who promptly took the lead. Although James covered Graham closely on the downwind leg - forcing Graham to weave around to try to keep clear air - he couldn't find a way through. Graham's luck held on the reach to mark 5 and on the finish. Val took third.

It was Lydia Johnston's (258) turn to lead the silver fleet in fifth. This was Bill and Iain's best race of the event.

The Challengers then headed back to the slip. The recovery was "interesting" as the wind tried to thwart the sailors returning to the shore. There was a dead patch of water which stopped the sailors short unless they approached at speeds which would normally have the shore crew telling them to go round again and come in more slowly!

UK Open Challenger Championship at Weymouth - photo © Liz Newton

Friday evening saw an excellent barbecue provided by WPNSA. There was much discussion of the afternoon's racing and the difficulty of rounding the windward mark. Duncan had decided it was not worth tacking on all the shifts and better to hit the corners. Most sailors agreed that it was (usually) best not to pinch at the windward mark.

Unusually after three races two trophies had been decided. Bill and Iain had done enough to win the Bronze fleet - they were the sole entry! Lydia had won the Jock Campbell Trophy (best under 30) as she was the only sailor to meet the criteria!

On Saturday morning the Hansas sent out first and wind filled in to a south easterly of 6-7kts. Unfortunately the wind dropped and their first race was shortened and they were sent home.

The Challengers were sent out after a substantial delay into a south easterly of 6-8kts. The mark layers got to work but the race officer received a report that the wind was coming over Chesil Beach again. The marks were pulled up and the committee boat returned to the position it had had on Friday. The wind steadied at 8-10kts with gusts of 12kts.

The plan was for three two lap races but in the end the third race was shortened, as there were concerns about the Hansas fitting in their races.

At the start of Race 4 Duncan was shut out at the start and his only option was to go hard right. Right was the way to go as when he tacked he was able to lay the windward mark. He continued to lead until the second beat. He and James went right but Graham lying in third went left for clear air. Luckily left paid and he popped out first at the windward mark followed by James then Duncan. To add insult to injury, Val overtook Duncan on the run in when she got water at the last mark. John McPartlin (236) had his best race so far in fifth.

UK Open Challenger Championship at Weymouth - photo © Liz Newton

James started Race 5 some way down line full speed (as usual) and, although chased hard by Graham, maintained this position to the finish. This was Diana's best race as she held fourth place most of the race before losing out to Val on the top reach of lap two and she finished in fifth.

At the start of Race 6 James shot down line and started at full speed (again). At the other end of the line there was a certain amount of argy-bargy between David, Val, Graham and Duncan. James, Val and Duncan all rounded the windward mark neatly in that order. At the start of the second beat the leading trio went right. Graham, lying fourth, not wanting to be their dirty wind and went left. Surprisingly when he tacked he crossed ahead of all three of them and took the lead at the windward mark.

He led across the reach to the shortened course finish at the second mark for another (lucky) win. It was David's turn to lead the silver fleet in fifth and Zoe McPartlin (234) had her best result in eighth.

The Challengers returned to shore and the Hansas went out again and were able to complete another two races. It was a long day for them and all the race team (which included Challenger volunteer David Newton, who was on one of the mark laying boats). However, once everything was finished WPNSA served an excellent "Sailor Supper".

After six races Graham and James were separated by just two points, with Val and Duncan further behind just one point apart. In the silver fleet Diana had a two point lead over David.

UK Open Challenger Championship at Weymouth - photo © Liz Newton

For Sunday's races the Challengers and Hansas were racing at the same time on a trapezoid course: the Challengers were starting first, sailing the outer loop and finishing behind the committee boat. The Hansas raced on the inner loop and finished in front of the committee boat. The aim was to minimise the potential for conflict between the two fleets.

The boats sailed out to the race area to find the course already set and the wind lighter than the previous days. Unfortunately it proceeded to veer 90 degrees and the course had to be relaid.

At the start of Race 7 Steve Laycock (3) executed an excellent port tack flier but was unable to capitalise on it, so James took the lead. The second windward mark was problematic. On the approach, Graham starboarded Val who tacked underneath him, forcing Duncan to tack as well. Duncan then touched the mark so dropped out of contention while he did his 360. Val managed to sneak round the mark in second followed by Graham. Val and Graham set off in pursuit of James but, while his lead was cut, he held it to the end.

Val and Graham took second and third respectively. Unfortunately David's halyard slipped during the race putting him at a disadvantage.

After the first race the wind was coming from all directions so AP went up. The wind came back, died, came back again, died again, etc. Eventually it stabilised to come from over Chesil Beach. The course was relaid (again), AP came down and Race 8 began. James was a single point behind Graham and needed to take the win.

James and Steve started with port tack fliers. James' was successful, Steve's less so. On the second beat Graham was upwind of James. He headed hard right but tacked just before he reached the Hansas sailing down their run, James went a bit further and was slowed by having to sail through the Hansas. This gave Graham the edge and he raced on to take the win and with it the championship.

So to the prize-giving. The Dan Newton Cup is awarded to the sailor who "goes above and beyond" in their contribution to the event. This year it was awarded to the hastily named "Team Scotland" (Duncan, Steve, John and Zoe plus volunteers Jean, Enid and Keith) in recognition of the distance they travelled to the event.

Most of `Team Scotland` receiving the Dan Newton Cup - UK Open Challenger Championship at Weymouth - photo © Liz Newton

Graham received the Curtis Cup as the new UK champion. James was a mere two points behind in second. Val was third and also received the Jock Campbell Trophy (best over 75).

Diana was first in the silver fleet, with an ever improving David second and Lydia third (a more satisfying achievement than receiving the Jock Campbell Trophy (best under 30)). Bill and Iain were (not surprisingly) first in the bronze fleet, with Bill promising to sail in silver next season.

All in all, this was an excellent event which was very much enjoyed by the Challenger sailors and their volunteers.

Thanks to RYA Sailability (Joff McGill and Brett Cokayne) - who initiated the event and subsidised the entry fee; and to Sally Reynoldson and Louisa Hockley from WPNSA for excellent event organisation. Thanks to the Race Officer Martyn Emberson, and all his race team, who ran an excellent series of races under not the easiest of circumstances. Thanks also to Hugh de Iongh and all the volunteers from Chesil Sailability and the Hansa classes who helped launch and recover the Challengers.

Finally, the Challenger Class Association is very grateful to Hugh Campbell who further subsidised the entry fee and provided the prize-giving wine.

Trophies awarded:

Curtis Cup (1st overall) and Thames Water Shield (winner of last race): Graham Hall
Judi Figgures Trophy (2nd overall): James Coxon
Prentice Pot (3rd overall) and Jock Campbell Trophy (best over 75): Val Millward
Ayrshire Yeomanry Cup (1st Silver): Diana Faulks
Rutland Rose Bowl (2nd Silver): David Craig
Model Challenger (3rd Silver) and Jock Campbell Trophy (best under 30): Lydia Johnston
Clyde Cruising Club Quaich (1st Bronze): Bill Poupart and Iain Smith
Silver Piccolo: Duncan Greenhalgh
Dan Newton Cup: Team Scotland (Duncan Greenhalgh, Steve Laycock, John McPartlin, Zoe McPartlin)

Overall Results:
If you finished in the top ten at the Challenger nationals then enter your Gear Guide information