Sunshine, Sailing and a Royal Visit at the Broadland Youth Regatta 2026
by Jack Aitken & Vicky Bentall 6 Sep 22:26 PDT
5 September 2026
Norfolk and Suffolk Boating Association's Broadland Youth Regatta brought together 134 young sailors in 108 boats at Barton Broad in a colourful celebration of youth sailing and the largest junior sailing event on the Broads.
Hosted this year by Norfolk Punt Club (NPC) as part of the club's centenary celebrations, the event welcomed sailors from eight clubs across Norfolk and Suffolk. Blessed with bright sunshine and favourable winds, the regatta demonstrated the strength of youth sailing in the region and the remarkable volunteer effort required to get so many young sailors afloat.
Getting more than one hundred boats, competitors, and support crews into Barton Turf is no small undertaking. Boats were transported along the club's magical tree-lined approach and launched via two modest slipways, whilst competitors and volunteers were ferried to the event pontoons positioned in the middle of Barton Broad. The Punt Club had an extension for the day, thanks to the temporary addition of pontoons from the Nancy Oldfield Trust, creating a floating regatta village capable of accommodating the large fleet.
Royal Visitor Joins the Action
A highlight for many sailors was a visit from RYA President Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal.
Princess Anne started the third race of the day, with only a single ILCA sailor caught over the line whilst the rest of the fleet showed admirable discipline. One of the day's memorable sights was watching the royal helicopter descend in the distance behind the Optimists & RS Teras rounding the first mark.
The Princess spent considerable time meeting sailors from each club, speaking with competitors about their sailing before unveiling a commemorative plaque to mark the occasion. The presence of the police launch alongside the royal visit added another layer of excitement for many of the younger sailors.
Conditions throughout the morning proved ideal for the more experienced sailors, starting with a westerly breeze of 15 knots before easing later in the day. Start lines were busy, competitive and often closely fought, producing exciting racing. Despite the large entry the regatta concluded without a single protest. The event's on-water jury boat fulfilled its role, with intervention rarely required. More often, the team found themselves gently advising sailors and occasionally helping ensure competitors remembered to pass the correct finish mark.
While the stronger breeze suited the more experienced sailors, there was still plenty to do for sailors who found the wind strength or busy start lines a little overwhelming. There was no shortage of enthusiasm around the pontoons, with plenty of encouragement, laughter and messing about in boats.
Four fleets competed, the Fast Single Handicap, featuring an impressive turnout of ILCAs alongside a variety of other dinghies was ultimately won by Jenson Jakob of Snowflakes Sailing Club (SFSC) who displayed consistency and excellent racing skills.
The Double Handicap series included 15 Fevas, reflecting the growing popularity of the class across Broadland clubs and its role as an ideal first double-handed dinghy. The series was won by NPC's Purple Pirate sailed by Henry Drew and Finn Elson. Some 35 brightly coloured Topper's competed in their fleet ultimately won by Devon Bulldeath from SFSC. The Slow Handicap Fleet, comprising Optimists and RS Teras, was won by Rollesby Sailing Club's Henrietta Highfield.
James Stuart, RYA Director of Corporate Affairs, who attended the event, summed up the atmosphere, "I am quite blown away by the evident community spirit in organising, and the sheer fun and frolics of the kids; this is a very special event."
Team Competition Rewards Participation
Representing the region this year were Beccles Amateur Sailing Club (BASC), Hickling Broad Sailing Club (HBSC), Horning Sailing Club (HSC), Norfolk Broads Yacht Club (NBYC), Norfolk Punt Club (NPC), Rollesby Broad Sailing Club (RBSC), Snowflakes Sailing Club (SFSC), and Waveney & Oulton Broad Yacht Club (WOBYC).
The prestigious Centenary Salver, presented in 1994 by then NSBA President Sam Horner and running under a formula which prioritises the Regatta element of participation-for-all and having-fun, was won by WOBYC, with SFSC finishing a close second.
The Lady Mayhew Trophy for Endeavour was won by Alfie Shanahan from BASC; he competed one race in last year's event after only one week of sailing; this year he led his fleet briefly in one race; an upcoming potential.
The Whelpton Cup, for the most successful double-handed, was awarded to Purple Pirate.
The regatta moves south to Oulton Broad in 2027 before heading to Hickling in 2028.
One of the joys of the Broadland Youth Regatta is that it brings together young sailors from across Norfolk and Suffolk. This year there was much amusement ashore as sailors struggled to recognise friends they had last seen only a few days earlier, many having returned to school the day before and sporting fresh haircuts that hid the tell-tale signs of a summer spent sailing.
The Broadland Youth Regatta capped an extraordinary period for NPC. In the space of just 10 days, the club has successfully hosted two of the largest regattas on the Broads. Supported by an army of volunteers, NPC has managed royal visits, dramatic weather, fly-pasts and hundreds of competitors, all while maintaining the welcoming atmosphere for which the club is renowned. A shout out must go to Commodore Alistair Drew and the many volunteers whose efforts behind the scenes made the event possible.
No report from NPC would be complete without mentioning its legendary catering. Many Broads sailors would argue they produce some of the finest sailing-club cakes in the country. Competitors heading home were delighted to discover copies of the club Cake Cookbook tucked into their goodie bags. Two exhausted young sailors in my car were discussing which recipes to try first as we drove home.
Overall Results:
Fast Handicap: Jenson Jakob (SFSC)
Double Handers - The Whelpton Cup: Henry Drew & Finn Elson (NPC)
Toppers: Devon Bulldeath (SFSC)
Slow Handicap: Henrietta Highfield (RBSC)
The Lady Mayhew Trophy for Endeavour: Alfie Shanahan (BASC)